BRIDGES, INSTALLATIONS, AND NAVAL UNITS ON THE DANUBE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R012900030003-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 14, 2011
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: July 21, 1952
• Content Type: REPORT

A
COUNTRY
SUBJECT
DATE OF
INFO.
PLACE
ACQUIRED
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SECURITY INFORMATION
INFORMATION REPORT REPORT
CD NO.
Hungary/Austria/Yugoslavia
DATE DISTR.
Bridges, Installationst and Naval Units on the Danub NO, OF PAGES
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO.
REPORT NO.
THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
OF THE UNITED STATES, WITHIN THE MEANING OF TITLE 18, SECTIONS 793
AND 794, OF THE U.S. CODE, AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR REVE-
LATION OF ITS CONTENTS TO OR RECEIPT BY AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS
PROHIBITED BY LAW. THE REPRODUCTION OF THIS FORM IS PROHIBITED.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
21 July 1952
p
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See Attachment I (sketch of the Danube at Baja, Hungary):
(i) is a single-track railroad bridge spanning the river. This bridge is
completely finished and in use. On 6 April 1952, two 60-car military trains
were observed crossing the bridge from the right to the left'bank, in the
direction of the Yugoslav frontier.
(2) .indicates a pair of Hungarian Army warehouses. Their contents is not
.known, but material is delivered to the warehouses by way of a jetty (4),
Building (3) is the barracks housing the guard squad (10 to 15 men).
(5) is a large modern silo, with all necessary equipment for loading.and.
unloading grain into and from barges.
The..Sugavica Channel connects with the Kr. Peter - Canal` .n Yugoslavia, which
leads to Stari Beoe J on -the- 'flea ~ River. ''The, Tisa Riv`ei flows -into the Danube
at Slankamen, at kilometer 1217. Thd Sugavica Charnel can be used by tugs up to
200 HP and barges of not more than 450 or 500 tons. iri capacity, The Hungarians
are currently making difficulties for Yugoslavia by letting insufficient water
into the Kr. Peter canal,by way of the Sugavica Channel, aAd thus halting 50X1-HUM
Some of the vessels were Russian units..
(6) is the local shipping office, a large old-fashioned building. (7) is
the passenger jetty.
(8) islan unkempt patch of park or woodland. (9) is a small round building
from which a Hungarian flag is always flying. It marks the entrance to the
Sugavica Channel. On 6 April some 20 to 25 military gunboats, monitors, and
motorboats were observed.to be moored in this channel or canal (10).
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traffic there during the low-water season. The Sugavica Channel
is used as a winter depot for the tying up of vessels and can
shelter some 150 units at any one time, It is from 40 to 50 meters
wide and approximately 1,80 meters deep.
2. See Attachment II (sketch of the. Danube at Duna Szekcs8)
Some 200 to 300 meters up the Danube from the village of Duna
Szekcs8 (Kilometer 1460) is a military camp consisting of 7 or 8
wooden barracks, each 30 to 40 meters longo This is a new
installation, believed to have been set up since February 19520
Some. 6 or 8 trucks and approximately 1,000 Hungarian soldiers
were observed at the camp en .5 April 1952. The troops were armed
with Russian automatic rifles.
Passing through the camp is a gravel road leading from the
Moh.cs-Budapest highway to the ferry (1) which crosses the Danube
at this point. The banks of the river here are of firm gravel,
sloping gently to the water's edge, and vehicles can be driven aboard
the ferry with the aid only of a few stout planks. The ferry barge
can carry at least four loaded military trucks at one time and makes
the trip across the river in 15 minultes. The ferry, which is used
only for military purposes, operates during the night as well as
by..day. All river traffic is halted between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. along
this stretch, despite the fact that there are no navigational
hazards here. It is presumed that the traffic is held up to, prevent
interference with the operation of the ferry barge, and the .mall
100 -120 HP motorboat which tows it. Traffic is'evidently stepped up
during the hours of darkness for purposes of secrecy. Most of the
military traffic crossing the river turns down the gravel road on
the left, bank which leads to the Yugoslav border. In back of the
left bank ferry landing is a small fishermen's village (3).
The village of Duna Szekcs8 has no real landing pier, but only a
sort of.pontoon arrangement (2) beside which passenger vessels
may stop to discharge their fares.
See Attachment III (sketch of the Danube at Dunaf8ldvr)s
The railroad bridge across the Danube at Dunaf8ldv r (Kilometer 1561)
was reported on 7 April 1952 to be in s, completed state, 'lacking only the
final coats of paint. A siti8i~ track and a highway share the span.
On 7 April 1952 two military trains of 45 coaches each, were observed
crossing from the right to the left bank, probably bound for Baja.
One of the trains hauled four small tanks on flatcars,
The town of Dunaf8ldvsr is also served by a civilian-operated motor
ferry (2) which is used when the bridge is clogged with military
traffic. The crossing and unloading takes approximately 25 minutes.
