WEEKLY OB SUMMARY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A006100460006-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 10, 2008
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: March 1, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2008/07/10: CIA-RDP80-00810A006100460006-1
INFO*RMATION REPORT
CENTRAL--INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws, Title
18, U.S.C. Secs. 793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which In any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
S-E-C-R-E-T
DATE OF INFO.
PLACE ACQUIRED
DATE ACQUIRED
East Germany
Weekly OB Summary
REPORT
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT NO.
REFERENCE
1 March 1955
3
RD
SOURCE EVALUATIONS ARE DEFINITIVE. APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE
The following is a summary of information on Soviet and East German military
activities observed Prior to 27 February 1955:
25X1
A. Soviet Activities:
1. eneral: The intensive training and firing activity by artillery, AAA 25X1
and tank units was continued into the second half of February. Additional
incoming shipments of new-type tanks and of new 122 mm field guns were
noted. The first indications that surplus tanks were being returned to
the USSR were noted in mid February,
2. F'irt Guards &chanized Army:
Firing details of the 8th Guards Mechanized Division and the 11th Guards
Tank Division rotated between their posts and the Koenigsbrueck training
grounds between 9 and 18 February, The Nachrichten Schule (1521) in
Koenigsbrueck was only lightly occupied between 10 and 19 February, units
of the 11th Guards Tank Division apparently being engaged in winter
exercises near the post. Day and night firing of medium caliber artillery
took place at the Koenigsbrueck training grounds between 10 and 19 February,
Two trains went from Meissen to Jueterbog on 20 and 21 February, Tank
firing details of the tank regiments of the 9th Tank Division were observed
in Zeithain between 3 and 9 February,
3. Becond Guard
A firing detail of the 2nd Light Artillery Brigade was entrained in
Doeberitz on 19 February,' Four trains occupied by light and medium AAA
firing details of the 9th Guards Tank Division were sent from Neustrelitz
to Forst Zinna and Jueterbog.between 15 and 22 February, On 15 February,
two trains with 14 x 122 mm field howitzers and 13.;c 76.2 mm field guns
of the 1st Mechanized Division returned from Jueterbog to Doeberitz.
Fifteen tanks with five bogie wheels, 8 x 122 mm-field howitzers, 37 mm
AAA and other guns of the 12th Guards Tank Division were entrained in
Jueterbog on 13 February. Simultaneously, a meeting of high-ranking
officers took place in the Schuetzenhaus. Between 8 and 22 February, the
division conducted intensive training, including tank firing, in the
S-E-C-R-E-T
Ax
AEC
(Note: Washington distribution indicated by "X"; Field distribution by
INFOR,,M,ATION REPORT
INFORMATION
REPORT
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southeast sector of the Wittstock training grounds and at the training grounds of the
Gentzrode garrison.
4. Third Guards Mechanized Ar v:
A train with eight AT guns and 26 trucks of the 9th Mechanized Division went from
Jueterbog to Cottbus on 15. February. One train was dispatched from RBD Cottbus to
Jueterbog on 17 February. During a firing exercise by heavy weapons and light AA
guns, conducted between 14 and 20 February, the Jueterbog training grounds were off
limits.
5. Fourth Guards Mechanized Army:
One train to Forst Zinna and two to Jueterbcg-Altes Lager, possibly carrying units
of the 63rd AAA Division, were dispatched from Fuerstenwalde on 17 February. On
16 February, 16 amphibious cars with track-laying chassis were detrained at Eberswalde
from trains which had come from Frankfurt/Oder. The vehicles were probably intended
for the 3rd Engineer Regiment which now has approximately 30 vehicles of this type.
A train with 6 x 100 mm AT guns of the 71st Light Artillery rrigade went from Bernau
to Jueterbog-Altes Lager on 17 February. Fourteen 152 mm howitzers of the brigade
were returned from Jueterbog to Bernau on 19 February. A train loaded with eight
canvas-covered heavy AT guns and 4 x:76 mm AT guns was dispatched from Fuerstenwalde
to Bernau on 19 February. Units of the 7th Guards Mechanized Division held night
exercises in the Rosengarten area, west of Frankfurt/Oder,between 14 and 19 February.
