Border Troops of the German Democratic Republic
Encyclopedia
German Democratic Republic
The German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...
, in German Grenztruppen der DDR, were a military force of the GDR and the primary force guarding the Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
and the border between East and West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
. The Border Troops numbered at their peak approximately 47,000 troops. Other than the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, no other Warsaw Pact
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance , or more commonly referred to as the Warsaw Pact, was a mutual defense treaty subscribed to by eight communist states in Eastern Europe...
country had such a large border guard
Border guard
The border guard, frontier guard, border patrol, border police, or frontier police of a country is a national security agency that performs border control, i.e., enforces the security of the country's national borders....
force.
The border guards were responsible for many deaths at the Berlin Wall as well as suffering from numerous casualties in the line of duty.
History
By December 1945—within six months of the end of the war—each of the five states in the Soviet zone had a central police force, in clear violation of the Yalta and Potsdam agreements. In early January 1946, the term VolkspolizeiVolkspolizei
The Volkspolizei , or VP, were the national police of the German Democratic Republic . The Volkspolizei were responsible for most law enforcement in East Germany, but its organisation and structure were such that it could be considered a paramilitary force as well...
(People's Police) was applied publicly to the new police forces in East Germany, and in August of the same year these forces were placed under the central control of the newly created German Administration of the Interior, headed by Erich Reschke. In November 1946, the Sowjetische Militäradministration in Deutschland (SMAD) directed the organization of the Deutsche Grenzpolizei (German Border Police), actually formed on 1 December 1946. The initial 3,000 recruits were organized and trained from People's Police resources, and by April 1948 the branch numbered 10,000, the total reaching 18,000 in 1950. The Grenzpolizei were armed and organised like a police force; and were subordinate to the Main Administration of the Border Police and Alert Units of the German Administration of the Interior. Eventually, the East German regime demanded a reorganization of the force along military lines, similar to their Soviet counterparts, the USSR Border Troops
USSR Border Troops
Soviet Border Troops, were the militarized border guard of the Soviet Union, subordinated to its subsequently reorganized state security agency: first to Cheka/OGPU, then to NKVD/MGB and, finally, to KGB...
. In 1961, the Grenzpolizei were reorganized as the Grenztruppen der DDR. As part of the reorganization, the Grenztruppen der DDR were moved from the GDR Ministry of the Interior to the GDR Ministry of National Defense (MfNV). Although the border troops were originally part of the National People's Army
National People's Army
The National People’s Army were the armed forces of the German Democratic Republic .The NVA was established in 1956 and disestablished in 1990. There were frequent reports of East German advisors with Communist African countries during the Cold War...
(NVA), in 1973 they were separated from the NVA and reported thereafter directly to the MfNV.
While wearing standard NVA uniforms, the border troops had their own dark green arm-of-service colour, and their service and dress uniforms bore a green cuff title with white lettering - Grenztruppen der DDR - on the left arm. From 1973 on, service in the Grenztruppen der DDR was voluntary - no draftees
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
involuntarily served in its ranks after 1973, as opposed to the NVA.
In contrast to the massive efforts along the borders with the West, there were only circa 600 members of the Grenztruppen assigned to guard the GDR's borders with Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
and Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
On 1 July 1990, the border control regime along the borders with West Germany and West Berlin was ended. In September 1990, shortly before the reunification of Germany, the Grenztruppen der DDR were disbanded; its border patrol duties along united Germany's eastern frontiers were assumed by the Bundesgrenzschutz
Bundesgrenzschutz
Bundesgrenzschutz was the first federal police organization in Western Germany after World War II permitted by the Allied occupation authorities. In July 2005, the BGS was renamed Bundespolizei to reflect its transition to a multi-faceted police agency.It was established in 1951...
(Federal Border Guard - later Bundespolizei
Bundespolizei
Bundespolizei is German for Federal Police and may refer to:*Federal Police *Federal Police...
or Federal Police).
