MILITARY ACTIVITY IN THE AREA OF THE THIRD GDS MEEZ ARMY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A006300590007-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 17, 2008
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: March 4, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2008/06/17: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006300590007-4
V R
COUNTRY.
EVALUATION
DATE OF CO?NTE
VDATE OBTAINED
FERENS
PAGES 5
REMARKS
'Mt VtI sy
Military .ettvvit In A ?C t~Nt it X "s Arm
ENCLOSURES (NO. & TYPE)
28 January: 4 AA guns, presumably of 76 mm
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29 January: 8 armored personnel carriers, 8 x 57-mm AT guns,
9 guns, presumably 122 mm field howitzers, 3 x 76-mm
field guns and approximately 708 soldiers.
30 January: 4 x 85-mm AT guns, 6 M-13 rocket launchers.
4 March 1955
4 February: 10 guns, presumably 76 mm field guns, 2 other guns,
presumably 122 mm field howitzers and about 300 soldiers
with gas masks. A total of 65 trucks was oounted during
/A/,, dux
1. y 1955, Stalag I (3321) in Luckenwalde was still
odeupied by approximately 500 men who wore red-bordered black
epaulets with artillery insignia. On A.February, 11 M-13 rocket
launchers and 6 trucks received ammunition in the installation.
Twelve other trucks
PREPARED,
and sedan
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2. Prior to 5 February. 3talag II (3321) in Luckenwalde was still
occupied by 400 to'500 soldiers who wore red-bordered black epaulets
with artillery insignia. About 120 soldiers received infantry training
in the installation. 1
3. From 25 January to 6 February. Forst Zinna field training grounds
was placed off limits and heavily oordonned off. Heavy weapon firing
was observed during daytime and at night. The following weapons
and troops were observed:
CLASS#R CAT SZCR T
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4. Prior to.5 February. Camp Forst Zinna (53207 ) in Jueterbog quartered
approximately 2,000 men who wore red-bordered black epaulets.with tank
or artillery insignia or plain epaulets without insignia.
On 27 January. 1. 3 and 5February. unusually heavy machine gun firing
was practiced on the post target range. The two 37-mm AA guns were
moved back to the camp from the emplacement at Neue Muehle on 2 February.
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5. Between 13 January and 2 February, almost all trucks seen at Wittenberg 25X1
post were new and of type ZIS-151 and, some, of ZIS-5 type. The kasernes
appeared to be still heavily occupied. Eight to twelve tanks were daily
seen in the tank training area. New type tanks were no longer observed.
6. At 1600 on 1 February. 6 flatcars loaded with amphibious vehicles stood
at the Wittenberg railroad station. The cars came from the direction-of
Falkenberg and proceeded toward Magdeburg.
Description of vehicle:
Similar to the DUKW-353 type, three axles, driving screw, length
about 4 meters, normal width. The vehicles' superstructure was similar
to that of armored personnel carriers. The only difference of
recognition features was the front section of the radiator. _'hs top was
V covered by a tarpaulin and the window panes replaced by slid if9steel placer..
No armament was seen. The vehicles were factory new 25X1
Details of three men each guarded the vehicles.
\/7. Prior to 1 February 1955, no changes were noticed innAJessen post.
The former artillery depot (3181) quartered approximately 1,000 men.
8. On 3 February, the former artillery depot in Jessen was occupied by 25X1
approximately 500 men who wore red-bordered black and black epaulets.
No heavy weapons were seen. A truck mounting a searchlight with a
diameter of about 150 mm, 1 truck with homing gear and 10 tother
trucks were parked in the yard. Forty soldiers received basic rifle drill;
60 other soldiers engaged in field training with rifles and 2 light
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machine guns in the area northwest of Jessen. Approximately 100
soldiers reconditioned a training area and an obstacle course
about 100 meters north of the railroad line northwest of Jessen.
About 30 soldIAra repaired fences or erected hew ones at the
installation.
9. O- n-4 February 1955, the Beseler Kaserne (3584) in Wittenberg quartered
approximately 2,000 soldiers wearing red-bordered black epaulets,
most of them with tank insignia. At about 0830.,the following troops
and vehicles left the kaserne:
2 JSU-249*
2 driving school tanks,
3 armored nArsLannal carriers
radio true they trucks
ccupied by troops.
mroaa vehicles were immediately followed by 10 T-34/85s
.Both columns drove toward the Teuchel training
are . 7
1r, eti out 50 i i ght AA guns ant about 200 motor vehicles
ere seen in the area of Jueterbog-Nortin, south of Zinna
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village. 25X1
11. Between 16 January and 1 February 1955, the Kaserne Rosslau (3401) still
quartered from 4,500 to 5,000 soldiers who wore red-borde ted black
epaulets with tank or artillery insignia or with no insignia at all.
