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Group of Soviet Forces in Germany

{{Short description|Formation of the Soviet Army formerly stationed in East Germany}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Redirect|GSSD|3=Guangdong State Security Department}}

{{Infobox military unit

| unit_name = {{ubli|{{nowrap|Group of Soviet Occupation Forces in Germany}}
(1945–1954)|Group of Soviet Forces in Germany
(1954–1989)|Western Group of Forces
(1989–1994)}}

| image = GSSD-LOGO.svg

| image_size = 150

| caption = Soviet Army marking present on GSFG vehicles

| dates = 1945–1994

| country = {{indented plainlist|

  • {{flag|Soviet Union}}
    (1945–1991)
  • {{flag|Russia}}
    (1991–1994)

}}

| branch = {{plainlist|

  • {{armed forces|Soviet Union}}
  • {{armed forces|Russia}}

}}

| type = Group of forces

| size =

| command_structure = {{indented plainlist|

}}

| garrison = Wünsdorf (now in Zossen)

| garrison_label = Headquarters

| motto =

| colors =

| battle_honours =

| battle_honours_label =

| battles = East German uprising of 1953

| website =

| notable_commanders = See list

| identification_symbol =

| identification_symbol_label =

}}

File:Badge. Group of Soviet Occupation Forces in Germany (GSOFG).png.]]

The Western Group of Forces (WGF),{{Efn|{{langx|ru|Западная Группа Войск, ЗГВ|Zapadnaya Gruppa Voysk, ZGV}}; {{langx|de|Westliche Streitkräftegruppe}}.}} previously known as the Group of Soviet Occupation Forces in Germany (GSOFG){{Efn|{{langx|ru|Группа Советских Оккупационных Войск в Германии, ГСОВГ|Gruppa Sovietskih Okkupatsionnyh Voysk v Germanii, GSOVG}}; {{langx|de|Gruppe der Sowjetischen Besatzungstruppen in Deutschland}}.}} and the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (GSFG),{{Efn|{{langx|ru|Группа Советских Войск в Германии, ГСВГ|Gruppa Sovietskih Voysk v Germanii, GSVG}}; {{langx|de|Gruppe der Sowjetischen Streitkräfte in Deutschland}}.}} were the troops of the Soviet Army in East Germany. The Group of Soviet Occupation Forces in Germany was formed after the end of World War II in Europe from units of the 1st and 2nd Belorussian Fronts. The group helped suppress the East German uprising of 1953. After the end of occupation functions in 1954 the group was renamed the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany. The group represented Soviet interests in East Germany during the Cold War. Before changes in Soviet foreign policy during the early 1990s, the group shifted to a more offensive role and in 1989 became the Western Group of Forces. Russian forces remained in the eastern part of Germany after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and German reunification until 1994.

History

class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
bgcolor=#80C0FF

! rowspan="2"| Period

! colspan="2"| Native designation

! colspan="2"| German

! colspan="2"| English

Short

! Long version

! Short

! Long version

! Short

! Long version

bgcolor="#CCCCCC" align="center" colspan="9"|
1945

| 1945–1954

! ГСОВГ

| Группа советских оккупационных войск в Германии

! GSBD

| Gruppe der Sowjetischen Besatzungstruppen in Deutschland

! GSOFG

| Group of Soviet Occupation Forces in Germany

1954

| rowspan="2"| 1954–1989

! rowspan="2"| ГСВГ

| rowspan="2"| Группа советских войск в Германии

! GSSD

| Gruppe der Sowjetischen Streitkräfte in Deutschland

! rowspan="2"| GSFG

| rowspan="2"| Group of Soviet Forces in Germany

GSTD

| Gruppe der Sowjetischen Truppen in Deutschland

1989–1994

! ЗГВ

| Западная группа войск

! WGT

| Westgruppe der Truppen

! WGF

| Western Group of Forces

The Group of Soviet Occupation Forces, Germany was formed after the end of World War II in Europe from formations of the 1st and 2nd Belorussian Fronts, commanded by Georgy Zhukov. On its creation on 9 June 1945 it included:Feskov et al 2013, p. 380

The 4th Artillery Corps also became part of the GSFG in 1945.