Pass and Control Units
For most visitors to East BerlinEast Berlin
East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. It consisted of the Soviet sector of Berlin that was established in 1945. The American, British and French sectors became West Berlin, a part strongly associated with West Germany but a free city...
and the GDR, including persons who utilized the land transit routes (road and rail) between West Germany and West Berlin
West Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
, their exposure to the Grenztruppen der DDR consisted of dealing with the members of the "Pass and Control Units" (Paß- und Kontrolleinheiten - PKE) who processed travellers passing through the GDR's Grenzübergangsstellen (border crossing points). Although they wore Grenztruppen uniforms, the members of the PKE were in fact members of the 6th Main Department (Hauptabteilung VI) of the GDR Ministry of State Security
Stasi
The Ministry for State Security The Ministry for State Security The Ministry for State Security (German: Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (MfS), commonly known as the Stasi (abbreviation , literally State Security), was the official state security service of East Germany. The MfS was headquartered...
(Ministerium für Staatssicherheit der DDR - "Stasi").
Chiefs of the Deutsche Grenzpolizei (1946-1961) and the Grenztruppen der DDR (1961-1990)
- 1952 Richard Smolorz
- 1952–55 Hermann Gartmann
- 1955–57 Heinrich Stock
- 1957 Hermann Gartmann
- 1957–60 Paul Ludwig
- 1960–79 Generaloberst (Colonel General) Erich Peter
- 1979–90 Generaloberst Klaus-Dieter Baumgarten
- 1990 Generalmajor (Major General) Dieter Teichmann
The units of the Grenztruppen der DDR were organised in the same manner as ordinary NVA army units. The structure listed immediately below was that which existed prior to 30 November 1989.
National headquarters
The headquarters of the Grenztruppen der DDR was located at Pätz (a small village southeast of BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
in the present-day state of Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
), near Königswusterhausen
Königs Wusterhausen
Königs Wusterhausen is a town in the Dahme-Spreewald district of the state of Brandenburg in Germany.-Geographical location:Königs Wusterhausen – or "KW" as it is often called locally – lies on the Notte Canal and the river Dahme southeast of Berlin...
.
Regional headquarters
The Grenzkommando Nord (GKN) (Border Command North), with headquarters at StendalStendal
Stendal is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is the capital of Stendal District and unofficial capital of the Altmark. Its population in 2001 was 38,900. It is located some west of Berlin and around east of Hanover...
(in the present-day state of Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt is a landlocked state of Germany. Its capital is Magdeburg and it is surrounded by the German states of Lower Saxony, Brandenburg, Saxony, and Thuringia.Saxony-Anhalt covers an area of...
) was responsible for the northern sector of the East German border. The GKN consisted of six frontier troops regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
s, two training regiments, a helicopter flight
Flight (military unit)
A flight is a military unit in an air force, naval air service, or army air corps. It usually comprises three to six aircraft, with their aircrews and ground staff; or, in the case of a non-flying ground flight, no aircraft and a roughly equivalent number of support personnel. In most usages,...
and some smaller support units.
Commanders:
- OberstOberstOberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
Harald Bär (1 Feb 1971 - 31 Dec 1981) - Oberst Johannes Fritzsche (1 Jan 1982 - 30 Nov 1989)
Order of battle
Order of battle
In modern use, the order of battle is the identification, command structure, strength, and disposition of personnel, equipment, and units of an armed force participating in field operations. Various abbreviations are in use, including OOB, O/B, or OB, while ORBAT remains the most common in the...
:
- Grenzregiment 6 "Hans Kollwitz"
- Grenzregiment 8 "Robert Abshagen"
- Grenzregiment 20 "Martin Schwantes"
- Grenzregiment 23 "Wilhelm Bahnik"
- Grenzregiment 24 "Fritz Heckert"
- Grenzregiment 25 "Neithardt von Gneisenau"
- Grenzausbildungsregiment 5 "Gustav Sobottka"
- Grenzausbildungsregiment 7 "Martin HoopMartin HoopMartin Hoop was a district leader in the Communist Party of Germany in Saxony and a supporter of the Weimar Republic presidential candidate Ernst Thälmann.-Life:Hoop was born in Lägerdorf northwest of Hamburg...
" - Pionierkompanie 25
- Sicherungskompanie 25
- Stabs- und Versorgungsbataillon 25
- Musikkorps
The Grenzkommando Süd (GKS) (Border Command South), with headquarters at Erfurt
Erfurt
Erfurt is the capital city of Thuringia and the main city nearest to the geographical centre of Germany, located 100 km SW of Leipzig, 150 km N of Nuremberg and 180 km SE of Hannover. Erfurt Airport can be reached by plane via Munich. It lies in the southern part of the Thuringian...
