WEEKLY OB SUMMARY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A004500840004-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 12, 2007
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: July 20, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2007/06/14: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA004500840004-9
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
COUNTRY East Germany
SUBJECT Weekly OB Summary
PLACE ACQUIRED
This Document contains information affecting the Na
tional Defense of the United States, within the mean-
ing of Tltle 18, Sections 793 and 794, of the U.B. Code. as
amended. Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthoria.d person Is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited.
REPORT
:r'383
DATE DISTR. 20 July 1954
NO. OF PAGES 4
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
The following is a summary of Soviet and KVP military activities observed
prior to 19 July 1954.
A. `diet Troop Movements and Exercises:
1. First Guards Mechanized Army: On 4 July, the bulk of the Army rocket launcher
regiment was still stationed at Meissen. Between 14 June and 6 July, units of
the 8th Guards Mechanized Division rotated between their posts and Koenigs-
brueck. The movements included four shipments from Leipzig and three return
shipments; four shipments from Wurzen and five return shipments; one shipment
to Grimma, one to Eilenburg and one to Leisnig. On 9 and 10 July, the engineer
summer camp near Grimm was evacuated because the area was flooded. On 8 July,
the camp at Zeithain was occupied by units of the 9th Tank Division, including
the 70th Guards Heavy Tank and SP Regiment, a medium tank regiment, and elements
of an artillery regiment, an anti-aircraft regiment, and a rocket launcher
battalion. On 9 and 10 July, two shipmentsleach carrying a heavy tank company
of the 108th Tank Regiment, left the Zeithain camp toward Jueterbog. The
44th Guards Tank Regiment of the 11th Guards Tank Division was confirmed on
7 July in the Bohra area at the Koenigsbrueck troop training grounds. On
8-July, one shipment with 16 to 20 anti-tank guns of 85-m and 100-mn caliber
was loaded at Koenigsbrueck.
2. Second Guards Mechanized rgy: On 3 July, one shipment with a unit of the 31st
Anti-Aircraft Artillery Division went from Velten to Wustrow. Between 2 and
8luly, elements of the 2nd Light Artillery Brigade with twelve 85-m anti-tank
g ns.practiced firing at sea targets in the Sagard area on Ruegen Island. On
10 July, two shipments, each including four 85-mm and 100-mm anti-tank guns,
carried other elements from Doeberitz to Altengrabow. On 9 July, a unit of the
10th Guards Rocket Launcher Regiment went from Velten to Altengrabow. On 9 and
11 July, a unit of the 1st Mechanized Division with 250 soldiers and 42 self-
propelled guns but without motor vehicles, was moved to Thuringia, with one ship-
STATE ARMY NAVY X AIR F81
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Wustrow to Naumburg. On 22 June, one shipment carried an engineer company
with 18 pontoons from Eisenach toward Erfurt. On 6 July, 20 guns of 122-nun
and 76-mm caliber were used in a night exercise at Kindel. On 1 July, the
engineer training area at Dessau-Aken was heavily occupied.
7. IV Artillery Corps: A 294June shipment with elements of the 25th Guards Rocket
Launcher Brigade from Rathenow to Altengrabow was followed by additional elements
on 4 July, Early in June, the barracks of the 6th Artillery Division in Rathenow
were still occupied by guard details only.2 On 10 July, a unit, probably a
battery of the 124th Heavy Howitzer Brigade, was shipped from Brandenburg, to
Altengrabow. On 7 and 8 July, four shipments, presumably with units of the
34th Artillery Division including 152-mm :*um howitzers, returned from Sagard on
Ruegen Island to Altengrabow. During the night of 7 July, elements of the 30th
Guards Gun Brigade from Potsdam, equipped with 16 152-mm gun howitzers, held
exercises in the area southwest of Fahrland. On 6 July, elements of what is
believed to have been the 6th Guards Anti-Aircraft Artillery Division returned in
one shipment from Wustrow to Chemnitz; on 8 July, a light unit with twelve 37-mm
anti-aircraft guns returned in one shipment from Koenigsbrueck, probably to the
quarterin area of the division. On 21 June, one shipment with elements of the
32nd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Division went from Frankfurt/Oder to Jueterbog.
8. Miscellaneous.- On 3 July, one shipment with 100 76-mm guns was dispatched from
Frankfurt Oder to Brest-Litovsk.3 On 6 July,40 boxcars carried about 6C0 officers,
with ages ranging from 40 to 50 years, from Frankfurt/Oder to Brest-Litcvsk,
presumably for discharge. On 6 July, 16 new 122-mm howitzers, probably destined
for the 25th Tank Division, were unloaded at Templin. On 7 July, twelve new
122-nm howitzers, intended for the 1st Mechanized Division)were unloaded at
Doeberitz.
B. KVP Developments:
1. The transfer of elements of the Mechanized Division Potsdam from Oranienburg
to the new training grounds east of Klietz continued until 7 July. Elements
of the mechanized regiment from Hohenstuecken and the mortar regiment from Premnitz
are believed to be in the same training area. Elements of the Oranier_burrg anti-
aircraft artillery school have been at the Zingst firing range since ~3. July.
Elements of the Infantry Division Halle have been practicing firing with live
ammunition at the Zuellsdorf training grounds northeast of Torgau since 23 June.
After 13 July, elements of the engineer regiment from Kuechensee have probably
been stationed at the engineer training site at Sieglitzer Berg near the Elbe
River east of Dessau. After 9 July, the Altwarp summer camp, formerly assigned
to the "Organisation Dienst fuer Deutschland," was reoccupied by 300 KVP troops,
probably from Karpin.
