SOVIET TROOP TRAINS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A005700930004-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Sequence Number: 4
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2008/04/14: CIA-RDP80-00810A005700930004-6
CLASSIFICPUNCODED
COUNTRY East Germany REPOR
TOPIC
Soviet Troop Trains
EVALUATION
DATE OF CONTENT
DATE OBTAINED-
REFERENCES
PAGES 2
REMARKS
ENCLOSURES (NO. & TYPE)
CB f converted boxcar
B - boxcar
1. The following troop trains with soldiers which were dispatched from Meissen
between 16 and 30 October 1954:
Date in
October
16
19
22
23
25
28
30
Number of Cars Receiving Station
55 B
55 B
55 B
55 B
Ishangalovsk (?)
Kovel
Chernishovsk
Kovel
55 B "
55 B Chernishovsk
55 B Kovel
2. The following eastbound shuttle-trains with soldiers were dispatched via
Mestrin-Kietz between 16 and 26 November:
Date in
Number of Cars
Dispatching Station
November
15
54 B
Jueterbog
16
54 B
Meissen
54 B
Fuerstenberg
54 B
Weimar
54 B
Bernau
54 B
Haldensleben
54 B
Bernau
23
54 B
Magdeburg
CLASSIFICATION SECRET
25X1
25X1
Approved For Release 2008/04/14: CIA-RDP80-00810A005700930004-6
 Approved For Release 2008/04/14: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005700930004-6
25 54 B
26 54 B
Magdeburg
3.
The following westbound shuttle-trains with soldiers were dispatched via
Kuestrin-Kietz between 20 and 30 November:
Date in Nu
mber of Cars
Receiv
ing Station
November
20
54 B
Neustr
elitz
21
54 B
Weimar
22
54 B
Greifs
wald
23
54 B
Magdeb
urg
24
54 B
"
26
54 B
Brandenburg
28
54 B
Neustrelitz
30
54 B
Weimar
Since extensive track construction work was begun at the hietz railroad
station on 1 December, it is believed that the personnel exchange movement
via K*etz terminated on 30 November.
4. On 4 December, shuttle-train of 50 CB went from Jueterbog to
Brest Litovsk via Frankfurt/Oder.
Comment. Another report confirmed that the eastbound troop trains 25X1
In paragraph 2 were occupied by dischargees. Except for shuttle-train 0 25X1
on 20 November 1954, all other westbound trains are believed to be empty.
the personnel exchange movement in both directions terminated in the first
days of December 1954. The present computation of eastbound troop trains
carrying dischargees indicates that the movement includes 74 shuttle-trains
which have been observed with their numbers and 76 additional shuttle-trains
or a total of 150 trains. Excluding 10 trains which probably were empty at
the beginning of the movement, a total of 140 eastbound shuttle-trains
with dischargees has been computed. Since it is believed that less iischargees
are being moved in a railroad car than replacements, each train probably
carried 1,150 dischargees (46 cars with 25 men each;, while those with
recruits may have carried 17380 men (46 cars with 30 men each). This comp_'uta.tior
-indicates a total of about 160,000 dischargees. Since this figure e::ceeds
even the total of about 152,000 replacements of the 1931 and 1932 class
wvhich was observed in 1951, it appears that these two classes have been
discharged.
She present computation of westbound troop trains carrying replacements
indicates that the movement includes 69 shuttle-trains which have been observed
with their shuttle-train d 66 additional shuttle-trains or 135 trains.
On the bads of the assumption that each shuttle-train carried 1,380 men, and
including a deduction of five percent since the last westbound trains were
probably not loaded to capacity; about 175,000 men arrived from the USSR.
The difference of 15,000 inch between the total number of dischargees and
replachents in 1954 is probably made up of reassignments and hospitalized
-personnel.
The actual strength of the army units in the GDR was estimated at 560,000 men
prior to the personnel exchange movement. Since December 1954, about 50 percent
of these men are believed to be recruits. This assumption is confirmed b,
numerous observations at the barracks installations. Thy personnel exchange
movement of the Twenty-Fourth Air Army which probabl,r has an actual strength
of 25,000 men is believed to be immaterial.
Approved For Release 2008/04/14: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005700930004-6