, guarded the southern border sector. The organizational structure of the GKS was similar to that of the GKN, with six frontier troops regiments, two training regiments, a helicopter flight and some smaller support units.
Commanders:
- Oberst Gerhard Lorenz (1 Feb 1971 - 30 Oct 1973)
- Oberst Klaus-Dieter Baumgarten (1 Nov 1973 - 14 Apr 1978)
- Oberst Walter Tanner (15 Apr 1978 - 31 Oct 1982)
- Oberst Heinz Janshen (1 Nov 1982 - 30 June 1987)
- Oberst Dieter Hoffmann (1 July 1987 - 30 Nov 1989)
Order of battle:
- Grenzregiment 1 "Eugen Levine"
- Grenzregiment 3 "Florian Geyer"
- Grenzregiment 4 "Willi Gebhardt"
- Grenzregiment 9 "Konrad Blenkle"
- Grenzregiment 10 "Ernst Grube"
- Grenzregiment 15 "Herbert Warnke"
- Grenzausbildungsregiment 11 "Theodor Neubauer"
- Grenzausbildungsregiment 12 "Rudi Arnstadt"
- Pionierkompanie 27
- Sicherungskompanie 27
- Stabs- und Versorgungsbataillon 27
- Musikkorps
The Grenzkommando Mitte (GKM) (Border Command Center), with headquarters at Berlin-Karlshorst
Karlshorst
Karlshorst is a locality in the borough of Lichtenberg in Berlin. It houses a harness racing track and the Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin , the largest University of Applied Sciences in Berlin, and the German-Russian Museum Berlin-Karlshorst.-History:Established in 1895 as the...
, manned the crossing points into West Berlin and guarded the entire border perimeter surrounding West Berlin. The GKM consisted of six frontier troops regiments, one border crossing point regiment, two training regiments, an artillery regiment and some smaller support units.
Commanders:
- Oberst Bernhard Geier (1 May 1971 - 31 Aug 1979)
- Generalmajor Erich Wöllner (1 Sep 1979 - 30 Apr 1990)
- Oberst Günther Leo (1 May 1990 - 30 Sep 1990)
Order of battle:
- Grenzregiment 33 "Heinrich Dorrenbach"
- Grenzregiment 34 "Hanno Günther"
- Grenzregiment 35 "Nikolai Bersarin"
- Grenzregiment 36 "Walter Husemann"
- Grenzregiment 38 "Clara Zetkin"
- Grenzregiment 42 "Fritz Perlitz"
- Grenzregiment 44 "Walter Junker"
- Grenzausbildungsregiment 39 "Ho Chi MinhHo Chi MinhHồ Chí Minh , born Nguyễn Sinh Cung and also known as Nguyễn Ái Quốc, was a Vietnamese Marxist-Leninist revolutionary leader who was prime minister and president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam...
" - Grenzausbildungsregiment 40 "Hans Coppi"
- GÜST-Regiment "Walter Husemann"
- Artillerieregiment 26
- ABC-Abwehrkompanie 26
- Amphibische Pionierkompanie 26
- Instandsetzungskompanie 26
- Kfz-Transportkompanie 26
- Kompanie Chemische Abwehr 26
- Nachrichtenkompanie 26
- Nachrichtenwerkstatt 26
- Sicherungskompanie 26
- Musikkorps
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Rostock
Rostock -Early history:In the 11th century Polabian Slavs founded a settlement at the Warnow river called Roztoc ; the name Rostock is derived from that designation. The Danish king Valdemar I set the town aflame in 1161.Afterwards the place was settled by German traders...
, deployed a coastal brigade (Grenzbrigade Küste) consisting of twelve marine battalions and several boat battalions and companies to guard the GDR's relatively small coastline along the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
. For command-and-control purposes, the GKK was incorporated into the GDR's "People's Navy" (Volksmarine
Volksmarine
Volksmarine was the official designation of the maritime forces of the German Democratic Republic . It was part of the National People's Army, established in 1956.-History:...
).