During the period of observation, approximately 800 to 1,200 soldiers
were engaged in drill and individual and group training inside and
outside the installation. On 17 and 20 January. 3 or 5 T-34/85s were
seen in the wooded area of Luko. On 28 January 3 three-axle armored
personnel carriers practiced driving in the same area. 9
12. Between 16 January and 1 February. the Kochstedt Kaserne (3241)
quartered approximately 3,500 soldiers who wore tank and artillery
insignia. The troops practiced individually or in groups inside and
outside the kaserne. Weapons observed included 8 x 37-mm AAAand 4
searchlights.
13. At 1700 on 21 January 1955, about 30 to 35 trucks carrying 500 to 600
men, 8 x 37-mm AAA and 4 searchlights moved out of the kaserne for an
exercise of several days duration in the area of Tornau north of
Roaslau. The exe4cis included smoke-screen racticea. On 24 January,
the troons eturned.
14. On 4 February, the Gneisenau Kaserne (3621) in Zerbst was occupied
to capacity. Troops seen wore red-bordered black epaulets. Fifteen
T-34/85s were seen in the tank garages north of the Gneisenau and
Scharnhorst kasernes; 18 tank trucks and 14 trucks were parked
outside the garages.
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15. On 4 February. 3 T-.34s practiced firing on the ranges 2 km north 11
of the kasernes. One of the tanks was seen returning to the kaserne.
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Comment. The data on weapons again confirm the 91st Gds RL 25X1
Regt of the Third Gds Meoz Army in Stalag I (3321) in Luckenwalde.
The units quartered in Stalag II cannot definitely be identified.
According to service color and insignia, it is possible that elements
of the 91st Gds RL Regt are also stationed there.
Comment. From 24 January to 2 February 1955, artillery units 25X1
of the 12th Gds Tank Div (Second Gds Mecz Arm conducted fii
practices at Jueterbo . 25X1
artillery units, possibly of the 14th
Gds Meez Div/ Third Gd's.Mecz Army and elements of the 91st Gds RL
Regt also practiced firing during the reported period.
omment. No changes.
!
Comment. No considerable changes have to en plate in tide 25X1,
Wittenberg post. The truck replacement program appears to have been
completed there.
Comment. These t?'---amphibious oars cannot yet be identified.
It is possible that the vehicles are part of a supply bound for the
36th Pon Bridge Regt of the GSFG since amphibious cars with cupolas
have reportedly been seen in the quarters of this regiment in Magdeburg.
6. Comment. In mid-October 1953, the artillery park stationed
in the former factory area (3181) in Jessen was transferred to
Jueterbog. The installation has been vacant since,~arly December 1954
when there were vague indications that the installation was reoocu ied
by an unidentified unit of the 6th Gds Tank Div.
These at-0umptions were confirmed twice. The fact that troops
reconditioned a training area and the kind of training observed lead
to-the conclusion that the soldiers concerned are a combat unit and
not a workshop or supply unit. Identification has not yet been
possible.
Comment. the 78th Gds
Hv Tank SP Regt of the 6th Gds Tank Div stationed in the Beseler
Kaserne (3$84) in Wittenberg.
the- 10 tanks of the subsequent column presumably belong to the u/i
tank training battalion of the 6th Gds Tank Div which is stationed
in the Arado plant (3582) in Wittenberg.
Comment. The transfer of light AAA units to Jueterbog for
firing practices is known from previous information.
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Comment. The observations made in Rosslau do not indicate
major changes at the kasernes there.
Comment. Data on weapons again confirm elements of the 62d
AAA Div of the Third Gds Mecz Army in the kaserne in Kochstedt
(3241).
ll. Iomment. The observed weapons again confirm a tank regt of the
7th Gds Tank Div, probably the 56th Gds Tank Regt, in the Gneisenau
Kaserne (3621) in Zerbst. The installation further quarters the
287th Gds AAA Regt of the 7th Gds Tank Div. The Scharnhorst Kaserne
(no serial number) in Zerbst has so far been thought to quarter a
guard detail and to house weapons of the units in the Gneisenau
Kaserne. The entire traffic to the Scharnhorst Kaserne leads through
the Gneisenau Kaserne.
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