Border Troops of the German Democratic Republic
The Border Troops of the GDR were to the Ministry of National Defense ( MfNV ) under standing military formation to safeguard and monitor the state border of the GDR. They were part of the armed organs of the GDR.
History of Border Troops
The forerunner of the Border Troops of the GDR was set up because of the requirements of the victorious Allies at the December 1, 1946 initially as a paramilitary police unit to monitor the external borders of the Soviet zone of occupation (from 1949 the GDR) under the name of Border Police, from May 1952 under the name German border police. The border police / German border police was subordinate to the Ministry of the Interior of the GDR, from May 1952 to June 1953 the Ministry for State Security ( Stasi). After the wall was built, the German border police was placed under the Ministry of National Defense on 15 September 1961, the Border Command of the NPA formed. The parts of the German border police, who were concerned with the control of persons at the border crossings were assumed as passport control units (PKE ) of the Department VI of the Stasi. With the introduction of conscription in the East German conscripts were drafted in the context of conscription to the nunmehrigen border troops of the NVA as of April 1962. In October 1962, military border regiments were formed. In the spring of 1971, the East German border guards were spun because of the ongoing disarmament negotiations of the National People's Army ( NVA), not to be counted in the number of troops in the country. Nevertheless, the border troops were directly subordinated to the Ministry of National Defense as independent strike force. They formed a part of the armed organs of the GDR. Just as the border security forces of other Eastern Bloc countries (eg the Czechoslovak Pohraniční stráž / PS ) they were aligned to the model of border troops of the USSR, although its organizational subordination by the Soviet pattern differed. The East German border guards were at the time of the revolution of 1989 to 44,000 people under arms.
The East German government cultivated even to the guards employed by it a significant degree of distrust. Especially against team ranks precautions were taken to prevent escape plans as far as possible. To protect the borders divided, never knew this until shortly before entering the service, who had to stand with whom items or go on patrol. It should be formed by no means friendships that could lead to escapes. Also, no one knew whether that was with him on duty not a Stasi spy, with the mission to uncover such projects at an early stage. More reliance was on the officers whose loyalty the SED regime -bought by a variety of discounts and privileges.
The vast majority of the troops was guarding the German - German border with the Federal Republic of Germany and the Berlin Wall, which enclosed Berlin (West). It is still controversial, as many people in the attempt to limit ( under GDR law: illegal) are overcome, died. The Working Group August 13 calls in 1200 deaths, the Berlin public prosecutor can prove 125 deaths, another 85 are examined.
A relatively small forces controlled the Oder- Neisse border to Poland and the border with Czechoslovakia. A special position is occupied the 6th Border Brigade coast to secure the maritime border on the Baltic Sea, the organization belonged to the People's Navy.
The controls on the inner German border was officially closed on 1 July 1990 and placed under the border troops on operational matters, the control of the borders with the Czech Republic, Poland, the maritime borders and the airports of the interior minister of the GDR. The border troops were resolved via " command No 49/ 90 of the Minister for Disarmament and defense of the resolution of the border troops of the GDR" on September 30, 1990, dismissed the remaining 15,000 members. The staff was previously (now Federal Police ) taken part in the Border Guard Service of East Germany and from there to the Federal Border Guard (BGS ). Approximately 4500 members of border troops were recruited by the army as a civilian forces in reclamation commands to reduce the inner-German border fortifications. Moreover, the border troops of the GDR and its military predecessor units were recorded before a high number consummate desertions in the decades -. Toward West Germany and West Berlin
Order
- Outwards: to ensure the territorial integrity of the German Democratic Republic
- Inward: Prevention, detection and prevention of under GDR law as illegal border penetrations ( border troops - diction to the DDR offense Republikflucht ) designated escape attempts from East German citizens, including through the use of firearms.
