FORTIFICATIONS AROUND SVILENGRAD

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A004600500010-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 2, 2007
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: August 11, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

This Document contains Information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States, within the mean-
Ing of Title 18. Sections 793 and 794. of the U.S. Cale, as
amended. Its transmission or revelation of Its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited.
CONFIDENTIAL
This is UNEVALUATED
Information
REPORT
DATE DISTR. 11 August 1954
NO. OF PAGES 6
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
REFERENCES 6 4 1 2 3 6
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
Bunkers
1. A camouflaged bunker is located in the southernmost part of the southern outskirts
of Novo Selo village (N 41-46, E 26-09), the Svilengrad railroad station. It is
immediataly south of the road connecting Novo Selo with the "Gebran" Quarter of
Svilengrad. The bunker is camouflaged to look like an ordinary village house. It
is about 8 by 6 meters in size; outside it is distinguished by a layer of unbaked
bricks, unpainted, roofed with red Marseilles tiles, and a little chimney. On
its wall looking toward the south are apertures (window frames) without glass. On
the west side is a ean--to. and on the east a little concrete well with pulley
and roof above it. there are two embrasures on the south 25X1
side of the bunker, almost at ground level, which are for
canister shots. The entrance is located on the east side. The er was con--in structed by the Germans. 25X1
2. Approximately 200-300 meters south of the above camouflaged bunker and immediately
south of the tank ditch running through this area, approxirm tely 200 ne ters north-
STATE X IARMY Y NAVY IX AIR IZ FBI
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 1. Entrance into bunker' through the cupola.
2. Inside platform of the cupola.
3. Stairs.
It. Central part.
5. Niches for munitions storage.
6. Sleeping quarters.
7. Air vents.
This is completely built into the'earthj, with only a cupola about 0.50 meters high
and about two meters in diameter showing on the surface. The cupola is uncovered
and serves as the entrance into the bunker. From the cupola one goes into the
dome., about 1.5 meters deep., which terminates in a platform larger in diameter than
that of the surface. From the inside platform starts the stairway., about 5-6 steps.,
into the inside of the bunker which ends in a little room about two meters square.
From this little room., one enters another underground room about seven by four meters
in size; this room has three niches$ with completely concrete walla., in which the
guard munitions are probably stored. From this room., there are two doors into a 25X1
third room., about five by two meters in size., in which sleeping accommodations have 25X1
been built. The whole bunker is of reinforced concrete construction.
the walls o the cupola are about - centimeters c .
antiaircraft guns or howitzers are probably located on the platform of the 25X1
cupola., while the underground part of the bunker serves to conceal the crews. There 25X1
are a total of three doors inside the bunke 25X1
25X1
There are two air vents 25X1
laminated tubes., extending about 20 centimeters above the ground. 25X1
=these chimnerrs are not run from the walls of the bunker (as is usually the cas25X1
but from the roof., which admits the air directly into the interior of the bunker.
The are located in the roof of the sleeping room of the bunker. The rooms are about
three meters high. There are no embrasures in the bunker. There is no barbed wire
fence or wall enclosing the bunker. The bunker was constructed by the Germans.
 reinforced concrete bunkers in the "Trite Chuki" (The Three Harmers) 25X1
3. Another bunker is located south of the road to Mezek village (N 41-44, E 26-05),
Svilengrad Okoliya, about 100 meters west of the place where the rail line crosses
this road, about 200 meters south of the road, and immediately east of a little
road breaking off from the road to Mezek about 100 meters from the railroad line
and continuing almost due south to the vineyards. This is a reinforced concrete
above-ground bunker, extending about four meters above the rroldud, about 10 meter
long and five meters wide. 25X1
e bunker e 25X1
is located on the west 25X1
4. Approximately 300-400 meters east of the place where the two roads starting from
the Svilengrad railroad station join and continue as one to Svilengrad, and about
50 meters north of the road, in the middle of a small woods, a bunker is located.
