THE ORDER OF BATTLE OF THE SOVIET GROUND FORCES IN THE SOVIET ZONE OF GERMANY AND AUSTRIA AND THE GERMAN KASERNED VOLKSPOLIZEI

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Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP80-00810A005700490010-8
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RIPPUB
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S
Document Page Count: 
9
Document Creation Date: 
December 22, 2016
Document Release Date: 
August 23, 2010
Sequence Number: 
10
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
February 3, 1955
Content Type: 
REPORT
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PDF icon CIA-RDP80-00810A005700490010-8.pdf498.91 KB
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Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/23 :CIA-RDP8O-OO81OAOO57OO49OO1O-8 V~+~~}riw+i lulu ;;~~ c~.l. CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPORT INFORMATION REPORT CD N0. COUNTRY East Germany DATE DISTR. 3 February 1955 SUBJECT The Order of Battle of the Soviet Ground Forces N0. OF PAGES in the Soviet Zone of Germany and Austria and. the German Kaserned Volkspolizei NO.OF ENCLS ACQUIRED DATE OF INFO. TX1[ DOCUY[NT CONTAINf IMPORYATION AFF[CTING THE NATIONAL DL-[NS[ OO TNl UNIT[D fTATL[. MITNIN TX[ N[ANINf Of TITL[ I[, f[CTIOMS 7t! AND 711. Of TXt U. f. COD[, Af AN[MD^D. ITS TRAN[,Y 1[310N OR R[YEL- ATION O- ITf CONT[NTf TO OR R[C[IPT [Y AN UNAUTNORIi[D P[RSON 15 PROXI [IT[D [Y LAM TN[ R[PRODUCTION O- TXIB PORN IS PRONI [IT[D. SUPPLEMENT TO REPORT N0. THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION In dovember 1)j4, the situation of Soviet troop ur;.its in the Soviet Zone of Germany vvas characterized by three special programs namely the personnel exchange program, the l:iotor vehicle exchange program and the reequipment of artillery units. Since these programs are still under way, r..o conclusions can be drawn about their effects on t_~~e combwt power of the troops concerned. The readiness for action, however, will be considerably affected until late January 1955 by the personnel exchange program vrhich involved a larger number of soldiers than usual; GERMANY Order of Battle. 1. A['ter the return of the Soviet troop units to their r-vinter posts, t'r~e OB List for the Soviet Zone has attain been scrutinized. The attached list will serve as basis for the following months. Training and r~n~loyment of Troops . 2. the units are fully occupied with the training of she numerous recruits. According to observations at the kasernes, training included basic training, drill with and without weapons, march practices of small units in the barracks yard, instruction on Heavy weapons, driving pracfice with motor vehicles and armored vehicles, record practice with infantry weapons, and frequent CLASSIFICATION SECRET STATE X NAVY NSRB ARMY 1' AIR X ~ FBI Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/23 :CIA-RDP8O-OO81OAOO57OO49OO1O-8 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/23 :CIA-RDP80-00810A005700490010-8 S:~c~~ll I 50X1-HUM tank training battalions a.nd artillery units at training grounds ti?ras observed only in a few cases. In addition to the training, the units engaged in the exchange of motor vehicles, guns, ~,nd ammunition for these guns, the renuribering of :rotor vehicles, servicing of equipment, reconditioning of post training installations and tyre distribution of recruits, as well as the discharge of trained personnel. Regular combat training is not expected to begin before early December. The readiness for action, therefore, reached the lowest level in 1954 and will gradually increase only after t,ze winter exercises of combined arms in late January 1955. l~'he same applies to the special units. ~~ajor elements of the 3~th Bridge bldg Regt of the GSr~G are presumably still stationed in the AYpLLl~;1~SDOt~F' training area on t:ie ,l'oe River to tivhich they moved on 20 October. A unit of tiie 12th Hv How Brig from BtZAl~D;vBUitu engaged in firing practices at aL`l~'~Ottr,t3~il~ un 13 arrd 14 November. On 2425 November, 13 trace-laying amphibious vehicles, similar to those of the special unit in Sr~,~:;,:i~.