SOVIET AND EAST GERMAN MILITARY UNITS IN THE PROBSTZELLA-EISFELD BORDER AREA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00046R000400460006-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 15
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 11, 2013
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: April 7, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
itivr?
This material contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States within the mean-
ing 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
bylaw.
C-0 -N-17-ID-E-N-T I A L
COUNTRY East Germany
SUBJECT Soviet and East German Military Units
in the Probstzella-Eisfeld Border Area
DATE OF INFO.
PLACE ACQUIRED
? REPORT NO.
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT NO.
REFERENCES
15
RD
7 April 1955
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS RIPON AM DEFINITIVE,
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR Kir sit MOM
AIR
FBI AEC
9
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CONFIDENTIAL
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COUNTRY East Germany
SUBJECT Soviet and East German Military Units in
the Probetzella-Eiefeld Border Area
DATE OF INFORMATION
PLACE ACQUIRED
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
REPORT NO.
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DATE DISTR. 18 Feb. 1955
NO. OF PAGES 14
REFERENCES:
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A. Procedure. for Oldaioina Border Passes
1. The Probstzella (N 50-32, E 11-23) - Eisfeld (N 50-26, E 10-55)
border area on the West German border was divided into two restricted
zones. One was the "Five Kilometer Zone, which extended from the
border to a distance of five kilometers inside East Germany. The
other was the "500 Meter Zone.which extended from the border to
a distance 500 m inside East Germany. The entrance into the Five
Kilometer Zone was limited to residents in the area or to personnel
who worked in that area in an official capacity. Residents were
required to have a special stamp in their identification book.
Persons who visited the residents were required to have an entrance
pass (Eirreisebescheinigung) which was procured only from the
4044W(6411wty) police and Soviet Komendatura officials. Persons
who worked in the area had to obtain a green pass from the trod*
police and Soviet Komendatura officials. Permission to visit within ,
the Five Kilometer Zone was not difficult to obtain; passes authorizing--
entrance into that zone were issued by the Oeit: police and Soviet
Komendatura officials only when the purpose of entrance was of the
utmost importance.
2. When any memberoraWismut A.O. topographic crew was required to work
in a border area, a work-assignment letter indicating time, place,
or area of work was provided by a Soviet civilian director of the
Topographic Section of Wismut A.G. This letter was presented to
the East German 60411u police officials in the area concerned.
These police officials then informed the Soviet Army Komendatura
in the greitt of the authorization before the individual reported
to the latter with the same work-assignment letter. When the
individual reported, the Soviet Komendatura issued a special green
pass which was stamred'by both the Kkliis police and Soviet Komendatura
officials. If entrance into tha Five Kilometer Zone was desired,
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he na.:va was marked "5 km Zone". If entrance into the 500 Meter Zone
was desired, the pass was marked "500 meter Zone". In both cases
the pass was always valid for a four-week period.
B. The Probstzella-Eisfeld Border Area (See pages 6 to 14 )
Physical and Man-Made Features
From 1951 until July 1953,
the Probstzella-Eisfeld border area.
this area was broken down into three Kreise.,
The East German Kreiti: police offices and Soviet Army Komendatura
headquarters were located in Saalfeld (N 50-39, E 11-21), Neuhaus
(N 50-18, E 11-14), and Sonneberg (N 50-22, E 11-11).
4. The Probstzella-Eisfeld 500 Meter Zone was an unpopulated area
occupied only by uniformed East German and Soviet personnel. Along
the entire border were barbed-wire fences, road blocks, observation
towers, and a 20-meter stretch of plowed earth where the ground could
be plowed. Behind the plowed earth, there were either East German
border police (Grenz Polizei) or Soviet-uniformed personnel. Source
estimated that these uniformed personnel patrolled the area up to
a depth of one kilometer from the border.
C. Border Guard Posts
Soviet military units and East German border guard units had command
posts established from 220 to 800 m from the border and from 1.5 to
5 km apart. Source did not know of any specific schematic system
ed to define the area of responsibility between East German and
Soviet units. Although Soviet command posts were interspaced with
those of the East German border guard units, source did not observe
any strict areas of guard responsibility for any one command post or
any indications that the East German units were controlled by the
soviet personnel. Both East German and Soviet sentries had been
erved patrolling the same area when their command posts were
located near each other.
