KVP ACTIVITY IN THE AREA OF MECHANIZED DIVISION POTSDAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A005500020009-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Sequence Number: 9
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2008/04/08: CIA-RDP80-00810A005500020009-3
1. During the night of 23 September 1954. KVPs with tanks and trucks were
detrained at Eden and returned to the former Sachsenhausen concentration
vamp near Oranienburg.l It was said that the harvest employment of 25X1
KVPs had terminated by 15 October.
2. On 18 October, the reconditioning work at the former Sachsenhausen '
concentration camp was not completed. Two brick buildings about 35 25X1
meters long each were still under construction.
3. At 2400 on 8 October, 18 BA-64 armored scout cars came from the direction
of Oranienburg and entered the former concentration camp.
4. Between 29 September and 18 October, approximately 300 to 800 KVPs
were engaged in close-order drill, training on obstacle courses,
practice with ~A guns and hand grenades, field training, and firing
practice at the Klinkerwerke. About 18 x 37-mm AA guns and 10 AA
machine guns were observed. Several tanks practiced repeatedly near
the KVP quarters and near Schmachtenhagen (east. _of-,,Orani~bulg
hectares southeast of Oranienburg:was to
the construction of a firing range. Most
the Borgsdorf forest district, while the
a wooded area of 600
be cleared probably for
of the area belonged to
other parts belonged to
Briese and Zuehlsdorf. 3
I
25X1
1
a new
training ground of about 850 x 45o meters
25X1
' was built about 100 meters east and along the Oranienburg-Berlin
elevated railroad. 3
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 Approved For Release 2008/04/08: CIA-RDP80-00810A005500020009-3
SECRET
8. At 1700 on 4 October, the last car of side-tracked train was unloaded
by KVP personnel at the Oranienburg freight station. The KVPs left
toward the former Sachsenhausen concentration camp. 1
vehicles and equip ' ~` ~~s' a~?1~+~r.f`~'aat~t~ Ral~rg
Kaserne practiced driving on ornstedter Feld immediately north of
Potsdam. Most of the KVPs wore blue service color.
., .7
close order drill ~~:!~'Id ~#1t,`~ntaa+~o!-rtl2~'=Q+L~ ~r?-pa-~ ?i
9. Between 30 September and 15 October, about 350 recruits were repeatedly
observed at basic training and firing practice on platoon level at the
g am. Trained personnel in co~t~~?y ,:~tre~~h
Ruinen er Kaserne in ots
left the kaserne t ~ ~~~~;#i~~~!$'!~ ~ ~ ,'~p,;e.#id
10. pass photos of about 400
K recruit s from ~~inen erg aserne were made during the previous
days. 4
11. Between 30 September and 6 October, the Gardos ~t ~ Berne in
Potsdam was occupied by 450 to 500 KVPs, i~~ fly X70 to 80
recruits. The KVPs wore red-bordered black collar patches. The
training activity was similar to that at the Ruinenberg Kaserne.
Practice with 37-mm AA guns was also observed. Between 9 and 19 October,
however, comparatively little activity was seen and thr installation
was less occupied. The ruined western .wing of the kaserne will allegedly
be rebuilt. 5 ,
12. During the night of 8 October and on 19 October, two trucks,each occupied
by 16 KVPs with blue service color and towing a 57-mm AT gun, were
leaving and entering the General Wever Kaserne in Potsdam - Eiche. At
1500 on 11 October, four trucks, each occupied by 16 KVP with claret
service color, left the kaserne. 6
13. In early October, the following officers of the signal battalion in
Potsdam-Eiche (Dienststelle Potsdam V) were identified (first names
unknown): Senior Lieutenant Fischer as commanding officer,
Senior Lieutenant Kaiser as deputy commander,
Senior Lieut?nant Krueger se chief of staff,
Senior Lieuisaenant Lotze as political officer.
The signal battalion numbered 110 to 120 KVPs and. was organized into
a headquarters company, a training company, a radio company and a
telephone company.
14. At 1300 on 4 October, a KVP train of 6 boxcars with about 30 KVPs each,
8 flatcars, each carrying an armored personnel carrier, 10 flatcars,
each carrying a light AA gun with a truck, and 8 f latcars with trucks,
field kitchens and ambulances left the Schoenhausen railroad station
and proceeded toward Rathenow. 7
15. During the night of 2 October, about 20 trucks, each occupied by 15
to 20 KVPs but no heavy weapons, arrived at the KVP installation on
Brandenburger Chaussee at Premnitz from the south. Following this
arrival, the installation was occupied by 400 to 500 KVPs. Since most
of the personnel were detached for harvesting or were on furlough by
8 October, the installation was occupied by 50 to 100 KVPs only between
9 and 18 October. 2, 8
SECRET
Approved For Release 2008/04/08: CIA-RDP80-00810A005500020009-3
 Approved For Release 2008/04/08: CIA-RDP80-00810A005500020009-3
16. On and after 10 October, most of the troop training ground~~east
of Klietz was again open to traffic. Only a tank unit conducted
daily firing practices in an area 1.5 to 2 km north of the
advanced airfield. 2
Comment. The report confi,xms previous information on KVP
period apparently terminated.
Comment. Recent f luetuations in the occupation strength
result from the rotation of KVP units between the post and the
troop training grounds east of Klietz, and from rather large
detachments for harvesting. On 6 October 1954, the training at
the troop training grounds east of Klietz during the 1954 training
paragraph 1. It is believed that the area will serve as 1;rainin.g
ground of the KVP post. '
o served training in this area.
Comment. KYP units from Oranienburg hays been, repeatedly
Comment. In late September 1954, the entire AAA regiment.
ll~ hanized Division Potsdam probably returned to its home
station from the AAA firing range near Zingst.
~.
Comment ._ The KVP train which probably carried a unit back:
training grounds east of Klietz.
contingents of the regiment probably returned from the troop
the train reported
Comment. The mortar regiment of Mechanized Division Potsdam
is s ationed at Premnitz. During the night of 2 October 1954, large
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Approved For Release 2008/04/08: CIA-RDP80-00810A005500020009-3