~tG, ~~vere unloaded in EB~RS,'JALDE. Personnel Exchange. 4. ?,'lhile the discharge of trained personnel continued, the arrival of recruits from the JSSit, which had been observed for approximately S weeks, apparently terminated in late P~ovember. $st.~aex~ 29 Sralpt4~4ber and 25 November, 65 troop shuttle trains ~.~Yi~ ~'--~ ? -were reported to have arrived from the JSSR. Anotir~r 62 L"~,i~s are believed to have arrive according to the order of train numbers observed. It can thus be concluded that a total of approximately 175,000 recruits arrived. This number exceeds that of 1y53 by 60,000 men. The induction of the 1835 class is confirmed by Order i1o 150 .from the Soviet iJlinistry of Defense, dated B September _g54, and by another Soviet document. It is assumed that in addition to the 1935 class, snernbers of the 193 class who had previously been deferred, ~,vere also inducted. Although several sources reported teat the recruits included unusually young men, there are no indications that a younger class was inducted. The information that the newly arrived soldiers also included trained personnel hr~,s not been confirmed so far. Triere is no doubt ghat the number of dischargees in this year was considerably higher than in 1953. It is believed that an estimated 30,000 men more than in 1;53 have been discharged so far. According to the abovementioned order and or. the basis of an exact interpretation of the compulsory service law, the members of tyre 1831 and 1832 classes had to be discharged. Fi;ures whici: may support or contradict this assumption will be available onl}r after the completion of tr.e discharge program. Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/23 :CIA-RDP80-00810A005700490010-8 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/23 :CIA-RDP80-00810A005700490010-8 Reequipment. 5. The followin; changes in the equipment with oreapons ~,vere observed in Octo,er and November 1954 a. Lcluipping of mechanized regiments with JSU-122 and SU-100 guns. Up to 3 SP guns were observed with one mechanized regiment each in '~T~EI1~iAR, GRI,llVIA, BAD Ftr~;Ii[d~+ALJy' and JIiEi'ERiiO;~ ahd 8 SP guns were observed inr~LOST~r~EUBU.tG, Austria. Since no tanks were observed being turned in at that time, it can be assumed that tyre mechanized regiments were reinforced by one SP gun company. b. "ihe reequipping of rlortar regiments of tank z;,nd mechanized divisions ri~entioned in Iu~onthly 1~eport oi' au,~u,~ t ca.s been corrfirraed by the observ.ytion of one battalion o:' 12 x 1~2-nan field howitzers with each of 3 ta:.k divisions and 4 mechanized divisions including tYie 13th Gds iuiech Div in Austria. In exchange for the howitzers, 120~mm mortars were turned in. Where were no indications, however, that the entire mortar equipment of these mortar regiments was exchanged ~' field howitzers. c. Beeinn_;.ng in early November, guns have continually arrived from the USSR, and Burrs and ammunition have continually been exchanged between artillery units in the zone. 'i'n.ese shipments, the purpose of which could not be determined, included: 2 November. A train with 35 guns, according to caliber, presumably 152-mm gun 'rowitzers, and 20 boxcars which went .from BREST LITOVSK to GERA. 3 November. Twent;;~ 152-mm field howitzers wY~ich were unloaded in BERNAU. 7 November. Sixteen guns, presumably 132-srr Burr howitzers vahich were unloaded in Gera by the 308th Arty Brig. 9 November. A train of appt~oximately 45 flatcars witri guns which went from BRES'T LITOVSK to FItANi;~'URT~UDER. 12 November. A train with 40 x 120 to 150-mm ~rur.~s and 2G ::~:otor vehicles which came from the direction of FALY:r`~;BERG and proceeded westward via LEIPZIG-TAUCHA. At night, guns were reportedly entrained in KOi~I:GSBRUr;CK. 17 November. A trair. with 4 x 100-mur AT guns arrc?. 20 AT guns of a smaller caliber which came from the direction of :~~IZS'PJnLL`~:- BERTdAU and ~:~roceeded via BERLIN-Ostkreuz. 