6. When members of the ,topographic crew entered the Five Kilometer
Zone or the 500 Meter Zone, working alone or in groups, they con-
tacted the local border command post in order to identify themselves
and describe the purpose of their entrance, the areas in which they
would work, the time they would spend there, and the transport they
woiuse.. Source did not know whether the latter was a required
procedure or not. The local border command post telephoned the
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50X1 crew would be working in their area. The crew then went to the work
area and made their surveys without escort or further restrictions.
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never cautioned
about land mines, anti-personnel mines, flares, or other devices
which would have hindered topographic work along the
border. Both the Soviet and East German guards were very courteous,
friendly, And showed no tenseness in their conduct or attitude.
identify any Soviet or East German border unit
by designation or subordination, list personalities, estimate strengths,
describe weapons or transport, or indicate liaison channels. He
observed both one-man and two-men patrols throughout the entire area
and estimated that individual patrol areas were approximately two
kilometers in length and one kilometer in depth.
patrol dogs within the area but heard that they were used. he saw
four mounted guards in the vicinity of Brennersgruen (N 50-26, E 11-28)
and assumed that horses were used in other areas.
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Location of Soviet Command Posts
Spechtsbrunn (N 50-29, E 11-15) (See page 9) - One wooden barrack,'
8 x 24 x 4 m.
Sonneberg (See page 10) - One three-story, reinforced concrete
building which housed the Soviet Kreis Komendatura.
ILaeckerswind (N 50-21, E 11-03) (See page 12) - permanent-type
farm houses.
Eisfeld (See page 13 ) Permanent-type
Soviet Border Komendatura.
Truckendorf (N 50-22, E 10-58) (See page
houses,
farm houses occupied by
1)4)- Permanent-type farm
Location of East German Command Posts
Brennersgruen (See page 7) - A Gasthaus in which 25 to 30 persons
were quartered. The personnel were believed to belong to a border
guard company commanded by a Soviet offiber4 . Four horsessused
by patrols, were stabled here.
Probstzella (See page 8 )
No. 1:
A Hq. building, three-story, constructed of reinforced
.concrete. It Wad located-on thetMar404#0i
A wooden barrack, 8 x 24 x 4 m, located in the vicinity
of the railroad station. This barrack Wa8"belieVed to be
the quarters for personnel who worked in the railroad
station.
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No. 3:
A footpath used to help approximately 16
persons to cross the East-West German border in June
1952.
No, 4: See Zopten.
Zopten (N 50-31, E 11-21) (See page 8 ) - One wooden barrack,
8 x 24 x 4 m.
Lichtenhain (N 50-29, E 11-19) (See page 9 ) - One wooden barrack,
8 x 24 x 4 m, with a wooden fence.
Sonneberg (See page 10, No. 2) - The border guard Kreis command post,
a two-story, reinforced concrete building.
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Neuhaus-Schierschnitz (N 50-18, E 11-14) (See page 11, No. 1)-
Three wooden barracks, 8 x 24 x 4 in, and one reinforced concrete
building. About 80 personnel wereAuartered in this area.
Effelder (N 50-221 E 11-054 (See page 12 0 No. 2) - Three or four
wooden barracks, 8 x 24 x m, and several permanent-type farm
houses.
Eisfeld (See page 130 No. 2) - Border guard command post hq, a
three-story, reinforced concrete building.
Goersdorf (N 50-22, E 10-57) (See page 14 No. 2) - Two wooden
barracks located in an old rifle range.
D. Uniforms
Soviet Officers
Source described the uniforms of the Soviet officers in the Prob-
stzella-Eisfeld border area as follows:
Blue trousers with red seam piping, a khaki-green tunic with a stiff
collar, a blue service cap with a red band and red crown-seam piping,
and a khaki-green overcoat with red collar flashes.'
Occasionally, officers wore khaki-green overcoats, khaki-green trousers
with red seam piping, a khaki-green tunic with a stiff collar, and
a khaki-green service cap with red band and crown-seam piping. Source
observed the blue trousers frequently and the blue service cap very
seldom. Officers' shoulder boards had a gold backgroundh,With red
stripes and piping. Occasionally, their shoulder boards had green
background, not the same color as the uniform, with red stripes and
piping.
