FORTIFICATIONS ALONG THE SOUTHERN HUNGARIAN BORDER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000500810371-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Sequence Number: 371
• Content Type: REPORT

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Approved For Release 2006/09/28: CIA-RDP80-00809AO00500810371-7
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
C(JU"4 I kY Liungar j
25X1SUBJECT Fortifications Along the Southern Hungarian Border
25X1
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THIS Is UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
DATE DiSTR.3 M A V -954
NO. OF PAGES .u
NO. OF FNCI S .
SUPP. TO
REPORT NO.
The large-scale fortifications carried out in the course of 1953 along the southern
Hungarian border, were started by the fall of 1351. At this. time, the "Fortifies-
tions Cameittee" of the Ministry of Defense had been set up, with headq>4}irters in
Budapest c:z Ibrakim Street. This committee scheduled all preparations under Soviet
management and control. These preparations consisted mainly of surveying the scheduled
sites, and shipping material an the spot, as well as of scheduling industrial and
shipping problems; also the organization of manpower needed.
2. Military Organizationfs Used for Building the Fortification Line.
1. The whole area scheduled to be fortified has been divided into three main
sections according to military importance.
a. Frnm thi e>Rtrian border down to the Baranya county triangle, (the river
Drava section).
b. The Baranya Country triangle between Sikl6s and Mok4CS.
o. Part of the border east of the Danube, a rather wide open space.
2. Each of the above areas was assigned to one "Fortification Command" with
headquarters at Lenti, Foes and Szeged, respectively. All organizations
(technical, building, military or supply problems) assigned to work on these
fortifications, are under the ecnand of this Fortification Command. Alto-
gether, eleven battalions, different numbers at each of the above headquarters,
are also commanded by the Fortification Command. These battalions consist of
the following personuol:
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 Approved For Release 2006/09/28: CIA-RDP80-00809AO00500810371-7
J in' commander of the battalion, one engineer officer, and the staff of trs
Wltt.ailion.
b. ' hs-te b)illding companies, each composed of lot) non. 'PneSSe :.oiapduicb aor&-
ist of professional engineer officers, WCOs. The privates are mostly
_escrvists of the engineer corps.
;;cv'ral so-called "military labor units' are divided wherever and whenever
seeded among the battalions during the period of construction. These mill-
tary labor companies consist of a small official. staff and of 'unreliable
elements". These are all draftees who for reasons of their origin are re-
garded as unreliable JCulaks, priests, and 'class-strangers"), and are not
assst .ed to the fighting forces. These people spend the time of their eon-
pn,sory military service doing hard labor under the most revere conditions.
d. One mechanized unit together with all machinery needed, bulldozers, baggers,
cement mixers, generators, etc.
e. One truck unit with 20 heavy trucks.
3. All these >>nits work on specialized construction at specially assigned sections
of the fortifications. During the summer, several regular infantry units
alsc:)Alp_:d . but only as unskilled labor, digging trenches, etc. Convicts,
politif,": urisoners, and internees are not employed here.
II. Character ir_ System of the Fortifications.
1. All fortification construction going on along the southern border of Hungary has
no connection whatsoever with the "Iron Curtain" installations, for instance, the
well-known ones along the western border. Such an 'Iron Curtain' can a1"3?p,,,
found along the southern border, managed and guarded by the border guards of the
V.H.
A2. The fortifications to be built here'are of the small-3r type of fortification.
This syeten is generally built in thre& lines, about 1,500 to 2,000 meters in
depth. The first two lines are built 200 to 300 m distance from each other, and
consist of individual fortification units and strongpoints linked by trenches.
The third line runs about 1,300 to i,600 meters further back. Here, built-in
posts for artillery and antitank mortars are also constructed. Observation poste
for the commanders, and liaison posts are also being set up. The whole setup is
constructed according to the defense system of battalions, according to the
weapons 'ithin each battalion, and according to the importance of a certain area.