18 November. Thirty-f ive 152-mrn gun howitzers wr:.ich car.~e f:ronr FRANKFTJRT~ODER and were unloaded in POTSDAT~:-`,dildpark. 20 November. Sixteen 122-mm field howitzers and 3 of the 152-mm gun howitzers which arrived in GLRA on 7 November were entrained there by the 308th Arty Brig. `twenty-six 57-mm AT guns which ~~were entrained in BRA~llE.r"vBJitG. Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/23 :CIA-RDP80-00810A005700490010-8 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/23 :CIA-RDP80-00810A005700490010-8 21 November. A train of 26 flatcars with buns ar~d 50 boxcars which went from BREST LITOVSK to Ff~AlvisFUR'i' j ~D.:,R. 24 November. A shipment of 36 x 122-mrn field gums which vent from POTSDAN t o SCHVVERIN . 25 November. A shipment of 16 boxcars with ammunition ar~d escorting detail wl~rich went from POTSDAti: to SCITd~`1!,rilT~ . 28 November and 3 December. A total of 152-n~rir field howitzers acrd 6 x 100-mm AT guns which were unloaded in DALLGO`~"~+ and ~~~ere picked up by the lst i~iech Div. 30 Tovember. Ten boxcars of ammunition vv_rich tivent from 3Utt~ to DALLGO'~~. 1 December. Fight 85-nun AT guns without vehicles vv~~i c1~ ;sere entrained in BINL on ;~U~,GEN Island. A shipment of at:proxirnately 20 x l0U-rnn. T buns and 10 x 57-mm AT guns whicl: came from the direction of B~~,~,ITY-OSTKi~n;UG ;.rnd proceeded toward FULRSII:N`NALDE-FRANIir~LTRT j ODFtt. The shipment on 1`j November, the second s?~i~~merit ors ~C i~ovember and the two shipments on 1 December rray have gone to the ordnance collecting point of the GSr'G ir; FU:~;n~i'yTd,'~ALDL. This tabulation tends to indicate that the reequ:_pping is limited to units of the IV Arty Corps ar_a ~~~rtillery brigades of the armies and rif ie corT;s . d. Gn 13 November, a shi.~ment oi' 10 tanks arrived ai; the r,ost cf one tank division of each mechanized army. 'the arrival or unloading of these shipments was confirmed by various sources in SATZkORN, ALTi~Ut'PIN and GtITiTAIN . the fourth s ripment went to DESSAU-~~;LITuSDG1LF. The ~rding description of these tani~s, as ~vel~_ as the special camo~..flage and security measures taken durirr~ the unloading, indicate that T-54 tanks were probabl~r involved. y other Tree caliber of the tank Burrs which, according to information.. had no muzzle brakes, was not determined. 50X1-HUM 50X1-HUM 50X1-HUM Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/23 :CIA-RDP80-00810A005700490010-8 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/23 :CIA-RDP80-00810A005700490010-8 Transportation. a. iiuri~:g the reported period, the traffic situation of the GyR Railroads has slightly improved. Harvest shipments continued at a heavy rate but the return of Soviet troop units to tl;eir military posts after conclusion of tr~eir fall maneuvers was completed by late October. The annual rotation of Soviet personnel cortirued. Flatcars were tett~porarily in short supply due to the dispatch in early i~ovember, of 1, 200 to 1, 506 flatcars to the east in connection with the motor vehicle replacement action and the shiF;ment of artillery pieces to Germany. i"ne number of major train delay~jcaused by an increased utiliZ~aion of raw brown coal by locomotive~~ rose. b. The railroad coal situation continued to deteriorate. Coal stocks available on 18 November 1a54~'presented .5 days' requirements which must be considered a critical low. About 53 percent of railroad coal stoc~;s cor..sisted of hard coal. So far, increased hard coal importti~ from Poland have not essentially improved the railroad. coal situation. ~. Both eastbound and westbound traffic through uDR border stations increased slightly, but this increase led to some operational difficulties at Frankfurt%Oder w~ich is the main border station. In detail the following features of railroad border traffic appear noteworthy: a. A ~ pease in the numbers of r.:otor ver~icles ~~._. .,~. ~ ~iaving the zone . b. Arrival of artillery lieces and individual tan:.s. See Paragraph 5. c. Continuation of the annual personnel rotation through ~~ULSTRIN, FRANIiFURT~ O~LR, and GUBFN . Resu~ption of grain ir.