This is a reinforced concrete, above-ground construction., naturally concealed
the little woods and is barely visible to a person travelling along the road. [ 25X1
this bunker is absolutely identical to the one described in 25X1
paragraph 2 above, except that it is completely above ground. It has a direct
entrance on the west side consist in o metal door. The bunker was con-
stru;+,ed by the Germans. here are soldiers in this bunker 25X1
day and night. These sol iers are no su or nate to the border Guards, but are 25X1
part of the construction soldiers who serve to guard the explosives depot located 25X1
about 300-400 meters west of the bunker.
locality (N 41-46, E 26-08), located at the angle formed by the road to Mezek village
and the railroad line. "Trite Chuki" locality has three hills, located about 400
meters north of the road. to Mezek village, and about 400-500 meters west of the rail-
road line. The bunkers have been constructed on the peaks of the hills. The hills
are in a line (southwest to northeast), and their peaks are about 150-200 meters from
each other. The road connecting Novo Selo village with Siva Reka village runs ba the
north and east side of them. The bunkers are dug into the earth and extend about one
meter above the ground level. They all have two embrasures, one facing south and one 25X1
facing east. They were constructed by the Germans.
6. Reinforced concrete bunkers are located in the "Suudzhata," locality, neighboring
on the north the "Trite Chuki" locality. The bunkers are located on the southern
slope of the gv11y at this location,which is overgrown with willows and has a small
creeks and about 200 meters west of the two adjacent bridges jroad and railroad).
The bunkers are mainly dug into the earth and extend above the ground only about one
meter. They have two embrasures., looking to the south and toward the road. Another
bunkers exactly like the others, has been constructed 200 meters farther west, on
25X1
E 26-08), south of the Svilengrad railroad station and a little above the border Ty 25X1
line, neighboring the "Byalata Prust" (The White Land locality
25X1
the are in the southwest half of the " t " locality. 25X1
they are constructed 25X1
 area between Mezek villages Svilengrad Okoliya, the Mezek-Novo Selo road, the
Maritsa Rivers and the border line.
Trenches
9. there are an extremely 44rge number of trench lines around 25X1
25X1
location of two lines ;JSX1
25X1
a. One row of trenches starting at the right bank of the Maritsa Rivers about 10500 25X1
meters northwest of the bridge at Svilengrad; they start out toward the west,
go about 100-150 meters north of the bunker described in paragraph 4 above, then
veer slightly south and cross the road to Svilengrad about 100 meters east of
the place where the two roads from Svilengrad join into one; from there the
trenches go in a southwest directions running near the southeast outskirts of
Novo Selo villages then go between the bunkers described a a ,
and stop at the railroad line 25X1
the trenches are built in a zig-zag fashion; and 25X1
b. Another row starting somewhere north of Mezek village extending in a zig-sag
fashion toward the north; about two kilometers east of Siva Reka village
(N 41-46, E 26-0h), they cross the road which connects the village with the 25X1
Istanbul Highway and continue north to Lyubimete villages Svilengrad Okoliya.
11. The trenches are about 1-1.2 meters deep and about 0,8 meters wide, They were
constructed in 1950.
Barbed Wire Fences
12. a barbed wire fence has been constructed near the large tank 25X1
ditch, about 100-150 meters north of the ditch and along its total length.
Itwo parallel lines of about 5-8 strands of barbed wire were 25X1
strung from Mozek villages Svilengrad Okol a to Nova Levka village N 41-52,
E 26-16), Svilengrad Okoliya; The 25X1
area between the strands was , an y nee. In
1545, the wires were taken down and the minefields were dismantled by military units,
but in spite of this forgotten mines in places cause accidents for men and animals.
14. a new line of barbed wire was being put up Along the tank 25X1
c c. a wBeh Tis Mat tsa River and the rail line as of 4 July 1953.
Sketch
15. A sketch of the fortifications in the Svilengrad area is enclosed herewith as an
Appendix, page 6. The legend to the Appendix is on page 5.
 1. Svilengrad.
2. Novo Selo, Svilengrad 0koli3a.
3. Svilengrad railroad station.
4. Sofia-Istanbul railroad line.
5. Istanbul Highway.
6. To Siva Reka (N 41-47, E 26-04), Svilengrad Okoliya.
7. To Mezek village (N 41-44, E 26-06), Svilengrad Okoliya.
8. To Momkovo village (N 41-51, E 26-09), Svilengrad Okoliya.
9. Road to pustrogor village (N 41-51, E 26-12), Svilengrad Okoliya.
10. Road to Levka village (N 41-52, E 26-16), Svilengrad Okoliya.
11. Road to Raykova Mogila village (N 41-49, E 26-18), Svilengrad Okoliya.
12. Route to Chornodub'Village,,$tilgngr.ad Okoliya.
13. Maritsa River.
Komandatura.
Zastava.
X "Sokret" post.
Patrolled path.
~. .,-Tank ditch.
ror-c.,-Border line.
 Fortifications in the Svilengrad Area - Scale 1s50v000
40