Organization
The seat of the commands of the border troops was from 1961 to 1990 in Pätz southeast of Berlin. He oversaw the
- Officer school of the border troops " Rosa Luxembourg " in Suhl (until 1984 in Plauen)
- NCO School of the border troops " Egon Schultz " in Pearl Mountain ( dog handler training in Wilhelmshorst )
1961-1971
The Border Command of the NPA was divided from 1961 to 1971 as follows:
Six border brigades along the border with the Federal Republic
- Border Brigade 3 with rod in pearl mountain
- Border Brigade 5 with rod in Kalbe (Milde )
- Border Brigade 7 with rod in Magdeburg
- Border Brigade 9 with rod in Erfurt
- Border Brigade with 11 staff in Meiningen
- Border Brigade with 13 staff in Rudolstadt
Three Border brigades to Berlin ( West)
- Border Brigade with 1 bar in Berlin- Treptow
- Border Brigade 2 with rod in Great Glienicke
- Border Brigade 4 ( dissolved 1966) with rod in Potsdam
On the border with the People's Republic of Poland
- Border Regiment 18 with rod in Frankfurt ( Oder) (1966 dissolved and divided into border battalions )
On the border with Czechoslovakia
- Border Regiment 19 with rod in Pirna (1966 dissolved and divided into border battalions )
Along the Baltic coast
- Border Brigade coast with rod in Rostock- Gehlsdorf
Each Border Brigade consisted of three border regiments, each with two ( three GR-3/GR-9 ) border battalions, nine (twelve) border companies and a training battalion.
1971-1989
1971 was reclassified with the introduction of three border commands:
- Border Command North in Stendal
- Border Southern Command in Erfurt
- Limit command center in Berlin -Karl Horst ( 1979-1990 commander Erich Wöllner )
These were:
- Border section Command Poland in Frankfurt ( Oder)
- Border section command Czechoslovakia in Pirna
- 6th Border Brigade coast in Rostock
Each border command was divided into several border regiments and in one to two border training regiments. At the boundaries of the " socialist countries " did only around 600 border guards service.
The 6th Border Brigade Coast ( 6 GBK ) was responsible for sea surveillance and the prevention of escape attempts over the Baltic Sea. Organizationally and operationally it was under the command of the People's Navy.
Organization from 1989
In early 1989, began a further structural change:
- Border District command 1 in Schwerin Limit circle command Greve Mills / Gadebusch
- Limit circle command Hagenow
- Limit circle command Ludwigslust 18 border and two boat companies
- Limit circle command Salzwedel / Osterburg
- Limit circle command blocks
- Limit circle command Haldensleben
- Limit circle command Halberstadt / Oschersleben
- Limit circle command Wernigerode 27 border companies
- Limit circle command Nordhausen
- Limit circle command Worbis / Mulhouse
- Limit circle command Heiligenstadt
- Limit circle command Eisenach 22 border companies
- Limit circle detachment Bad
- Limit circle command Meiningen
- Limit circle command Hildburghausen
- Limit circle command Sonneberg / Neuhaus 29 border companies
- Without limit circle commands 8 border companies
- Without limit circle commands 3 Cross companies
Border training centers in Halberstadt and Plauen, who were the Border Command reports directly should replace the existing border training regiments. Implementation of the new border system was due to the political upheavals no longer complete.
Border troops and the Ministry of State Security
The crew of the border crossing points ( border crossing ) were members of the Department VI of the Ministry for State Security ( Stasi), the Customs Administration of the German Democratic Republic ( which in turn was controlled and monitored by the HA VII) and members of the border troops, and some civilian employees, such as veterinarian, Red Cross, State Bank. The former belonged to a passport control unit ( PKE) designated departments and performed their service in the uniform of the border troops, without this, however, to belong. The handling of passengers and goods was outside the jurisdiction of the border troops. Due to security companies ( SiK ) or backup features ( SiZ ) of the border troops were the flanks, secure the border itself, and the rear boundary of the border crossing.
From small special units of the Border Troops of the technical operation of the border crossing has been realized, such as cleaning, trash removal, (current) power system, lighting, barriers and traffic lights.
A more complete legendierte as GT- unit MfS service unit was radio reconnaissance of the border troops, which primarily the western border area bugged ( radio traffic of the NATO units and the Federal Border Guard ). These employees were stationed at the three border commands coast, north and south and were completely the Department III ( COMINT ) to. They were led by the Stasi district administrations (Northern example of the BV Magdeburg ), which also regularly picked up the tapes of the GT commands.
Overall, the border troops visible as management 2000 or Office 2000 to the GT locations and covered with officers on special assignment ( OibE ) in key positions and unofficial staff ( known as IM ) were monitored by the Department I of the MfS. The border troops had the highest penetration of all IMs DDR institutions ( ratio of almost one to five).
The Medal for Exemplary Border Service drew the MfNV, represented by the Deputy Minister of National Defence and Chief of the Border Troops of the GDR border guards for exemplary security of the state border from. A lower award was the " badges of the border troops ". For exemplary performance of duty and outstanding political and sporting achievements the " Best Achievement" was awarded.
Chief of the Border Troops
(including predecessors in the German Border Police ):