BERLIN SITUATION DECEMBER 1953

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80R01443R000200050003-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 15
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 6, 1998
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: December 10, 1953
• Content Type: BRIEF

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NSC BRIEFING 10 December 1953
BERLIN SITUATION DECEMBER 1953
Part One
1. Soviet Capabilities for Isolating Berlin
A. There have been few changes directly
affecting West Berlin's security
during 1953. The Communists have,
however, continued to increase their
capacity for completely isolating the
city without concurrent disadvantages
to themselves.
II. Highway, Rail and Canal Access to Berlin
A. Highways
1. Four highways are open for traffic.
between West Berlin and the
Federal Republic, but only one
of these is open for Allied
traffic.
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2. These roads have been bearing
an increasing amount of freight
traffic and are in poor condition
in some areas.
3. There has been no significant
harassing of highway traffic
since March 1953.
B. Railroads
1. Six rail,lines are open between
the Federal Republic and West
Berlin, but only one is available
for Allied traffic.
2. The East zone Reichsbahn has in
the past few months tended to fol--
low a policy of improving the
service for West Berlin traffic,
rather than using harassing
tactics.
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3. It has increased the number of
trains, cut freight rates and
started extensive repairs.
C. Canals
1. Two canal systems are open
between West Germany and West
Berlin.
2. There have been no attempts to
disrupt canal access in recent
months.
3. American officials in Berlin have
been informed that the Rothensee
shiplift will be closed for repair
for about four weeks during
January and February. This is not
considered a harassing measure,
but only normal repair work.
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III. Air Access to Berlin
A. There have been no attempts to harass
Allied air traffic in the three
corridors since a British plane was
shot down in March 1953.
B. The Soviet-initiated air safety talks
which began on 7 April have indicated
that:
1. The Soviet authorities do not
recognize the legal basis of cur-
rent Allied air access to Berlin.
2. The talks were used to further
restrict, if possible, Allied air
access to West Berlin.
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3. The original Soviet proposals for
this purpose included reducing the
number of corridors, imposing
flight ceilings and floors,
requiring advance notice for
flights and prohibiting combat
planes in the corridors.
IV. Isolation of West Berlin from the Soviet
Zone and Sector. Soviet authorities have
separated Nest Berlin from Communist
territory so that its complete isolation
could be quickly imposed.
A. Physical Barriers
1. A considerable part of the West
Berlin-zonal border is fenced
off, although the Communists
discontinued the project last
May.
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2. The number of intersector crossing
points open between West and East
Berlin has remained at 87 since
February 1953, although only 25
are open to vehicles.
B. City Transportation
1. Streetcar and bus lines were
split in January 1953, and subway
lines could be split without
detriment to the West Berlin
transportation system.
2. If the elevated, now operated by =
East Berlin, were split, the
Western part could not be inde-
pendently operated.
C. Utilities
1. Berlin's gas, water and electric
power facilities operate inde-
pendently in the East and West
sectors.
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2. The sewage system continues to
function.as a unit, but its
division would harm both parts of
the city.
3. The lines connecting automatic
telephone exchanges in East and
West Berlin were discontinued in
May 1952,and in April 1953 Com-
munist authorities actually cut
74 of the 75 circuits. Soviet
officials have refused to accede
to Western requests for restora-
tion of service.
V. Postal Service to East Berlin and the
Soviet Zone
A. All mail from West Germany and West
Berlin is routed through the post
office in East Berlin for censorship
and inspection of all packages.
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B. Postal authorities maintain strict
regulation of size and content of
the packages.
C. Religious and charitable services in
West Germany now send approximately
two million postal packages of food
to East Germany per month.
VI. Rail and Canal By-passes have been con-
structed by the Communists to prevent
successful Western retaliation in case of
a blockade by cutting Soviet zone routes
running through West Berlin.
A. Rail By-passes
1. The northern rail by-pass which
can be termed the "outer ring" is
completed and is now being double--
tracked with improvements in the
roadbed. It skirts West Berlin
in a wide arc through Oranienburg
and down to Nauen.
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2. The northern rail by-pass which
can be termed the "inner ring"
is about 90% completed. It
skirts West Berlin in a tighter
arc through Birkenwerder and
Henningsdorf, ending at present
at Brieselang. The short stretch
to the main westbound line at
Wuestermark has yet to be
completed.
3. The southern rail by-pass was
completed in 1950. It circum-
vents West Berlin through Schoen-
efeld and Diedersdorf, joining
the main southwest-bound line at
Michendorf.
B. Canal'By-passes
1. A canal by-pass of West Berlin
has been completed since the
summer of 1952.
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2. However, it will not accommodate
barges over 500 tons, which must
still use the route through
West Berlin.
VII. West Berlin Economy
A. Employment
1. Although employment reached a
postwar high during the past
summer, about 210,000 West
Berliners, or about 20% of the
working population,.are still
without jobs.
2. Between 35,000 and 40,000 West
Berliners are employed in East
Berlin. Somewhat fewer East
Berliners are employed in West
Berlin.
B. Berlin Stockpile. All important items
of the stockpile are now at a high
level.
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C. West Berlin Exports
1. West Berlin export certificates
must now be approved by the East
German government, a function
recently transferred from Soviet
control.
2. East German processing has been
faster than that of Soviet
authorities.
Part Two
VIII. Soviet Intentions in Berlin
A. Major Soviet pressure against Berlin
would be incompatible with the cur-
rent Soviet policy of apparent reduc-
tion of tensions.
B. A primary motive of current Soviet
policy is the reduction of tensions
which might lead to hostilities.
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C. Ambassador Bohlen has reported that
most foreign observers believe that
the Kremlin's domestic program
requires it to continue a long-range
policy of lessening tensions.
D. Berlin is a potential source of dan-
gerous tension because of its location.
and its history, specifically the
blockade.
E. Therefore, as long as the Kremlin is
interested in easing tensions and
avoiding hostilities, it would be
unlikely to provoke trouble in Berlin..
IX. Further Division of Berlin
A. Recent experience shows that Soviet
authorities are reluctant even to
intensify the present division of the
city of Berlin.
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B. The East-West Berlin border was sealed
immediately after the June riots, but
was reopened completely after three
weeks, despite the continuing signs
of unrest in East Berlin.
C. During the West Berlin food program,
East German police took away the par-
cels spasmodically, and train-ticket
sales to East Berlin were limited,
but the East-West Berlin border was
not closed.
D. These incidents suggest Soviet
unwillingness to bear the blame in
the West and in East Germany for a
division of Berlin, even when there
were strong reasons for such a
division.
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E. Nevertheless, Soviet authorities may
add limited Berlin border controls
when the situation requires it. There
has been a report that these will be
imposed to prevent West Berliners from=
buying cheaper food in East Berlin if
rationing ends there next summer.
X. East German Controls. Soviet authorities
have turned over some control functions to
the East German government recently.
A. These include interzonal travel con-
trols, permits for shipping goods
between Berlin and West Germany,and
the East Berlin telephone system.
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B. Therefore, further harassing tactics
can be carried on by this puppet
government, which could give the
Soviet authorities an excuse for
disclaiming responsibility while
forcing us to deal with a government
we do not recognize.
C. Limited harassment by East German
officials might be carried on, but
would detract from the Communist
propaganda campaign for all-German
talks and German unity, just as major
Soviet pressure would upset the
campaign for reduced tensions.
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