An order of 29 May 1945 had ordered the disestablishment of the 47th, 77th, 80th, 89th, 25th, 61st, 91st, 16th, 38th, 62nd, 70th, 121st, and 114th Rifle Corps, and of the 71st, 136th, 162nd, 76th, 82nd, 212th, 356th, 234th, 23rd, 397th, 311th, 415th, 328th, 274th, 370th, 41st, 134th, 312th, 4th, 117th, 247th, 89th, 95th, 64th, 323rd, 362nd, 222nd, 49th, 339th, 383rd, 191st, 380th, 42nd, 139th, 238th, 385th, 200th, 330th, 199th, 1st, 369th, 165th, 169th, 158th, and 346th Rifle Divisions.[http://militera.lib.ru/docs/da/berlin_45/16.html Stavka Order No. 11095] The 89th Rifle Division was not disbanded and instead transferred to the Caucasus.Feskov et al 2013, pp. 381{{En dash}}382

In January 1946, the 2nd Shock Army left the Soviet Zone. A month later, the 47th Army was disbanded, with its units withdrawn to the Soviet Union. In October the 5th Shock Army was disbanded. In 1947 the 3rd and 4th Guards Mechanized Divisions (Mobilization), former mechanized armies, arrived in the group from the Central Group of Forces. In 1954 the 3rd Shock Army became the 3rd Red Banner Combined Arms Army ({{langx|ru|3-я краснознаменная общевойсковая армия}}).Michael Holm, [http://www.ww2.dk/new/army/armies/3oa.htm 3 Red Banner Combined Arms Army], February 2015. The 3rd Guards Mechanized Army became the 18th Guards Army on 29 April 1957. On the same day, the 4th Guards Mechanized Army became the 20th Guards Army.

After the abolition of the occupation functions in 1954, the Group of Soviet Occupation Forces in Germany became known as the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (GSVG) on 24 March. The legal basis for the GSVG's stay in East Germany was the Treaty on Relations between the USSR and the GDR of 1955.Feskov et al 2013, p. 382

Withdrawals from East Germany in 1956 and 1957/58 comprised more than 70,000 Soviet army personnel, including 18th Guards Army Staff.

File:Инспекторская проверка 39 ГМСД.jpeg, 1968.]]

The GSFG had the task to ensure for the adherence to the regulations of the Potsdam Agreement. Furthermore, they represented the political and military interests of the Soviet Union. In 1957 an agreement between the governments of the USSR and the GDR laid out the arrangements over the temporary stay of Soviet armed forces on the territory of the GDR, the numerical strength of the Soviet troops, and their assigned posts and exercise areas. It was specified that the Soviet armed forces were not to interfere into the internal affairs of the GDR, as they had done during the East German uprising of 1953.

Following a resolution of the government of the Soviet Union in 1979 and 1980, 20,000 army personnel, 1,000 tanks and much equipment were withdrawn from the territory of the GDR, among them the 6th Guards Tank Division, with headquarters at Wittenberg.

File:Soviet German Group.png

Until the last years of Perestroika the GSFG was in the process of realignment as a more offensive force regarding strength, structure and equipment, before a clear reduction of the tank forces in 1989. The GSFG was renamed the Western Group of Forces on 1 June 1989.Chris Lofting & Kieron Pilbeam, 'Sperenburg,' Air Forces Monthly, February 1995, p. 42 The withdrawal of the GSFG was one of the largest peacetime troop transfers in military history. Despite the difficulties, which resulted from the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the same period, the departure was carried out according to plan and punctually until August 1994. Between the years of 1992 and 1993, the Western Group of Forces in Germany (along with the Northern Group of Forces) halted military exercises.

File:Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F088969-0008, Stendal, russische Kaserne.jpg, 1991.]]

File:RIAN archive 477983 Soviet military equipment loaded in Rostock.jpg

The return of the troops and material took place particularly by the sea route by means of the ports in Rostock and the island of Rügen, as well as via Poland. The Russian Ground Forces left Germany on 25 June 1994 with a military parade of the 6th Guards Motor Rifle Brigade in Berlin. The parting ceremony in Wünsdorf on 11 June 1994 and in the Treptow Park in Berlin on 31 August 1994 marked the end of the Russian military presence on German soil.

In addition to German territories, the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany operational territory also included the region of town of Szczecin, part of the territories transferred from Germany to Poland following the end of the Second World War. The rest of Poland fell under the Northern Group of Forces, while the southern regions (Austria, Czechoslovakia) were under the Central Group of Forces.