Reorganization in 1989
In accordance with a June 1989 decision of the National Defense Council of the GDR, the Grenztruppen der DDR were extensively reorganized as of 30 November 1989. The personnel strength was reduced by approximately 17 percent, while the number of headquarters units was reduced from 50 to 24.In the place of the previous command structure, six border district commands (Grenzbezirkskommandos), 16 border county commands (Grenzkreiskommandos) and two border training centers (Grenzausbildungszentren) were created. The Grenzbezirkskommandos reported to the national headquarters.
Grenzbezirkskommando 1, Schwerin
Schwerin
Schwerin is the capital and second-largest city of the northern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The population, as of end of 2009, was 95,041.-History:...
with three Grenzkreiskommandos:
- GrevesmühlenGrevesmühlenGrevesmühlen is a municipality in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, northern Germany. It is the capital of the Nordwestmecklenburg district. It is situated 33 km east of Lübeck, and 29 km northwest of Schwerin.-History:...
/ GadebuschGadebuschGadebusch is a town in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, in the district Nordwestmecklenburg, half-way between Lübeck and Schwerin.The town is known for two notable monuments: the Stadtkirche , built in 1220, considered the oldest brick church in Mecklenburg, and the Schloss , built in 1580-1583... - HagenowHagenowHagenow is a German town in the southwest of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, in the district of Ludwigslust-Parchim, 30 kilometers south of Schwerin...
- LudwigslustLudwigslustLudwigslust is a town in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, 40 km south of Schwerin. It was the capital of the former district of Ludwigslust, and is part of the district Ludwigslust-Parchim since September 2011.-History:...
- 18 Grenzkompanien
- two Bootskompanien
- three Reservegrenzkompanien
Grenzbezirkskommando 2, Magdeburg
Magdeburg
Magdeburg , is the largest city and the capital city of the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Magdeburg is situated on the Elbe River and was one of the most important medieval cities of Europe....
with five Grenzkreiskommandos:
- SalzwedelSalzwedelSalzwedel of Altmarkkreis Salzwedel, and has a population of approximately 21,500. Salzwedel is located on the German Framework Road.-Geography:...
/ OsterburgOsterburgOsterburg may refer to:* Osterburg , a municipality in the district of Stendal, Germany* Osterburg , a former Osterburg may refer to:* Osterburg (Altmark), a municipality in the district of Stendal, Germany* Osterburg (Verwaltungsgemeinschaft), a former Osterburg may refer to:* Osterburg (Altmark),... - KlötzeKlötzeKlötze is a town in the Altmarkkreis Salzwedel , in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated approx. 20 km northwest of Gardelegen, and 35 km northeast of Wolfsburg....
- HaldenslebenHaldenslebenHaldensleben is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated on the Ohre river, approx. 30 km northwest from Magdeburg. It is connected by railway to Magdeburg, Oebisfelde and Eilsleben. It is the capital of the district Börde. It has a Protestant and a Catholic church. An old equestrian...
- HalberstadtHalberstadtHalberstadt is a town in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt and the capital of the district of Harz. It is located on the German Half-Timbered House Road and the Magdeburg–Thale railway....
/ OscherslebenOscherslebenOschersleben is a town in the Börde district, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. The population in 1905 was 13,271, in 2005 about 18,000.-Geography:... - WernigerodeWernigerodeWernigerode is a town in the district of Harz, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Until 2007, it was the capital of the district of Wernigerode. Its population was 35,500 in 1999....
- 27 Grenzkompanien
- seven Reservegrenzkompanien
Grenzbezirkskommando 3, Erfurt
with four Grenzkreiskommandos:
- NordhausenNordhausenNordhausen is a town at the southern edge of the Harz Mountains, in the state of Thuringia, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Nordhausen...
- Worbis/Mühlhausen
- HeiligenstadtHeiligenstadtHeiligenstadt may refer to several places:*Heilbad Heiligenstadt, Thuringia, Germany*Heiligenstadt i.OFr. , Bamberg , Bavaria, Germany*Heiligenstadt, Vienna, Austria*Heiligenstadt, part of Neuhaus in Kärnten, Carinthia, Austria...
- EisenachEisenachEisenach is a city in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated between the northern foothills of the Thuringian Forest and the Hainich National Park. Its population in 2006 was 43,626.-History:...