2. Around late June and early July, KVP troops occupied the former Soviet-occupied
section of the Sachsenhausen concentration camp? The Bau-Union Kueste started
construction work, presumably for new KVP quarters. Since February, elements
of the Mechanized Division Potsdam from Hohenstuecken, Premnitz and Oranienburg
have been engaged in construction work at the training grounds east of Klietz
where only units of the Mechanized Division Potsdam are practicing.4
1.
Th
ob
e shipments presumably went to the Templin training grounds.
served on 5 and 10 July probably came from Altengrabow.
Those
2.
The units are probably located at Altengrabow.
3.
Return to the USSR of field guns replaced in the spring with 85-mm anti-
tank guns.
4.
The training grounds east of Klietz will probably be used predominantly
the i 4echanized Division Potsdam in the future.
Comment:
ery exercises and rotation of units between posts and summer camps
continued during the period of observation. The move of units from Berlin
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ment going to Crawinkel and the other to Dorndorf in the Rhoen Mountains.
The unit was accompanied by woman dependents and billeting equipment. In
June, the 18th Engineer Battalion, previously locsted in the Loewen Kaserne
in Doeberitz, changed quarters with the motor transport battalion stationed in
Olympisches Dorf. Elements of units from Altes Lager were still at Doeberitz
on 11 July. On 2 July, one shipment with elements of the 205th Engineer Battalion
of the 12th Guards Tank Division moved from Altruppin to Jerichow. Elements of
the same division were still holding exercises in the Neuglienicke sector of the
Schweinrich troop training grounds as of 7 July. On 9 and 10 July, three ship-
ments carried units of the 12th Guards Tank Division, including 200 soldiers,
32 JS tanks and seven self-propelled guns, but not including any motor vehicles,
from Altruppin to Doeberitz, presumably for exercises. On 4 July, one shipment
went from Neuruppin to Neubukow.
3. Third Guards Mechanized Army: On 24 June, elements of the 62nd Anti-Aircraft
Artillery Division, including twelve 76-mm anti-aircraft guns, moved in one
shipment from Dessau toward Falkenberg; other elements returned in one or two
shipments from Wustrow to Kochstedt on 5 July. On 4 July, the Army engineer
regiment held a night exercise with N2P bridging equipment at Schumke Lake.
Also on 4 July, elements of the 9th Mechanized Division held company-level
exercises in two groups at the Forst Tauer training grounds, with tanks and
infantry taking part. On 13 July, two shipments went from Peitz to Jueterbog,
and one from Peitz to Wustrow. Up to 5 July, the bulk of the 7th Guards Tank
Division was confirmed in Letzling Heath. On 3 and 4 July, seven trains were
loaded at Zahna; the loads were not identified. On 9 July, one shi' cent,
presumably with Army troops, went from Luckenwalde to Altengrabow.
4. Fourth Guards Iechanized Army: On 12 July, one shipment, probably carrying
elements of the 63rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Division, went from Fuerstenwalde
to Wustrow. Between 25 June and early July, elements of the 6th Guards
Mechanized Division were observed at exercises west of Bernau. Between 4 June
and 9 July, elements of the 7th Guards Mechanized Division moved from Lieberose
to Jueterbog in three shipments. On 12 July, one shipment carried a unit of the
24th Guards Mechanized Regiment from Berlin to Lieberose. Late in June, tank
units of the 10th Guards Tank Division moved from Krampnitz to the south sector
of Doeberitz. On 5, 9, 10 and 14 July, four shipments, including four howitzers,
18 heavy and medium anti-tank guns, eight anti-aircraft guns, six mortars and
80 trucks, went from the direction of Wustermark through Oranier_burg toward
Loewenberg. Vehicle of the 4th Guards Mechanized Army.l 25X1
On 29 June, a shipment with 14 JS tanks was sent from Templin to Forst Zinna.
5. Third Shock Army: Two shipments from Schwerin, one from Rostock (probably
with elements of the 3rd Guards Anti-Tank Brigade), and one from Frankfurt/Oder
(probably with elements of the 32nd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Division) arrived
in the Merenburg-Bruegge area on 2 and 5 July, presumably for advanced combat
firing or other exercises. On 6 July, a shipment including medium anti-aircraft
guns of the 32nd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Division passed through Pritzwalk on
its way toward Perleberg. From 1 to 4 July, firing with live ammunition from
field howitzers was observed in the area north of Ludwigslust. Night firing
was conducted with anti-aircraft artillery on 2 July, and with 16 rocket launchers
on 7 July. Between 3 and 9 July, one shipment with elements of the 4th Guards
Artillery Brigade with a least eight howitzers and 13 100-mm anti-tank guns went
from Schwerin to Sagard on Ruegen Island, in order to practice firing at sea
targets. On 3 and 4 July, other elements, includin-; ten howitzers and eight 100 mm
anti-tank guns, left Schwerin for short-term exercises in the vicinity of their
post. The bulk of the 19th Guards Mechanized Division was confirmed in the south
sector of Letzling Heath and at Hillersleben until 9 July.
6. Eii_,hth Guards Army: On 7 July, one shipment with elements of the 13th Anti-
Aircraft Artillery Division went from Leipzig to Wustrow. On 5 July, the
bulk of the 43rd Guards Artillery Brigade was moved from Altenburg to Altengrabow
in five shipments. On 6 July, the 38th Anti-Tank Artillery Brigade was still
stationed at its Altenburg post. Units of the 39th Guards Rifle Division were
found at their Plauen station until 6 July. The 76th Artillery Brigade was
stationed in Merseburg until early July. Elements of the 498th Anti-Aircraft
Artillery Regiment of the 29th Guards Rifle Corps returned in one shipment from
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to Thuringia, possibly for exercises, is the first of its kind in years.
Firing at sea targets from Ruegen Island ended after five days. The KVP's
live ammunition firing practices and special-arms exercises continued.
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