Generals directing the withdrawals from Germany diverted arms, equipment, and foreign monies intended to build housing in Russia for the withdrawn troops. Several years later, the last GSFG commander, General Matvey Burlakov, and the Defence Minister, Pavel Grachev, had their involvement exposed. They were also accused of ordering the murder of reporter Dmitry Kholodov, who had been investigating the scandals.{{Cite book |author=Odom, William E. |title=The Collapse of the Soviet Military |publisher=Yale University Press |year=1998 |isbn=0-300-07469-7 |author-link=William Eldridge Odom |page=[https://archive.org/details/collapseofsoviet00odom/page/302 302] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/collapseofsoviet00odom/page/302 }} On p. 468, fn 130, Odom cites as his sources Komsomolskaya Pravda, 20 October 1994, and RFE/RL Daily Report, 24 October 1994, 2 November 1994, and 8 November 1994.

Structure and equipment in 1991

{{see also|List of Soviet military sites in Germany}}

File:Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F088900-0002, Wittenberg, Wächterhäuschen der Sowjetarmee.jpg, 1991.]]

File:Схема размещения штаба и штабов армий ЗГВ на 1991 год.png

File:2 Autografen sowjetischer Soldaten.JPG. The names include Sasha, Pilya and Kebya and date from 1954 to 1987.]]

The Soviet troops occupied 777 barracks at 276 locations on the territory of the German Democratic Republic. This also included 47 airfields and 116 exercise areas. At the beginning of 1991 there were still about 338,000 soldiers in 24 divisions, distributed among five land armies and an air army in what was by then the Western Group of Forces. In addition, there were about 208,000 relatives of officers as well as civil employees, among them about 90,000 children. Most locations were in the area of today's Brandenburg.

In 1991 there were approximately 4,200 tanks, 8,200 armored vehicles, 3,600 artillery pieces, 106,000 other motor vehicles, 690 aircraft, 680 helicopters, and 180 rocket systems.{{Cite book|title = Germany at War: 400 Years of Military History|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=rCWMBQAAQBAJ|publisher = ABC-CLIO|date = 2014-10-28|isbn = 9781598849813|language = en|first = David T.|last = Zabecki|page = 570}}

At the end of the 1980s, the primary Soviet formations included:Steven J. Zaloga (1989) Tank War-Central Front – NATO vs. Warsaw Pact. Osprey Elite Series No 26. p. 13. {{ISBN|0-85045-904-4}}

Other Group-level formations included:

Commanders-in-Chief

File:AbschiedsStele.JPG.]]

The first three commanders-in-chief were also chiefs of the Soviet Military Administration in Germany.

=GSOFG, 1945–1954=

{{Officeholder table start

| showorder = y

| showimage = y

| image_title = Portrait

| officeholder_title = Commander-in-Chief

| showtermlenght = y

| showparty = n

| showdefencebranch = n

| showref = n

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 1

| image = Zhukov-LIFE-1944-1945.jpg

| military_rank = Marshal of the Soviet Union

| officeholder = Georgy Zhukov

| officeholder_sort = Zhukov, Georgy

| born_year = 1896

| died_year = 1974

| term_start = 9 June 1945

| term_end = 21 March 1946

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1945|06|09|1946|03|21}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 2

| image = Vasily Sokolovsky.jpg

| military_rank = Marshal of the Soviet Union

| officeholder = Vasily Sokolovsky

| officeholder_sort = Sokolovsky, Vasily

| born_year = 1897

| died_year = 1968

| term_start = 22 March 1946

| term_end = 31 March 1949

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1946|03|22|1949|03|31}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 3

| image = Vasily Ivanovich Chuikov.jpg

| military_rank = Army General

| officeholder = Vasily Chuikov

| officeholder_sort = Chuikov, Vasily

| born_year = 1900

| died_year = 1982

| term_start = 1 April 1949

| term_end = 26 May 1953

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1949|04|01|1953|05|26}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 4

| image = Andrei Grechko 3.jpg

| military_rank = Marshal of the Soviet Union

| officeholder = Andrei Grechko

| officeholder_sort = Grechko, Andrei

| born_year = 1903

| died_year = 1976

| term_start = 27 May 1953

| term_end = 16 November 1957

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1953|05|27|1957|11|16}}

}}

{{Officeholder table end}}

=GSFG, 1954–1989=

{{Officeholder table start

| showorder = y

| showimage = y

| image_title = Portrait

| officeholder_title = Commander-in-Chief

| showtermlenght = y

| showparty = n

| showdefencebranch = n

| showref = n

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 1

| image = Andrei Grechko 3.jpg

| military_rank = Marshal of the Soviet Union

| officeholder = Andrei Grechko

| officeholder_sort = Grechko, Andrei

| born_year = 1903

| died_year = 1976

| term_start = 27 May 1953

| term_end = 16 November 1957

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1953|05|27|1957|11|16}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 2

