MILITARY ACTIVITIES IN THE AREA OF THE EIGHTH GDS ARMY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A006800670005-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 19, 2008
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: April 22, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

COMTRY,
Approved For Release 2008/09/19: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006800670005-2
CLASSIFICATION SECRET
East Germany RE RT
military Activities in the Area of the Eighth Gds Army
EVALUATION_____ PLACE OBTAINED.
DATE OF CONTENT
DATE OBTAINED
REFERENCES
PAGES 3 ENCLOSURES (NO. & TYPE)
REMARKS
25X1
1. On 4 March 1955, the Flak Kaserne (8241) in Leipzig-Schoenau was
occupied by approximately 1,000 soldiers including 750 soldiers
wearing red-bordered black epaulets including some with artillery,
tank and motor transport insignia and 250 soldiers wearing black- 1
bordered crimson epaulets including some with artillery insignia.
2. On 2 Larch, an M'i-13 rocket launcher was seen at the sand table area
2 km northeast of the installation. An officer and 4 soldiers practiced
firing with a rifle which was attached to the lower side of the guide
rails of the rocket launcher. One soldier turned the handle of the
elevating mechanism on the left side of the launcher and a second
soldiers fired with the rifle at a target in the large sand table.
3. On 11 March, the Infanterie Kaserne (8521) in 'c'ueissenfels was apparently
occupied to capacity. Three buildings were occupied by some 800 soldiers
wearing black-bordered red epaulets. Twelve 57-mm AT guns and 13 x 85-mm
mortars were observed. Another building was occupied by 250 soldiers
of an AT unit who wore black-bordered red epaulets including 100
soldiers with artillery insignia. Twelve-85-mm AT guns were seen with the
unit. A fifth building quartered 250 to 300 soldiers of an AAA unit who
wore black-bordered red epaulets. Thirty to 40 percent of the soldiers
wore artillery insignia. Nine 37-mm AA guns and 3 artillery fire control
devices were seen with.the unit.
4. On 11 March, the Pionier Kaserne (8522) in 'WVeissenfels appeared to be
occupied to capacity. One building quartered a driving school with an
estimated 163 soldiers who wore red-bordered black epaulets and 80 to
100 soldiers who wore black-bordered red epaulets. Three other buildings
quartered some 1,000 soldiers wearing red-bordered black epaulets
including 400 soldiers with tank insignia, 200 soldiers with artillery
insignia and 200 soldiers with motor transport insignia. n 11 and
i,,arch, 3 SU-100 guns with covered turret numbers and T-34/85 tanks
were seen in the installation.
The occupation of this and the above-mentioned installation did not
change after the fall of 1954. 2
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DATE PREPARED 22 April 1955
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A railroadman stated that the departure of the unit from the Weimar
post to the sunnier camps was to start on 7 April.
6. Between 25 and 30 March, the Flak Kaserne (8501) in Weimar was occuri.ed
by an AAA unit of about 350 soldiers, a tank unit of about 250 soldiers
and a motor transport unit of about 100 soldiers. i-ht 85-mm AA guns
and 12 T-34 tanks were seen.
7. Between 25 and 30 march, the Nachrichten Kaserne (8504)'in Weimar was
occupied as previously by a signal unit of about 500 soldiers wearing
blue-bordered black epaulets. The Buchenwald concentration camp (8508;`
was occupied by 250 to 300 engineer soldiers.
e. Between 25 and 30 March, the Tannenberg Kaserne (8502) in Weimar was
occupied by 200 to 300 soldiers of a motor transport unit and 1,200
to 1,300 soldiers of mortar, artillery and AT units. Twelve 120-mm
mortars, 3 x 1060 -mm mortars, 4 x 85-mm AT guns and 8 other guns were
seen in the installation.
(8503) in Weimar was occupied by some 800
Tlie Luetzendorf Kaserne
soldiers wearing red-bordered black epaulets, 350 signal soldiers, 200
soldiers of an AAA unit and 150 men of a motor transport unit. 4
10. In the eve,iing of 51 Ir.arch, approximately 15 trucks with soldiers, 8
AT guns and 5 x 160-msr, mortars returned to the Tannenberg Kaserne from
a 1-day exercise. 4
11. Between 25 and 29 March., the Kindel training grounds was occupied by
only a guard detail of 100 men. Sixty to 70 men were quartered in the
cantonment at Craulaer Holz and 30 to 40 soldiers in the IiittellaLer
dear Highway No 84. No firing practices were held. There were no
indications of an occupation of the training grounds. The area was also
patrolled by sedans occupied by 4 soldiers. These details were furnished
bar the border area headquarters stationed in the Panzer Kaserne (8082) in
Eisenach. 5
12. As a result of I?>or weather conditions, the construction of the airfield
wade only little progress. An undetermined number of bunkers had been
constructed in the western state forest behind Hainaer Holz. 6
Comment. The installation is believed to be still occupied by the 25X1
L
1.
94th Gds RL Regt of the XXIX 'G'ds I~tz Rifle Corps, the 19th Gds Teecz Regt
o[ the 8th Gds Mecz Div and an unidentified. AAA Regt of the 13th AAA Div.
Wiring practice with rocket launchers in the described manner is reported
for the first time.
Corm!!ent. This is a summery of observations made during the 25X1
preceding months. The AT unit with 12 x 85-mm AT guns may be the AT
Bn of the 57th Gds Iv4tz Rifle Div which, according to previous information,
i;rts believed to be stationed in Gotha. The information also indicated
that the 932d AAA Bn, which had been believed to be stationed in the
Pionier Kaserne, is now stationed in the Infanterie Kaserne. The
information does not indicate any change in the location of the_174th
Gds IMTtz Rifle Regt and the 17th Gds Tank SP He-t.
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Comment. No information has been received from other posts
it the zone on so early a transfer to the training grounds. It is
believed that the transfer will start only after the inspection
of recruits as in preceding years.
4. Comment. The information does not indicate major changes in the
occupation of the military installations of the Weimar post. Tanks
Of toe 65th Gds Jecz Regt have been observed in the Flak Kaserne
previously. The Luetzendorf Kaserne possibly quarters elements of the
2504th AAA Regt of the 20th Gds Mecz Div. The weapons which were
observed in the Tannenberg Kaserne are quite definitely believed to
belong to the 65th Gds Mecz Regt and the 581st Gds TvIort Regt. It can,
however, riot be determined to which of the two units the weapons were
assigned except for the 160-rpm mortars which undoubtedly belong to
the mortar regiment. This observation confirms that the reequipment
with ho..itzers was riot yet completed. The 120-run mortars may belong
to the 65th Gds Mecz Regt. It is possible that the equipment of the
mortar battalion of this regiment included more 120-mm mortars than
prior to the reequipment.
-1 Conuaent. The Panzer Kaserne in Eisenach quarters a headquarters
Of a German border police Bereitschaft. Generally, the number of Soviet
border -uard battalions employed at the border crrres.)onds to the number
oC urenzbereitschaften. It is believed that the Panzer Kaserne also
c;uartered the headquarters of one of these battalions.
JCouunent. The purpose of the newly constructed bunkers is
undetermined.
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