- 22 Grenzkompanien
- 5 Reservegrenzkompanien
Grenzbezirkskommando 4, Suhl
with four Grenzkreiskommandos:
- Bad SalzungenBad SalzungenBad Salzungen is a town in Thuringia, Germany. It is the capital of the Wartburgkreis district. It is situated on the river Werra, 5 km east of Tiefenort and 20 km south of Eisenach. Near the town, there's a Bundeswehr barrack, the Werratal-Kaserne, which was built in 1972 for the GDR Army....
- MeiningenMeiningenMeiningen is a town in Germany - located in the southern part of the state of Thuringia and is the district seat of Schmalkalden-Meiningen. It is situated on the river Werra....
- HildburghausenHildburghausenHildburghausen is a town in Thuringia in central Germany, capital of the district Hildburghausen. It is situated on the river Werra, 20 km south of Suhl, and 25 km northwest of Coburg....
- SonnebergSonnebergSonneberg is a town in Thuringia, Germany, which is seat of the district Sonneberg.It has long been a centre of toy making and is still well known for this...
/ Neuhaus - 29 Grenzkompanien
- four Reservegrenzkompanien
Grenzbezirkskommando 5, Gera
Gera
Gera, the third-largest city in the German state of Thuringia , lies in east Thuringia on the river Weiße Elster, approximately 60 kilometres to the south of the city of Leipzig and 80 kilometres to the east of Erfurt...
no assigned Grenzkreiskommando
- eight Grenzkompanien
- two Reservegrenzkompanien
Grenzbezirkskommando 7, Karl–Marx-Stadt
Chemnitz
Chemnitz is the third-largest city of the Free State of Saxony, Germany. Chemnitz is an independent city which is not part of any county and seat of the government region Direktionsbezirk Chemnitz. Located in the northern foothills of the Ore Mountains, it is a part of the Saxon triangle...
no assigned Grenzkreiskommando
- three Grenzkompanien
- one Reservegrenzkompanie
The four Grenzausbildungsregimenten were consolidated into two Grenzausbildungszentren:
- Grenzausbildungszentrum 16 (locations in HalberstadtHalberstadtHalberstadt is a town in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt and the capital of the district of Harz. It is located on the German Half-Timbered House Road and the Magdeburg–Thale railway....
und Dingelstedt) - Grenzausbildungszentrum 36 (locations in Plauen und EisenachEisenachEisenach is a city in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated between the northern foothills of the Thuringian Forest and the Hainich National Park. Its population in 2006 was 43,626.-History:...
)
The two training centers reported directly to the national headquarters, along with the training schools for Grenztruppen officers, officer candidates and NCOs.
Translation of German terms into English
- ABC-Abwehrkompanie - Nuclear Biological Chemical-defence company
- Amphibische Pionierkompanie - amphibious engineer company
- Artillerieregiment - Frontier Troops artillery regiment
- Grenzausbildungsregiment - Frontier Troops training regiment
- Grenzausbildungszentrum - Frontier Troops training center
- Grenzkompanie - Frontier Troops company
- Grenzregiment - Frontier Troops regiment
- GÜST (Grenzübergangsstelle)-Regiment - border crossing point regiment
- Instandsetzungskompanie - repair company
- Kfz-Transportkompanie - truck transport company
- Kompanie Chemische Abwehr - chemical defence company
- Musikkorps - parade band
- Nachrichtenkompanie - signal company
- Nachrichtenwerkstatt - communication support company
- Pionierkompanie - engineer company
- Reservegrenzkompanie - Reserve Frontier Troops company
- Sicherungskompanie - security company
- Stabs- und Versorgungsbataillon - staff & supply battalion
Subordination of the Deutsche Grenzpolizei (1948-1961)
13 Jul 1948-11 Oct 1949: Controlled by the DVdI12 Oct 1949-1952: Controlled by the MdI
1952-16 Jun 1953: Controlled by the MfS
17 June 1953-1955: Controlled by the MdI
1955-28 Feb 1957: Controlled by the MfS
1 Mar 1957-14 Sep 1961: Controlled by the MdI
Sep 1961 -1973:Controlled by the NVA, the Grenzpolizei were reorganized as the Kommando der Grenztruppen (KdoGT) der NVA and were moved from the GDR MdI to the GDR Ministry of National Defense (MfNV)
1973 - 1990:Controlled directly by the MfNV. Renamed the Grenztruppen der DDR
1990 - 1994:Controlled by Bundeswehr
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
. The border guards' numbers were rapidly reduced. Half were dismissed within five months of the opening of the border. The border was abandoned and the Grenztruppen were officially abolished on 1 July 1990,; all but 2,000 of them were dismissed or transferred to other jobs. The Bundeswehr
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
gave the remaining border guards and other ex-NVA soldiers the task of clearing the border fortifications, which was only completed in 1994. The scale of the task was immense, as not only did the fortifications have to be cleared but hundreds of roads and railway lines had to be rebuilt.