On 12 and 13 February, artillery night firing took place at the new Briesen training
ground, west of Frankfurt/Oder. A train carrying,a tank firing detail and five rocket
launchers of the 10th Guards Tank Division went from Jueterbog to Satzkorn on 17
February. The following shipments carrying firing.details of the 6th Guards Mechanized
Division and the 25th Tank Division rotating between their posts and the Templin
training grounds were observed between 18 and.23 February:
Date
Load
From
To
18 February
80 armored personnel carriers of the
Eberswalde
Templin
6th Guards Mechanized Division
18 February
11 T-34/85 tanks, three tank chassis
Prenzlau
Templin
and six armored personnel carriers
of the 25th Tank Division
22 February .
10 tanks of the 25th Tank Division
Templin
Kaulsdorf
6. Third Shock Armv:
Elements of the 399th RL Regiment of the 79th Rifle Corps returned to Stendal from
firing practice in Letzling Heath on 16 February. Artillery units of the 207th Rifle
Division returned in two shipments from Altengrabow to Stendal on 13 February. Firing
practices were conducted in Letzling Heath by artillery units of the 19th Guards
Mechanized Division between 13 and 16 February. Eighteen rocket launchers of 10th
Guards RL Regiment of the 9th Rifle Corps were transferred to.the Hagenow area,
presumably for firing exercises. On 22 February, two shipments with about 36 x 122 mm
field guns of the 4th Artillery Brigade were entrained at Gardelegen. The guns were
presumably being returned to Schwerin after having been used in firing exercises'in
the North Sector of Letzling Heath. A column consisting of 6 x 122 mm howitzers,
6 x 85 mm AT guns, 6 x 57 mm AT guns, 6 x 120 mm mortars, eight AAA guns, four field
kitchens and 80'-trucks with about 800 men was observed entering the Flak Kaserne
(5641) in Wismar on 19 February.1
7. Eighth Guards Army-,
Four medium AA guns of the 2504th Guards AAA Regiment of the 20th Guards Mechanized
Division were entrained in Jena on 11 February. Six rocket launchers and two JS-2
tanks were entrained there on 16 February. On 18 February, 12 AT guns of the 87th
Gun Artillery Regiment were detrained in Plauen, moving subsequently to the Koenig-
Georg Kaserne (8443).
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8. Fourth Artillery Cor~:
A train carrying elements of the 124th Heavy Howitzer Brigade went from Altengrabow
to Brandenburg on 12 February. On 20 February, five trains with troops of the 34th
Artillery Brigade were dispatched from Altengrabow to Wildpark. Four shipments
with units 32nd AAA Division were sent from Forst Zinna to Frankfurt/Oder on 16
February. Two trains with elements of the division were sent from Frankfurt/Oder
to Jueterbog on 18 February. One shipment, presumably carrying elements of the
2nd Guards AAA Division, was dispatched from Kroepelin to Wuensdorf on 24 February.
Elements of the 4th AT Brigade from Prora conducted firing exercises at Prora
between 7 and 11 February.
9. Gun and Tank Shinmentsi
a. Guns: Two shipments with a total of 56 heavy AT guns went from Frankfurt/Oder
toward Berlin on 10 and 12 February,2
b. Tank Exchange: A train with 21 RRy cars was dispatched from Frankfurt/Oder to
Satzkorn on 19 February; 21 T-54 tanks assigned to the 10th Guards Tank Division,
were unloaded in Satzkorn on the next day. The division has thus received a
total of about 50 T-54 tanks since 4 November 1954. A train with 20 SSY cars
went from Frankfurt/Oder toward Cottbus on 22 February. One or two shipments
with cargo exceeding the scheduled load were dispatched from Frankfurt/Oder to
Meinsdorf on 23 February. The 7th Guards Tank Division has thus received at
least four shipments with approximately 50 T-54 tanks since 4 November 1954.
A shipment with 22 covered tanks and one with 20 covered tanks without guns went
from the direction of Cottbus to Frankfurt/Oder on 14 and 17 February respectively,3
B. KVP Training:
Individual instruction was being given to recruits. Winter exercises at company and
battalion level and firing practices were being held by most units near their posts,
Demonstration exercises, witnessed by high-ranking KVP officers, were held in the Ahlbeck-
Karpin area by elements of the 2nd Mechanized Regiment of the Eggesin Division on 12
February. An artillery unit from Oranienburg conducted an exercise near Schmachtenhausen
on 17 and 18 February.
Comments;
25X1
1. Elements of the 288th Guards Rifle Regiment and the 199th Gun Artillery Regiment returning
from firing practices at Letzling Heath or Die Lewitz Firing Range southeast of Schwerin.
2? lappearance of new AT guns with the
38t a and 20 AT Brigades and the 76th Artillery Brigade.
?, This, is possibly the first return shipment to the USSR of tanks which have become surplus
as the result of the arrival of the T-54's.
25X1
Approved For Release 2008/07/10: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006100460006-1