Kasernierte Volkspolizei
Encyclopedia
Kasernierte Volkspolizei (KVP, German
for Barracked People's Police) were the military units of the Volkspolizei
(police) in the German Democratic Republic
(East Germany). These units were highly motorized and kept public order
formed the Alert Police (Bereitschaftspolizei), a force of armed units housed in barracks and trained in military fashion. The force consisted of forty units with 100 - 250 men each, the units were subordinated to provincial authorities. Many of the officers and men were recruited among German POW
s held in the Soviet Union.
In November 1948 the German Interior Administration (Deutschen Verwaltung des Innern, DVdI) took responsibility over the force (and the border troops
) and included them in section named Hauptabteilung Grenzpolizei und Bereitschaften (HA GP/B). The section was renamed to Verwaltung für Schulung (VfS) on August 25, 1949, to Hauptverwaltung für Ausbildung (HVA) on October 15, 1949 and to Kasernierte Volkspolizei (KVP) on June 1, 1952
In addition to ground troops HVA and KVP also included a separate naval and air arm. In December 1952 KVP membership was up to 90,250. The communist party
and Soviet military authorities exercised strict ideological control over the force.
On March 1, 1956 the KVP units were transferred into the newly established army of East Germany, the National People's Army
(NVA).
known as the Volkspolizei-Bereitschaften (VPB). It consisted of between 12,000 and 15,000 men (sources disagree) in 21 Volkspolizei Alert Units of battalion strength. There was usually one unit per district of East Germany but the key districts of Halle
, Leipzig
and Magdeburg
, with their large working class populations, and Potsdam
all had two units. The Presidium of the People's Police in East Berlin
had three units located in Basdorf
.
Each Alert unit was organized as follows:
These units were equipped with light and medium infantry weapons, SK-1
wheeled armoured personnel carriers, SK-2 water cannon
(both armoured and unarmoured versions) and bus
es. Their uniform was the standard Volkspolizei grey-green. The political reliability of the Alert Units was of particular importance to the Socialist Unity Party of Germany
(SED) as they would be used against the population in the event of social disorders such as the popular uprisings of 17 June 1953
in the industrial areas of East Germany.
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
for Barracked People's Police) were the military units of the Volkspolizei
Volkspolizei
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...
(police) in the German Democratic Republic
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...
(East Germany). These units were highly motorized and kept public order
History
In October 1948 the Soviet Military Administration in GermanySoviet Military Administration in Germany
The Soviet Military Administration in Germany was the Soviet military government, headquartered in Berlin-Karlshorst, that directly ruled the Soviet occupation zone of Germany from the German surrender in May 1945 until after the establishment of the German Democratic Republic in October...
formed the Alert Police (Bereitschaftspolizei), a force of armed units housed in barracks and trained in military fashion. The force consisted of forty units with 100 - 250 men each, the units were subordinated to provincial authorities. Many of the officers and men were recruited among German POW
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
s held in the Soviet Union.
In November 1948 the German Interior Administration (Deutschen Verwaltung des Innern, DVdI) took responsibility over the force (and the border troops
Border Troops of the German Democratic Republic
The Border Troops of the German Democratic Republic, in German Grenztruppen der DDR, were a military force of the GDR and the primary force guarding the Berlin Wall and the border between East and West Germany. The Border Troops numbered at their peak approximately 47,000 troops...
) and included them in section named Hauptabteilung Grenzpolizei und Bereitschaften (HA GP/B). The section was renamed to Verwaltung für Schulung (VfS) on August 25, 1949, to Hauptverwaltung für Ausbildung (HVA) on October 15, 1949 and to Kasernierte Volkspolizei (KVP) on June 1, 1952
In addition to ground troops HVA and KVP also included a separate naval and air arm. In December 1952 KVP membership was up to 90,250. The communist party
Socialist Unity Party of Germany
The Socialist Unity Party of Germany was the governing party of the German Democratic Republic from its formation on 7 October 1949 until the elections of March 1990. The SED was a communist political party with a Marxist-Leninist ideology...
and Soviet military authorities exercised strict ideological control over the force.
On March 1, 1956 the KVP units were transferred into the newly established army of East Germany, 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).
Organization
The East German Ministry of the Interior maintained, since 1960, an independent Department of the Alert Units of the 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...
known as the Volkspolizei-Bereitschaften (VPB). It consisted of between 12,000 and 15,000 men (sources disagree) in 21 Volkspolizei Alert Units of battalion strength. There was usually one unit per district of East Germany but the key districts of Halle
Halle, Saxony-Anhalt
Halle is the largest city in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is also called Halle an der Saale in order to distinguish it from the town of Halle in North Rhine-Westphalia...
, Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
and 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 their large working class populations, and Potsdam
Potsdam
Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre....
all had two units. The Presidium of the People's Police in East Berlin
East 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...
had three units located in Basdorf
Basdorf
Basdorf is a small town to the north of Berlin, in the German federal state of Brandenburg....
.
Each Alert unit was organized as follows:
- Headquarters section
- Four alert companies:
- One mechanized company in wheeled armored personnel carriers
- Three motorized companies in trucks
- Support company
- Anti-tank platoon with 3x45 mm/57 mm(later ATGM's)
- Artillery platoon with 3x76.2 mm ZiS-3ZiS-3The 76-mm divisional gun M1942 was a Soviet 76.2 mm divisional field gun used during World War II. ZiS was a factory designation and stood for Zavod imeni Stalina , the honorific title of Artillery Factory No...
field/anti-tank guns - Mortar platoon with 3x82 mm mortars
- Headquarters and staff company with:
- signals platoon
- engineer platoon
- chemical platoon
- reconnaissance platoon
- transport platoon
- supply platoon
- control section
- medical section
These units were equipped with light and medium infantry weapons, SK-1
Garant 30k SK-1
The Garant 30k SK-1 better known as the SK-1 was an East German armored patrol vehicle was used only by the Alert Police of the East German Police and not used by the East German Army. Though similar in appearance to the Russian BA-64, the SK-1 is an independent development and much bigger than the...
wheeled armoured personnel carriers, SK-2 water cannon
Water cannon
A water cannon is a device that shoots a high-pressure stream of water. Typically, a water cannon can deliver a large volume of water, often over dozens of metres / hundreds of feet. They are used in firefighting and riot control. Most water cannon fall under the category of a fire...
(both armoured and unarmoured versions) and bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
es. Their uniform was the standard Volkspolizei grey-green. The political reliability of the Alert Units was of particular importance to the Socialist Unity Party of Germany
Socialist Unity Party of Germany
The Socialist Unity Party of Germany was the governing party of the German Democratic Republic from its formation on 7 October 1949 until the elections of March 1990. The SED was a communist political party with a Marxist-Leninist ideology...
(SED) as they would be used against the population in the event of social disorders such as the popular uprisings of 17 June 1953
Uprising of 1953 in East Germany
The Uprising of 1953 in East Germany started with a strike by East Berlin construction workers on June 16. It turned into a widespread anti-Stalinist uprising against the German Democratic Republic government the next day....
in the industrial areas of East Germany.
See also
- Alert police
- BereitschaftspolizeiBereitschaftspolizeiThe Bereitschaftspolizei are the support and rapid reaction units of Germany's police forces...