~ports from tre i7SSR on a limited scale after mid-November. e. Increase in the rate of export shipments to tre LS:~R due to a desire to fulfil plan q~.otas by the end of the year. f. Increase in Folish hard coal shipments directed through riUESTRIN, GUBEN, r~'ORST, and HORkA. g. The HURrA border station was closed for several days in late October and mid-November, because the temporary r~.ilroad bridge over the Neisse River at HORKA was replaced by a permanent structure. Ihzring these days, railroad traffic was rerouted through neighboring border stations. Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/23 :CIA-RDP80-00810A005700490010-8 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/23 :CIA-RDP80-00810A005700490010-8 lu.iscellaneous . ~_. 't'here are indications that at least Borne of the ~_~revious C~rni~-~r~ locomotive brigades will soon be reactivated for. Soviet transit traffic tt.rough Poland. . ~ ~, b. T'ne single-track B~l'L~BLl~ - ritlLilit iS.,~rti..~ - v.IC)SaBt~Hicii~ui~:iu railroad line wr,_ich was reported to ue under reconstruction has been put into operation as far as r~tlLl~~t1CHS~JRTH v~~hich is about 13.5 icm distant f'rorr. BUr'L~;BrII1. c. A second track was put into operation on file i~.U,/CH~LN - hRi~u~'A section of tyre T~r~:jSrBURG - ~,UiJlt!~"uRT railroad line (Geiseltaibahn). the section has only local ir.po__?tance for the hydrogenation I;lants and brown coal mines located in this area. d. The scheduled introduction o1' the Soviet dispatcher systen; had to be delayed in some RBL's because signal inst:~llations required vrere not comtileted in time. e. Cn 1 October 194, the LUriU'dV - alilr;ttiv'Ii~~`ilCl; rwi lroad line south of ;'arsaw was put into operation. `t'he line w~~ici: is part of the F'RAPTkFURTj?ODER - Bt~:ST ~~ITOVSis iir_e, the main Soviet supply route, was built in order to ease ',lie strain on the `,iARS~uV rat iroad station. ',tiork on tare line ;va:; started in 1;52. The line is believed to be single-tracl: 'ou'r, it will probably be double-tracked later. 'hree large bridges are located on the line. Su;~ ply . lU. a.. The ~,otor vehicle replacement action~wnici: _.?~ o~:e~n observed since late July 13/.}~ ~v.~s considerably increased :gin late November. Trucks ~rrer'e usually involved. kccordin~; to unconfirriied information, four or five trains loaded Gvitrr new ..:tor vehicles arrived at GDR border statioiis da:_ly in early ieTOVember. By mid-Ivove:nber, a total of ~~,25u trunks had b,:en observed arriving fro 11 the USSR, wtrile 3,250 worn-out tY~zcr:s vrere counted leaving~ast Germany for the USSR. =~t :Host he~ taker. into consideration, however, that approximatel?~, 50 ~~>ercent of the actual szipnrents were observed . On the assumption that this estimate is correct, it appE:ars t~iat a'oout 20 percent of the nrotor vehicle equipment of the GSF'G vrere replaced. A motor veriicle replacement action of a similar size and nature was carried out in 1952. If motor vehicle shi~~ments connected with t'r,is replacement action continue beyond the extent observed so far, it would indicate that tt.e motor vehicles shipped to Germany will not serve only as replacement f'or worn-out equipment. Sor.~:e shipn.ents observed vrithin the framework of the motor vehicle replacement action ~:^rere remarkable because of the composition of thE: trains. Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/23 :CIA-RDP80-00810A005700490010-8 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/23 :CIA-RDP80-00810A005700490010-8 a~CR:c;T~ i'hese si:i~.anents inciu~ied boxcars carrying personri.ei, the strength cf which excE;eded the number of escort ~aersoruzel ~revio;.sly observed with supply trains. It is ~:~otisil~e tt,at t~lese trains carried cor.~plete :Motor transport units. Further irf:rmaticn is reduirE;d to clarif ~ ti'_i ~ i. oint . b. .ith regard to t!~e arrival o~ new tars:iiets as late u.s iJovernber. rirrival of ~..otor 'Tetlicles . 13. Ors ~u C;ctobE:r anu i `~ove;.iber, l,', new tr_.c