MILITARY ACTIVITY IN ALTENBURG AND THE AREA OF THE XXVIII GDS MTZ RIFLE CORPS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A005500790008-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Sequence Number: 8
• Content Type: REPORT

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CLASSIFICATION T
East aors any R PC1R
Military Activity in Altenbur
EVALUATION
DATE OF CONT
DATE OBTAINED
` R ERENCES
PAGES 5
REMARKS
O8TAINEDJ
rThis is UNEVALUATED Information]
10 November 1954
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I. Between 9 and 15 October 1954, the barracks installation east of
teipziger rasse (8002) in Altenburg was occupied by an estimated 25X1
1,000 soldiers wearing red-bordered black epaulets with artillery
insignia and black-bordered crimson epaulets. On 9 October, 10 x 100-mm
At guns in firing position and approximately 100 soldiers were seen in
the area north of the installation.
On 15 October, two columns came from the direction of the kasernes
and proceeded toward the town. The first column consisted of 22 trucks
including 3 trucks with ammunition, 12 trucks towing medium AT guns
and occupied by 14 soldiers each, and 2 radio trucks. The soldiers wore
red-bordered black epaulets with artillery insignia. The second column
consisted of 20 trucks including 8 trucks towing 85-mm AT guns and
occupied by 14 soldiers each, 2 trucks with field kitchens, 1 ambulance
and 3 radio trucks.
On 16 October, the installation east of Leipziger Strasse was occupied
by approximately 500 soldiers wearing red-bordered black epaulets with
artillery insignia and the installation west of Leipziger Strasse was-
occupied by approximately 1,000 soldiers wearing red-bordered black
epaulets with artillery and, a few, with motor transport insignia.
Approximately 40 soldiers received instruction on 3 x 152-mm gun
howitzers in the yard of the installation west of Leipziger Strasse.
Approximately, 120 soldiers drilled.1
4. On 10 October, approximately 2,000 recruits wearing black-bordered
crimson epaulets arrived in Weimar on 58 boxcars and marched to the
Tannenberg Kaserne (8502).
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2. Between and 15 October, the barracks installation west of Leipziger
Strasse (8001) in Altenburg was occupied by an estimated 1,000 soldiers
wearing red-bordered black epaulets with artillery insignia. On 9 October,
6 x 152-mm gun 'pwitzers were seen in the installation and 5 x 85-mm AT
guns in firing position were in the area north of the installation. The
barrels of the AT guns had telescopic sights mounted on them. Soldiers
practiced firing at moving targets.
Mtz Rifle Corps
3.
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Betty en 12 and 18 October, the following troop shipments left
Weim in the directions indicated:
12 October: 70 recruits toward Eisenach;
150 soldiers toward Gera;
16 October: 100 dischargees toward Berlin;
30 boxcars in an undetermined direction;
18 October: 500 recruits toward Naumburg;
Several groups of dischargees in an undetermined
direction.
!Other groups of dischargees arrived in Weimar on 18 October.
9. At 1900 on 20 October, a troop train passed through the Jena
railroad station. It came from the west, proceeded toward Gera
and carried 20 trucks, 10 to 12 tractors, 10 to 12 guns and, on
about 10 boxcars, an undetermined number of personnel.)
and several trucks left Arnstadkt toward the east.z
appeared to be occupied to capacity.1
8. on 15 October, a troop train with 8 to 10 tanks
6. On 10 October, the Luetzendorf Kaserne (8503) in Weimar was
occupied as follows by at least 1,200 soldiers:
the first eastward building by signal and motor transport units,
the second and third building by soldiers wearing black-bordered
fired epaulets, the fourth building by artillery and motor transport
units, and the west section of the installation by the hospital.