Training and equipment
Border Troop regiments were trained similar to regular infantryInfantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
, but were much more lightly equipped than comparable NVA infantry formations, with the heaviest weapon being the RPG-7
RPG-7
The RPG-7 is a widely-produced, portable, unguided, shoulder-launched, anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade launcher. Originally the RPG-7 and its predecessor, the RPG-2, were designed by the Soviet Union, and now manufactured by the Bazalt company...
grenade launcher
Grenade launcher
A grenade launcher or grenade discharger is a weapon that launches a grenade with more accuracy, higher velocity, and to greater distances than a soldier could throw it by hand....
. To increase their capability to search for persons attempting to flee the GDR, most units had German Shepherd dogs. A regiment consisted of around 1,500 men divided into three battalions of four companies each. These regiments also had an anti-tank battery
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
, a mortar
Mortar (weapon)
A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
battery and an engineer company. The units of the Grenzkommando Mitte were mechanized, with PSzH-IV and FUG
FUG
D-442 FUG is a Hungarian armoured scout car based on the BRDM-1 armoured scout car. It is also known under its Czechoslovak designation OT-65 Otter.-Description:...
armoured vehicles.
Training for Grenztruppen soldiers was provided by the four training regiments; after the reorganization of 30 November 1989 (see below), the four regiments were consolidated into two training centers. Training for noncommissioned officers was held at the Unteroffiziersschule der Grenztruppen der DDR „Egon Schultz“ in Perleberg. Training for dog handlers was conducted in Wilhelmshorst. Grenztruppen officers and officer candidates were trained at the Offiziershochschule der Grenztruppen der DDR „Rosa Luxemburg
Rosa Luxemburg
Rosa Luxemburg was a Marxist theorist, philosopher, economist and activist of Polish Jewish descent who became a naturalized German citizen...
“ in Suhl
Suhl
- Geography :Suhl sits on the south edge of the Suhler Scholle, an upthrust granite complex that is streaked by numerous dikes. This is part of the Ruhla-Schleusingen Horst that defines the southwest side of the Thuringian Forest...
(previously located in Plauen
Plauen
Plauen is a town in the Free State of Saxony, east-central Germany.It is the capital of the Vogtlandkreis. The town is situated near the border of Bavaria and the Czech Republic.Plauen's slogan is Plauen - echt Spitze.-History:...
).
Refugee Shootings Along the Berlin Wall and the Inner-German Border
Undoubtedly the most controversial aspect surrounding the Grenztruppen der DDR concerns those who were killed or wounded while attempting to flee East Germany into the West. Even today, the topic of the "shoot-to-kill order" (Schießbefehl) is quite sensitive in Germany, East and West. According to information released by the "Working Group 13th of August" (Arbeitsgemeinschaft 13. August e.V.) on 13 August 2004, 1065 persons were killed along the GDR's frontiers and coastline, including 37 Grenztruppen soldiers killed during escape attempts. Many more were wounded.The Berlin Public Prosecution Department estimates that about 270 'proven' deaths on the border were due to acts of violence by GDR border security guards, including deaths caused by mines and automatic firing devices. However, the Central Assessment Group for Governmental and Organized Crimes (German: ZERV), which existed from 1991 to 2000 as a branch of the Berlin Police, registered 421 suspected cases of killings by armed GDR border guards.
To encourage the troops, the GDR government gave distinctions, extra liberty and premiums to a soldier who had used his gun in earnest at the border. If he had killed a refugee, he got a gold watch, but was also transferred to another unit to avoid bullying from his own unit buddies.