Soviet EM
10 Enlisted personnel wore the following uniform::
Khaki-green trousers, a khaki-green tunic a khaki-green overcoat,
and a khaki-green overseas-type cap.
EM shoulder boards had both light green and red backgrounds.
could not indicate whether or not any EM shoulder boards had p p ng
of any color different from that of the background color. EM shoulder
boards with a red background were worn by soldiers wearing collar
flashes of the same color; EM wearing light green shoulder boards of
a different shade from that of the uniform wore collar flashes of
the same light green color on their winter jacket.
Sastiae,tmanBratder Guards
12.
not distinguish between the various ranks of the East
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German border guard personnel but he described EM uniforms as follows:
Olive-green trousers and jacket with green collar flashes and an
olive-green service cap with a green band and piping.
13. He could not describe the officers' uniform or shoulder boards but
believed the shoulder boards had silver piping around the edges. He
believed that the officers wore green piping on the trouser seam and
on the cap crown.
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1.
Comment:
repeatedly questioned about the blue
service cap and the green shoulder boards he
allegedly saw Soviet personnel wear on guard
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duty. He insisted that these colors given for
the cap and shoulder boards were the correct
colors.
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East Ger
WITIAL
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e A ea P obetzel Eisfeld
EISPELD
I.' ?
Bronntragyu
Probstsalla
Upton
BAYST
ziam.D
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3ohieraohn*t
Maps US Army Road NIP
Germany .
1:500,000
Sheets 3 sad 4
MaSis *ma $a small print indicate
sbairved losations of unidont-
Mod Slut: Garman border
CONPIraNTIAt
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TOM IN MILL CA,71 INDICATE
OECIA'AID ,OcATIONS OP US-
I:WTI:41ZZ SOVIET MUTANT
UNITS,
won- ex.
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1.49110?1111111110.1
11.11=n,=5141=MMMMMMIMEW
C IAL
1. A Gasthons (hotel) quartering 25-30 13002.114-ermsin BG personnel'
Zonal boundry
Basis of Info: Personal observation and nap indicated below
',,traan,963?5r2EMatn,
Map Ref: 'AUSTEN, Germany
Sheet 5534 ANS M841 (GSGS 4414) 3d Edition
Scale: 1:25,000
ouIDENT ILL
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56 02 ?1'7
66
laIUDs
?1. RE& bldg, concrete,
on Itarktplats.
2. Barracks bldg.
3. lootpath, to border.
1. Wooden barracks. for Bast German Cl'
LW Ref! 16110211101210, Germany
Skeet 5434 ma mein.
own WWI itth Ild 1952
Scales 1: 25,000
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CONP/MINTIAL
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70
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SOMIEBERG 1k
AWEJOIA
build.
ro.. or elicborder troops
2 goAtit,1,.. Civrtatari e is CP for
borer o 11.os) ?
602213210, Germany
Sheet ,5665 ANS N841
(SIP 4414) 4th ed
-1952
Scales ls 25,000
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Was fs SONNIEURG, Germany
1. Etift7Geft :Rh
em border ALA-
#61ied barracks - 7-414-t
5633 ANS 1841
ot4oribretw'end %PP 4414), 4th ed
Of wood. 19o!fot 11 25,000
40'
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ka
NN\
NIVRAN?
SCHIBLICHNITZ
76
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UMW
2. Soviet CP, a fare house
2.#ast: 9c.rman PR43-4
wooden barracks
_.----.-
.-.7-------
1- ....c.N
, I,
It
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L
Basis of Into: Personal observation and au,
indicated below
COMIDINTIAL
..... 0 1 kit
1=11111.0.10.0111
Rap Ref: IRMO? (B. COBURG). Germany
\ Sheet 502 Alle Neil
(MS WO) itth Union 1952
I Scale: 1:25,000
#1/
er* .......,.
? #i
I
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34,
COY/IDBITIALI
lov herder guard
el a Corm house.
$1130)(Oritganttioirder
$4,00411)Witi4 niateroo4
oonerste building
Nam urg
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2187114, Germany
Sheet 5531, ANS M841
(Pis 4410 4th foli. 1952
Smiler lr 25,000
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