3. The following fortifications are along each fortification line:
a. Open artillery nests for machine guns, also for circular defense.
b. Antiaircraft nests with fixed concrete foundations.
c. Fortified posts for mortars.
d. Observation posts and commanders posts.
a. Shelters for 50 to 100 men for the reserve.
f. Artillery posts and relay posts.
 Approved For Release 2006/09/28: CIA-RDP80-00809AO00500810371-7
4. -ch. 1 ,i, 4, iduai poat;:~ are built with the aid of prefabrica ed concrete units,
(doles and parapets) but concrete mi..cing is also carried out on the spot. The
sur:aces of the concrete facing the enemy are generally 30 cm. The underground
srelte.'- are.about 2 meters deep in the ground, with the roofs reinforced with
a layer of reinforced concrete and stones against artillery and bomb units.
Near r?cp?'ilated areas these posts are camouflaged as barns, sheds, haystacks, etc.
5. The ma.lor part of the prefab units isshipped from the concrete factory of
Albertfalva, where the output of the whole plant is closely fitted into the
schedule of the fortification work. Incidentally at Albertfalva, several political
and other prisoners are also working.
6. The ln:eiv+dual fortified posts, ne- ts, etc. are linked by trenches. These are
fortified with wooden prope and brushwood. Drainage is achieved by means of
3ew~-rt and cesspools.
7. The whr)ie fortification net,,which can by no means be called complete, has the
character of a permanent field fortification. It is unfit to stem any serious
or heavy attack by a modern and scientifically trained army.
III. The S1ta ,r i?Ezt For.t1ficatior, Line.
1. '2h :?:.~)tii?vxng of the southern fortification line of the Hungarian border starts
from t'r.c topographical point No. 353 on the Janos ieF-vnear the meeting point of
the Hurgaro-Yugoslav -Austrian border. From there it :ur.s closely along the
Yugoslav border all along the heights running north o. Nemesn4p brook, and }
furth- closely along the northern banks of the Kerka, and then up the Drgva, as
far as Sikl6s. From here on it follows the border more or less in 50-to 500 -
neter 1en.,th in the line of the villages Old, Beremend, Iloeska Ddrda and Udvtr,
and r~_aoh.es the Danube at Izabellafpld. The general outline. follows the curves
of the terrain..
2. Special attention has been given the *Drdva Corner Triangle" where, contrary to
the thrsa-line defense employed elsewhere, a multiple defense line has been
erected. It is 10 km in depth and includes the mountains of Villgny. Part of
it is ..sti,l' urider construction. The deepest poir..t of this defense line goes
back a~, far as the Danube at Mohdos. The most important stronghold of this defense
line stems to be centered around this area, which is quite logical from the point
of view of modern logistics. Between the Danube and the Tisza, the fortifications
hug the border as far as Szeged; here they reach the Tisza River and follow the
River faros, linking up with the Rumanian fo1'titications which also run along the
border and end at Bdzids. The whole fortification system then links up eventually
with tie left wing, and rith the Carpathian Mountains.
3. The fortifications were built during 1952 and 1953, weather peraii.tting, at a
forced tempo, but are still far from being completed. They are expected to be
ready cy I954, but improvements and additional work may take some more years.
4, troops of the AVE stationed in the districts of
the southern or era will No organized into "fortification troops" with the
evident .purpose that, in case of a surprise attack in peacetime, this particular
3ect1o.n of the defense line be guarded by a strong and permanent force.
 Approved For Release 2006/09/28: CIA-RDP80-00809A000~50081 - 1
SECRET
5. Several units of the Hungarian Army, stationed in the south, also participated
in the surer and fall of 1953 in the maneuvers hold along theae fortifications.
The purpose of t..ese maneuvers has always been aui.:k occupation and I defense of
the fortification, throwing back of enemy forces, etc. It is evident there-
fore that part of the Hungarian drafted divisions are being trained for the
defense of this particular section.
LlORMY SU?J1'CT It AREA CK?OES
252.1 37M
176.1 37M