7. Between 12 and 18 October, all military installations in Weimar
10. On 18 October, soldiers received instruction on 6 x 100-mm AT guns,
and 4 x 122-mm howitzers in the Reuss Kaserne (8141) in Gera._ Tha
11. On 15 and 18 October, the ?anzer Vaserne (8142) in Tinz was occupied
by at least 200 soldiers. The occupation. strength appeared to have
increased slightly. Aiming was practiced with 3 T-id/Ar; tArks.
included 2 T-34/85 tanks, 4 YA-12 prime movers. 2 Y inn-mm Am
12. On7 October, exercises were no longer held at the Forst Zeitz
training area. The approach roads to the Friedenssiedlung (settlement)
were blocked and guarded by sentries wearing red-bordered black epaulets
with artillery insignia. Vehicles and weapons observed in the settlement
13. On 8 October, the Panzer Kaserne in Tinz was again occupied by an
estimated 800 soldiers wearing red-bordered black epaulets including
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some with tank insignia. A Soviet soldier stated that the units
had returned from the Zeitz Forest.
14. Units from the;
reportedly lef
black-bordered red epaulets. About 25 percent of the windows
serne and the Panzer Kaserne in Tinz
.Jena during the nights prior to 15 October.
15. On 15 and 16 October, the Reuss Kaserne was occupied by an
estimated 1,000 soldiers wearing red-bordered black and, a few,
of the installation were lit at dusk. Eight guns, presumably
100-mm AT guns, were seen in a gun shed. Motor vehicles
entered and left the installation.
16. On 15 October, approximately 120 soldiers wearing red-bordered black
epaulets with tank insignia were lined up for a roll call in the
Panzer Kaserne in Tinz. On 16 October, soldiers were drilled in
the barracks yard.1
17. During the night on.21 October, major units were unloaded at the
Gera railroad station. At 0100, approximately 15 T-34/85 tanks
and several trucks entered the Panzer Kaserne in Tinz and 8 tractors
with 100-mm AT guns and several small truck columns entered the
Reuss Kaserne.1
18. On 21 October, loadings and preparations for other loading were
observed at the Crawinkel railroad station. Approximately 20
T-34/85 tanks about 5 SU-100 guns and 10 trucks
19. On 14 October, approximately 200 soldiers cleaned 12 to 15 rocket
launchers and motor vehicles in the Prinz Louis Ferdinand Kaserne
(8481) in Saalfeld. The installation appeared to be occupied to
capacity by an estimated 1,500 soldiers. According to the condition
of weapons and equipment, the unit had only recently returned from
an exercise.3
20. Between 13 and 15 October, the Prinz Louis Ferdinand Kaserne in
Saalfeld was occupied by approximately 400 soldiers wearing red-
bordered black epaulets, 200 soldiers wearing black-bordered black
epaulets and 200 soldiers wearing black-bordered red epaulets. On
25 October, a truck with 3 engineer officers was seen at the Hohenwarthe
dam.5
21. Between 4 and 8 October, the Infanterie Kaserne (8541) east of
Friedens Strasse in Zeitz was occupied by approximately 250 soldiers
wearing red-bordered black epaulets and a military band of 2 to 0
soldiers wears black-bordered red epauletz-F
22. Between 4 and 8 October, the Artillerie Kaserne (8542) west of
Friedens Strasse in Zeitz was occupied as previously by approximately
100 soldiezs wearing red-bordered black epaulets inc u ng 50 soldiers
with tank insignia. On 8 October, T-34/85 tank Left the
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SECS,
23. On 12 October, fresh imprints of tank tracks led into the two
installations on Friedens Strasse. Approximately 30 tanks and
10 SP guns reportedly entered the Artillerie Kaserne from the
direction of the Zeitz Forest on that day. T-34/85 tanks
were seen in the Artillerie Kaserne and SU-100 g
was seen in the Infanterie Kaserne. The occupation of the
installations appeared to have increased.
24. On 24 October, two columns left the Infanterie and the Artillerie
Kaserne for entraining at the Zeitz freight station. The first
column consisted of 32 to 35 trucks, 57-mm AT guns, 1 tank truck
and approximately 180 soldiers. The second column consisted
of T-34/85 tanks
c s, x -mm
mortars and 150 to 200 sv ease wearing artillery and tank insignia.
