MILITARY ACTIVITIES IN THE AREA OF THE FOURTH GDS MECZ ARMY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A007700540002-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 22, 2008
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: July 26, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

CLASSIFICATION SECRET
COUNTRY s ermariy REPORT
Approved For Release 2008/09/22 : CIA-RDP80-00810A007700540002-9
Military'Activities in the Area of the Fourth Gds Mecz Army
EVALUATION
DATE OF CONTENT
DATE OBTAINED
REFERENCES
3
PAGES-
.REMARKS
DATE PREPARED 26 July 1955
1. On 22 and 23 June 1955, it was determined in Prenzlau that a training
area, presumably a tank firing range for the units from the Prenzlau
post, had been prepared in the Beenz-Kroechlendorf Wichmannsdorf area."
The following details were obtained:
In 1954 and early 1955, surveying work was observed in the above-
mentioned area. Upon protests by farmers, surveying work discontinued;
it was resumed on 21 Apr?l~O It was then ordered that 200 ha woods
be out. In late April, the area was evacuated and cleared. In May and
early June, out wood was shipped away. mid-
(business
had considerably decreased after early May, since many Soviet soldiers
from Prenzlau were employed in the woods. On 23 June, it was
determined south of the Prenzlau installations (4741 and 4742) 25X1
that numerous imprints of tank tracks branched off toward southwest
in the direction of Kroechlendorff ,Beenz road. 1
2. After 4 July. 2 trains of flatcars and boxcars were made available
at the Potsdam railroad station.
3. At 0400 on 5 July. an AAA unit with 12 x 37-mm AA guns, 6 trucks
mounting AA machine guns and 16 additional trucks passed through
Potsdam en route from the direction of Nedlitz toward the south. 2
25X1 .
4. On 5 July, the Adolf-Hitler Kaserne (2287) in Potsdam was no longer
occupied to capacity. The tank unit was presumably absent. 3
During the night of 213 July, a tank unit was entrained at the Bad
Freienwalde railroad station. On 4 July, some 60 vehicles, 4 x 120-mm
mortars, 4 to 6 x 85-mm and 4 to 6-x57-mm AT guns, 10 to 12 armored
personnel carriers, 3 field kitchens, 5 tank trucks and radio and
repair shop trucks were assembled in the yard of Panzer Kaserne 25X1
(4002) in Bad Freienwalde..~Subsequently, the a presumably left
,
by road toward Eberewalde n on t
he-196~ Mir. the installation
was occupied by only 300'
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6. On 5 July. it was observed that vehicles and AA guns were
assembled in the SS-Brieftaubenstation (4243) in Bernau.
At midnight, 12 x 76-mm AA guns, 4 to '6 x 37-mm AA guns, some
25 trucks, radio and repair shop trucks and field kitchens and
25X1
8. Between 29 June and 4 July, it was determined that exercises of
several day duration by companies, batteries and battalions from
the'Artillerie Kaserne (4241) in Eberswalde continued. The
departure of tanks was observed for the first time. At 2115 on
's Ju1v, a train which was headed toward north and carried 8,
heavy tanks, 1 radio truck and included 1 boxcar, was ready to
depart from the Eberswalde railroad station. 7
150 to 200 soldiers were entrained at the Bernau railroad station.
At 0700 on 6 July. a 6econd AAA unit was presumably entrained.
Approximately 1$ x 76-mm AA guns and 1 x 37-mm AA gun, 15 trucks
and 8 boxcars were observed. In the afternoon of the same day,
the SS-Brieftaubenstation was only lightly occupied. Four 37-mm
AA guns were seen in the old emplacement. 5
At 1330 on 1 July. 22 half-track amphibious vehicles went from
the loading street of the Eberswalde railroad station toward
the town. Jadging from the noise of driving which had
previously been heard, a total of approximately 40 am hj,bious
vehicles may have proceeded in this direction.
Comment. The new t aini area southwest of Pr 1 had
repeatedly been reported.
it is quite deft e y a ieve a this is a new
training area for the units from the Prenzlau poste
Comment. These were apparently units of the 359th Gds AAA
Regt of the 10th Gds Tank Div from the.Kritgsschule (2288) in
Potsdam, which may have subsequently been entrained at the
Potsdam railroad station. Additional AAA units of the Fourth Gds
,Mecz Army from other posts were transferred to training grounds
for firing practices at the same time, .
3. Coment. Elements of the 63d Gds Tank Regt of the 10th
Gds Tank Div were presumably absent from their quarters for
exercises in the post area. ~.
4. Comment. On 2/3 July, a tank detail of the 16th Gds Meca
presumably entrained for firing practices at a training grounds.
On 4 July, major elements of the same regiment apparently left
for exercises in the area west or southwest of Bad Freienwalde,-
at which locality units of, the division from the Bad Freienwalde
Regt or the 95th (?) Mtrcl Bn of the 6th Gds Mecz Div was
and Eherswalde costs had repeatedly conducted exercises in June.
25X1
I
25X1
25X1
.I
25X1
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5.
Comment. Without regard to the large number of medium AA
guns, it is believed that units of the 120th ? AAA Regt of the
6th Gds Mecz Div which, w r
transferred to Altengrabow in 2 shipments
25X1
amphi
Comment. These were probably elements of the special
bious unit of the Fourth Gds Mecz Army from Schuetzen Kasedne
(4342) in Eberswalde which,
returned
lau to Eberswalde in 3 trains
on 1 July. 24 half-
track amphibious vehicles when the unite left Eberswalde for
Rosslau on 30 bia .
Comment. For information on the exercises of units of the
6th Gds Mecz Div,
On 3 July, a tank detail of
25X1
t was
the 82d Gds Hv Tank SP Re
g
ractices at a training grounds.
25X1
several tank shipments went from Eberswalde
to Altengrabow on 3 and 6 July.
Approved For Release 2008/09/22 : CIA-RDP80-0081 OA007700540002-9