SOVIET TROOPS AND TROOP MOVEMENTS IN ALTENBURG AND GERA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R007800870002-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 26, 2013
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: May 17, 1951
• Content Type: REPORT

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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/26: CIA-RDP82-00457R007800870002-6
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' CLASS! F I CATII*Mitilthaari I -.L.;
REPORT
TOPIC boviet Troops and Troop-,,eve:Jents in Altenburg and Gera
EVALUATI 0
DATE OF CONTE
DATE OBTAIN
REFERENCES
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MOW,
nATF PRFPARFn 17 Lay 1951
PAGES 2 ENCLOSURES (NO. & TYPE)
REMARKS
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Altenburg.
1. Uith the excention of the unit nhich
left on 10 narch 1951, the Neue Kaserne
still occupied by the same troops until
lery pieces and motor vehicles
were seen in the billeting area. Guns of the cave type
with numbers of the same series Imre observed nith the
parted on 18 Vbrch. *
in Altenburg (N 51/r 27) vas
31 :arch. Sewn 150-nm artil-
and vehicles
troons who de-
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No changes nom observed pith regard to the occupation of the etc)
Kaserne up to 31 Larch. Sone troops in the billeting area were attending
drivins sehool. Truck towing an AT gun nas identified, 50X1-HUM
3. .Troops wearing rod-bordered black epaulets and equipped vith 250 to 300
motor vohicles? including arnored reconnaissance oars, bivouacked in the
Leiria 72bods near Altenburg betnoen 24 and 31 Larch. They had come from
the direction of Dresden.
Thr troops deoarted
toward Lohne on 31 Liarch.
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Gera.
4.
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Gera CU 51/K 06), about 50 percent of the troops from the in-
stallation left for Olardruf on 4 and 5 April. On the evenings of 3nnd 9
April, almost all windows of the three barracks builanf;s were li:;hted.
Officers and men seen in the billeting area wore rce.*borCored
epaulets with artillery insignia. Three tractors towing artillery 'nienes.?
annarentiv 57-mm AT mins+ were seen in the billetinr area on 2 Apra.
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i_ Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/26 :_CIA-RDP82-00457R007800870002-6
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/26: CIA-RDP82-00457R007800870002-6
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5. No troops were observed in the barracks installation in Gera-Tinz on
9 April. Only 12 windows were lighted in the billeting area that night.
6. The building at 12 Lindenstrasse seemed to le a Soviet troop quarters.
Sentries in front of it wore red-bordered black epaulets with artillery
insignia. A gun craw of 10 nen wont into the building on 10 April. They
were assigned to four heavy guns which were emplaced in the area between
Colliserstrasse and Lindenstrasse apparently for training purposes. The
guns were of about 150k-mm, had barrels about 3.5 meters long, a nulti-
baffled nuzzle brake, a square protective shield, and disk wheels with
solid rubber tires.
7.
* *
A troop train consisting of 1 coach and 8 boxcars occupied by troops ?
nearing red-bordered black epaulets with artillery insignia, and an un-
determined nutber of flatcars carrying 12 trucks and 8 guns,. apparently
7602-mm AT guns, was observed passing through Kraftsdorf. about 12 km
from Gera, and heading toward 1:7eimar on 7. April.
***
Comment. A train carrying troops with 4 heavy guns and 3 AT guns VQ3
oosuved laving Altenburg toward Leipzig on 18 Larch 1951.
Comment,
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The major motor columns
of both armies which were observed in the Rather= area in late Larch 1951
.are believed to have also been connected in some nay with the troop move-
ments in Thuringia. It is possible that elements
of the two armies may have conducted a large-scale command post exercise
in the western portion of the Soviet Zone of Germany during the second half
of Larch 1951, perhaps in conjunction with elements of other armies. Also
in :lay 1950, a command post exercise involving elements of all armies in
the Soviet Zone of Gernarry was held in Thuringia,
Comment, The information indicates that troops of the 20th Gds LOCZ
Div from ra and, possibly also from Zeitz? moved to Ohrdruf in early
April 1951.
OIOIII3 ONLY
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LDeclassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/26: CIA-RDP82-00457R007800870002-6