Mohr vP.~'11 E~ A
land jeep
occupied by a colonel of the armored command were seen. Rai roa men
stated that the two shipments left toward Weissenfels.
25. Between 14 and 18 October, the Infanterie Kaserne and the Artillerie
Kaserne on Friedens Strasse were occupied by only 50 soldiers each.
The soldiers wore red-bordered black epaulets. At 0600 on 19 October,
approximately 30 trucks with 4 x 57-mm AT guns and 3 x 120-mm mortars
reportedly entered the Infanterie 7ne. T-34/85 tanks
and SU-100 guns
hich came from the railroad station entered the r i erie
aserne. At 0630, approximately 150 soldiers were lined up in the
yard of the Artillerie Kaserne.l
26. Between 28 September and 18 October, the barracks installation in
Jena-Loebstedt (8222) was occupied as previously. In the evening
on 13 October, 6 Of the 8 barracks of the installation were fully
li hted. Tw dings were dark. On 28 Sep*9mber, T-34 tanks
b 'lleft the installation, presumably for the Altendorf
training grounds. On 30 September, 9 T-34 tanks returned from an
exercise. On several days, sentries wearing red-bordered black epaulets
with tank insignia and red-bordered black epaulets with artillery
insignia were alternately observed at the barracks gate. On 15 October,
firing was heard from the Altendorf training area throughout the day.
On 18 October, 15 T-34 tanks entered the installation from the direction
of Altendorf-Goeschwitz.
27. On 18 October, the barracks installation (8221) in Jena-Zwaetzen
was still vacant. The Forst Kaserne (8225) in Jena was still vacant
on 16 October and the Polizei Kaserne (8223) in Jena was still vacant
on 13 October.1
28. Between 13 and 15 October, the Prinz Eugen Kaserne (8462) and the
Flak Kaserne (8461) in Rudolstadt were occupied to capacity. On
13 October, 6 heavy AA guns were again observed in front 6f the
main gate of the Prinz Eugen Kaserne. Sentries seen wore red-bordered
black epaulets. The Flak Kaserne was occupied by approximately 1,500
soldiers wearing red-bordered black, black-bordered black and blue-
bordered black epaulets.3
_6 mv.caucuuo
of the 2 th Gds Meez Div and elements of army troops of the Eighth
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Gds Army and corps troops of the XXVIII Gds Mtz Rifle Corps:
14/15 October. Elements of the 67th Gds Mecz Regt, the
36th Tank Regt, major elements of the 38th AT Brig, elements
of the 308th Arty Brig and the tank training battalion left
the posts.
13 to 18 October. The bulk of the elements of the 20th Gds
Mecz Div stationed in Jena was absent from the post.
19 October. Elements of the 67th Gds Mecz Regt and the
36th Tank Regt returned to Zeitz.
21 October. Elements of the 66th Gds Mecz Regt and the 68th
Gds Hv Tank SP Regt were entrained in the Ohrdruf area.
21/22 October. Elements of the 308th Arty Brig and the tank
training battalion returned to Gera. A shipment of the 308th
Arty Brig passed through Jena on 20 October and another shipment
was seen passing through Erfurt.
These observations quite definitely indicate that the final exercise
of the 20th Gds Mecz Div reinforced by army and corps troops was
conducted between about 15 to 18 October, presumably in the Ohrdruf
area. The elements of the division stationed in Weimar did not
participate in this exercise since the Weimar installations were
occupied to capacity at that time.
elements of the 66th Gds Mecz Regt of the 20th Gds
cz i)iv re urne to the Jena post from the Ohrdruf training area.
The information is questionable since the bulk of the elements of the
20th Gds Mecz Div stationed in Jena undoubtedly returned to their
post after 15 October. See Field Comment 1.
Comment. The observations in Saalfeld and Rudolstadt indicate
that the corps troops stationed there, the 316th Gds RL Regt, the
497th AAA Regt and the engineer and signal units returned to the posts
from the trainin
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