Line of Duty Deaths
There were 29 Line of Duty Deaths of the Grenztruppen. The first three deaths occurred at the time of Soviet occupation zone, after the founding of the German Democratic Republic in October 1949 until its end of 1990 were a further 26 border policemen and border soldiers were killed. Of these 29 deaths died 20 on the inner-German border, eight in Berlin at the Wall and one the border with Czechoslovakia. A firm prediction on the individual perpetrators and their motives is not possible in all cases. The perpetrators were from the following classes of persons:- Deserters of the Grenztruppen , Volkspolizei , NVA (or their predecessor organizations) and the Soviet Armed Forces
- Other East Germans during their flight
- Citizens of West Berlin and the Federal Republic (generally while serving as escape helpers)
- Members of the BundesgrenzschutzBundesgrenzschutzBundesgrenzschutz was the first federal police organization in Western Germany after World War II permitted by the Allied occupation authorities. In July 2005, the BGS was renamed Bundespolizei to reflect its transition to a multi-faceted police agency.It was established in 1951...
(Federal Border Guard), the West Berlin Police and the U.S. Army in the line of duty
The list of names of the deceased are only occasional light on the cause of death and the actual polluters.
- Paul Sager († 10. November 1948)
- Gerhard Hofert († 3. August 1949)
- Fritz Otto († 1. September 1949)
- Siegfried Apportin († 2. July 1950)
- Herbert Liebs († 21 February 1951)
- Werner Schmidt († 2 March 1951)
- Heinz Janello († 2 March 1951)
- Rudolf Spranger († 7 August 1951)
- Manfred Portwich († 27 October 1951)
- Ulrich Krohn († 16 May 1952)
- Helmut Just († 30 December 1952)
- Waldemar Estel († 3 September 1956)
- Jörgen Schmidtchen († 18 April 1962; army deserter shot dead by two cadets from the flak school at Stahnsdorf.)
- Manfred Weiss († 19 May 1962)
- Peter Göring († 23 May 1962)
- Reinhold Huhn († 18 June 1962)
- Rudi Arnstadt († 14 August 1962)
- Günter Seling († 30 September 1962)
- Siegfried Widera († 8 September 1963; killed by refugees on August 23, 1963)
- unknown Volkspolizei member († 15 September 1964)
- Egon Schultz († 5 October 1964)
- Hans-Adolf Scharf († 10 June 1966)
- Rolf Henniger († 15 November 1968)
- Lutz Meier († 18 January 1972)
- Klaus-Peter Seidel, and Jürgen Lange (both † 19 December 1975; both shot dead by deserting army soldiers Werner Weinhold.
- Ulrich Steinhauer († 4 November 1980; a postal officer from his post deserter killed with a shot in the back. The offender managed to escape, he was convicted in West Berlin in 1981 for manslaughter in a youth custody of 6 years.)
- Klaus-Peter Braun († 1 August 1981)
- Eberhard Knospe († 5 May 1982)
- Uwe Dittmann († 22 March 1985)
- Horst Hnidyk († 3 August 1989)
See also
- GrepoGrepoGrepo is the short form of the German word for border police . It is usually found in English referring to the Grenztruppen der DDR who guarded the inner German border and the Berlin Wall, but can be used to refer to other border police, such as the former Bayerische Grenzpolizei , and the...
- Crossing the inner German borderCrossing the inner German borderCrossing the inner German border remained possible throughout the Cold War; it was never entirely sealed in the fashion of the border between the two Koreas, though there were severe restrictions on the movement of East German citizens...
- Development of the inner German borderDevelopment of the inner German borderThe development of the inner German border took place in a number of stages between 1945 and the mid-1980s. After its establishment in 1945 as the dividing line between the Western and Soviet occupation zones of Germany, in 1949 the inner German border became the frontier between the Federal...
- Fortifications of the inner German borderFortifications of the inner German borderThe fortifications of the inner German border comprised a complex system of interlocking fortifications and security zones long and several kilometres deep, running from the Baltic Sea to Czechoslovakia...
- Escape attempts and victims of the inner German borderEscape attempts and victims of the inner German borderThere were numerous escape attempts and victims of the inner German border during its 45 years of existence from 1945 to 1990.-Refugee flows and escape attempts:...
- Fall of the inner German borderFall of the inner German borderThe fall of the inner German border came rapidly and unexpectedly in November 1989, along with the fall of the Berlin Wall. The event paved the way for the ultimate reunification of Germany just short of a year later....