Points (3), (4), and (5) on the sketch are respectively the town's
pontoon landing stage, the river transport office, and the river
police headquarter'. (6) is a small sandbar on which some trees
are growing. (7) and (8) are two black signals indicating danger
spots of an undefined nature. (9) is a red signal near the left
bank, indicating a sunken object. The distance between (8) and (9),
60 or 70 meters, is. considered insufficient to permit two tows to
pass at the same time. Approaching tows therefore signal for
priority passage. The objects at (10) are vessels sunk by mines
during 1944 and 1945,
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-3-
From the Danube at Sztalinvdros (Dunapentele), Hungary, (Kilometer 1580)
a funicular or cable railroad has been built from the bank to the factory
behind the town. Troops are occupying the steel works there,
5. , All Yugoslav vessels entering Hungarian waters at Kilometer 1428, are
inspected by police officers, who board the vessels from motorboats cruising
the river between the frontier and Mohacs. An inspection is performed even
when the Yugoslav tows are only in transit,. Police motorboats follow 'the
foreign vessels all the way through Hungarian territory and another check
is made at Szob (Kilometer 1707).
6. Beyond Szob the Yugoslav vessels are followed by both Hungarian and Czech
motor patrol boats. This double escort continues until the foreign
vessels reach the Hungarian-Czech border point at Kilometer 1861. From
that point until Bratislava the escort consists only of a Czechoslovak
motorboat.
7. See Attachment IV (the Danube at Esztergom, Hungary)-
The sketch of the Danube at Esztergom (Kilometer 1719) indicates the
steel railroad bridge connecting the Hungarian city with the Czechoslovak
side of the river.. Below the bridge, in a small channel, some 20 Russian
naval units were observed to be moored on 11 April 1952. The vessels were
painted sky blue and were draped with tarpaulins.
8. On 15 April 1952, six Czechoslovak naval or police motorboats painted
yellowish green were observed in a small bay on the left bank of the Danube
at Kilometer 1842, The boats were covered with tarpaulins.
9. A military camp was observed on 16 April 1952 on the right bank of the
Danube at Bratislava, Czechoslovakia. The camp consisted of 10 barracks
housing approximately 1,500 men, Lying near the river's edge were some
60 steel pontoons, each approximately 10 meters long. A number of troops
were at work assembling them.
10, At Kilometer 1873 on the Czechoslovak side of the Austrian frontier, six
naval motor patrol boats were observed on 16 April 1952 to be moored on the
left bank of the Danube. They were painted with greenish yellow 'camouflage
paint and were covered with tarpaulins, They appeared to be of the 200 HP
variety. On the bank itself were five camouflaged barracks housing some
400 to 500 troops,
11. The important Hungarian industrial center of Gylr is some 17 kilometers
up a small side channel of the Danube above G8nyf. (Kilometer. 1791), This
.channel is still navigable, but no river craft have been observed using it.
Above the channel leading to Gy8r are two large sandbars called Raabar
and Vanava. ( See Attachment V: the Danube near Gyor).
12. Attachment VI, Sketch A, shows the Danube at Kilometer 1935. On 16 April 1952
some 15 or 20 Russian motor patrol boats were observed to be tied up in
the canal at Kuchelau, Austria. The vessels, which were painted'sky blue,
were covered with tarpaulins.
13. Attachment VI, Sketch B, shows the Danube at the Austrian village of.-Au,
(Kilometer 2107), Tied up in the bay at Au on 16 April 1952 were some 15
Russian motor patrol boats. In the nearby woods was aRussian`tailitaryunit,
accomodated for the most part in tents. At Au all traffic is stopped for
checking by Soviet naval authorities. The average inspection of a tow
takes between an hour and an hour-and-a-half. The barges are checked for
fugitives and hidden arms.
14. Attachment VII is a sketch of the single-track railroad bridge at Bogojevo,
Yugoslavia (Kilometer 1368), The bridge was destroyed in 1944 or 1945 but
was completely restored in 191?8, Motor highway traffic may also use the
bridge except when a train is in the process of crossing.
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ATT .CH ;NT I
The Uanutba at Baja
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Duna Szekcsb
The Danube at Szekcso
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ATTACHMENT III
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*. In. 1558
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ATTACHMENT IV
The Danube at Esztergom
KEY
1. Pontoon landing stage
2. Czechosloirak police and
customs building
3. Theological aeroinary
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ATTACHMENT V
The Danube near Gygr
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ATTACHiNT VI
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Sketch a. The Danube at Kuchelau and Nussdorf
Danube
Sketch b. The Danube at Aue (Kilometer 2107)
1. Russian checkpoint
2. Sentry post
3. Yugoslav steamer BELGRADE,
sunk in 1945, partly beached.
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ATTACHMENT VII
Railroad Bridge at Bogojevo
(Kilometer 1368)
"A" is the principal passage
for ships, but "B" may also
be used.
Average clearance from the
water's surface to the bridge
is 13.55 meters.
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