CZECH TROOPS AND MILITARY INSTALLATIONS IN SOKOLOV

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A002600370001-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 28, 2005
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: September 10, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

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TOPIC Czech Troops ? nd Military meta? 1ations in Sokolov
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L.
FVALUA1'ION..,_.= 25X1 PLACE OBTAINED__j
Dl-.1a OF ~,V~v Erv e.
DAT - OBTAINED
REFERENCES-
PAGES 3 --ENCLOSURES (NO. & TYPE)
REMMARKS.._..
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1. Prior to February 1953, the barracks camp at the southeast exit of the city of
Sokolov (N 51/P 58) on the northwest side of the road to Vitkov (N 51/P 58) quarter-
ed troops who :wore khaki uniforms with black service color. Truck traffic at the
installation was heavy. No heavy weapons were observed in the billeting area. Ths
soldiers of a unit of about 2CC men who marched into the billets wore black ep.&i:L-
lets. No-piping was recollected. Officers of this unit wore black patches with
club-shaped insignia. In February 1953, a military motor-vehicle repair shop was
also observed about 100 meters northwest of the above mentioned barracks install%tioni,
oft the road fork formed by the roads to Dol, Rychnov (I1 51/F 58) and Vitkov.
2. In about mid-January 1953, a detachment of about 50 men was observed at gun drill
in the park of the castle, whose entrance was guarded by sentries wearing black
service color. The soldiers s. They were trained with three guns
25X1 of three different models. I lone ofl which had a caliber of
4C to 50 mm, as an AT gum. The gun was painted gray-green and seemed to be an old
model. It had a split-trail g'm carriage, disk wheels with pneumatic tires, a smooth
barrel which mounted no muzzle brake, a. relatively short cradle and a shield whi=3h
was inclined to the rear and had slanting lateral edges. 2 Another gun of about
'70 to 80 mph had a smooth barrel about 3 meters long, which was equipped with a
cradle, but was topped by no counterrecoil mechanism. he shield, whose top was
25X,1 about 1, 50 meters high, had no slanting lateral edges. ' This n
ffil a cannon seemed to be old. The third gun
a howitzer of about 100 mm.
The smoo barrel, which was about 2.5 meters long, topped a strong cradle, whic'i
extended in the direction of the nra.zzle as far as about the middle of the barrel.
The barrel was topped by no counterrecoil mechanism. The shield was slightly in-
25X1 clined to the rear and had no slantincr lateral edges. 3
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Prior to 29 April 1953, the post headquarters (Posadkove Velitelstvi) was
in the former old convent, which was a U-shaped building enclosing the church.
This office, whose staff included NCOs and also woman auxiliaries in civilian
clothes, was commanded by a major, who wore golden epaulets with two longitudinal
striped and red patches with club-shaped insignia. The NCOs who were observed
at the site also wore red epaulets, which had yellow stripes.
+. Prior to late April 1953, the "Armadni Dum" soldiers' home, which contained a
canteen and reading rcoms for the soldiers cf the post, was in the former
restaurant "Zum Hufeisen". The soldiers' home was north of the old convent on
the west side of ul. Komencky, formerly Benesch Strasse. Prior to March 1953,
the former restaurant "Reseda." at the intersection of the west side of ul.
Fucikowa and the south side of ul. Zamecka, which was also referred to as officers'
mess by the population, quartered about 20 officers up to the rank of captain,
who wore golden epaulets with red longitudinal stripes. The military billets on
the northern perimeter of the city. on the east side of the road to Kraslice
N 30). were less known
no heavy weapons at the site.
5. The recruiting office (Okresni Vojenske Velitelstvi), at which soldiers with
red epaulets were seen, was at the north end of the main square.F _J 25X1
the members of the 1931 and 1932 classes were on active military service
prior to the date of the resettlement in late. April 1953. Registrations for the
members of the 1932 class were held in May and October 1952. The men were inducted
by November 1952. The names of the members of the 1933 and 19.34 classes were a1-
ready listed in records. The members of the 1933 class were scheduled to be register.
in May and October 1953
a unit of aba'at 150 men, who wore khaki uniforms with dark-green epaulets
iaead brass insignia on their collars. The unit held combat practices in
the area northwest of Sokolov. 1 In the summer and early fall of 1952, a mo-
torized unit with four AT guns, which were towed by six-wheeled trucks, was fre-
quently observed approaching from the center of the city and proceeding on the
road to Kraslice. The unit occasionally hold practices along both sides of the
road in the area of Hs.eelbach (N 51/P 58). The soldiers wore red-bordered black
epaulets. The guns, which had a caliber of about 80 mm, were equipped with smooth
barrels without muzzle brakes an4 had cradles about 1 meter long. The shields of
the guns were laterally buckled. disk wheels with pneumatic
tires and split-trail gun carriages with pipe r s. 4 and 1
7. Prior to the fall of 1952, soldiers wearing red-bordered black epaulets were
observed at the castle which had been occupied by military units at least since
early 1951.1 In June or July 1952, three Soviet officers were frequently :seen
in the "Ceslcy Daan" hotel. Local residents said that the officers were instructors
and came from a troop training camp south of the city.
25X1 8. In March or April 1952,1 workers who were members of the
1932 class had to go to Sokolov for registration. They were scheduled to be in-
ducted on 1 October 1952. 5
25X1 9. ber 1952, 1
25X1 I labout eight guns of 100 to mm and four other guns o
25X1 70 to 80 mm at this site. obstacle course including a board wail,
a water-filled trench, craw ng o s , etc,,, in the castle park. The soldiers
who entered or left the castle wore khaki uniforms and red-bordered black epau-
25X1 lets. heavy military motor traffic, ':at no guns at the billettN_g
on the east side of the road to Kraslice. A lieutenant who served with e, unit
quartered in this installation wore golden epaulets with a red background and red
collar patches. 1
CONFIDENTIAL,
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 Approved For Release 2005/07/13: CIA-RDP80-0081OA002600370001-2
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10. '._ the spring of 1952, all members of the 1932 class who lived in the district
of Sokolov were registered in Sokolov. On three days between 21 and 28 September
1952, recruits of tbist class were marched behind a band from the main square to
25X1 the railroad stationd a member of the 1932 class,
expected to receive his notice of induction by I October 1952. Numerous soldiers
of the 1931 class were not yet discharged by late September 1952. 5
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omm nt. The statements substantiate and supplement previous reports.
Although the units stationed at the Sokolov post are no
yet clearly determined it has been ascertained that they include the artillery
regiment of the 12th Mtz Rifle Div. The belief that the AT battalion of this
division is also stationed at Sokolov is confirmed by the statements of the pre-
sent report.
a PS un t.
omment. It is believed
e Kraslice Kaserne quay e;r
a 45-mm AT gun of Soviet model M-,42-
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omment. The guns cannot be identified.
25X1 A L__Jomment. I Ian old German Army 75-mm AT gun, which, however,
were mostly equipped with muzzle brakes.
25X1 5. Comme~t. Elements of the
25X1 93 class seem to have been inducted in the fall or s office hitherto
believed that the majority of the members of These classes would be inducted to-
gether with the 1933 class not before the fal'L. of 1953. Also, in view of nnomerouss
reports on an extension to 30 months of the term of active service it is believed
that the induction system was modified, although definite information is not yet
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CONFI DENTIAL,
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