| image = Matvei Zakharov 1.jpg

| military_rank = Marshal of the Soviet Union

| officeholder = Matvei Zakharov

| officeholder_sort = Zakharov, Matvei

| born_year = 1898

| died_year = 1972

| term_start = 17 November 1957

| term_end = 14 April 1960

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1957|11|17|1960|04|14}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 3

| image = Генерал-майор И.И. Якубовский на улице Москвы.jpeg

| military_rank = Marshal of the Soviet Union

| officeholder = Ivan Yakubovsky

| officeholder_sort = Yakubovsky, Ivan

| born_year = 1912

| died_year = 1976

| term_start = 15 April 1960

| term_end = 9 August 1961

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1960|04|15|1961|08|09}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 4

| image = Ivan Stepanovich Konev 3.jpg

| military_rank = Marshal of the Soviet Union

| officeholder = Ivan Konev

| officeholder_sort = Konev, Ivan

| born_year = 1897

| died_year = 1973

| term_start = 9 August 1961

| term_end = 18 April 1962

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1961|08|09|1962|04|18}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 5

| image = Генерал-майор И.И. Якубовский на улице Москвы.jpeg

| military_rank = Marshal of the Soviet Union

| officeholder = Ivan Yakubovsky

| officeholder_sort = Yakubovsky, Ivan

| born_year = 1912

| died_year = 1976

| term_start = 19 April 1962

| term_end = 26 January 1965

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1962|04|19|1965|01|26}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 6

| image =

| military_rank = Marshal of the Soviet Union

| officeholder = Pyotr Koshevoy

| officeholder_sort = Koshevoy, Pyotr

| born_year = 1904

| died_year = 1976

| term_start = 27 January 1965

| term_end = 31 October 1969

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1965|01|27|1969|10|31}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 7

| image = Куликов Виктор Георгиевич.jpg

| military_rank = Marshal of the Soviet Union

| officeholder = Viktor Kulikov

| officeholder_sort = Kulikov, Viktor

| born_year = 1921

| died_year = 2013

| term_start = 1 November 1969

| term_end = 13 September 1971

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1969|11|01|1971|09|13}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 8

| image = Semyon Kurkotkin 2.jpg

| military_rank = Marshal of the Soviet Union

| officeholder = Semyon Kurkotkin

| officeholder_sort = Kurkotkin, Semyon

| born_year = 1917

| died_year = 1990

| term_start = 14 September 1971

| term_end = 19 July 1972

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1971|09|14|1975|07|19}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 9

| image = Yevgeni Ivanovski (mil.ru).jpg

| military_rank = Army General

| officeholder = Yevgeny Ivanovsky

| officeholder_sort = Ivanovsky, Yevgeny

| born_year = 1918

| died_year = 1991

| term_start = 20 July 1972

| term_end = 25 November 1980

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1975|07|20|1980|11|25}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 10

| image = Mikhail Zaitsev,1983.jpg

| military_rank = Army General

| officeholder = Mikhail Zaitsev

| officeholder_sort = Zaitsev, Mikhail

| born_year = 1923

| died_year = 2009

| term_start = 26 November 1980

| term_end = 6 July 1985

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1980|11|26|1985|07|06}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 11

| image =

| military_rank = Army General

| officeholder = Pyotr Lushev

| officeholder_sort = Lushev, Pyotr

| born_year = 1923

| died_year = 1997

| term_start = 7 July 1985

| term_end = 11 July 1986

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1985|07|07|1986|07|11}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 12

| image = Valery Belikov.jpg

| military_rank = Army General

| officeholder = {{ill|Valery Belikov|ru|Беликов, Валерий Александрович}}

| officeholder_sort = Belikov, Valery

| born_year = 1925

| died_year = 1987

| died = y

| term_start = 12 July 1986

| term_end = 12 November 1987

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1986|07|12|1987|11|12}}

}}

{{Officeholder table end}}

=WGF, 1989–94=

{{Officeholder table start

| showorder = y

| showimage = y

| image_title = Portrait

| officeholder_title = Commander-in-Chief

| showtermlenght = y

| showparty = n

| showdefencebranch = n

| showref = n

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 1

| image = Boris Snetkov in 1945.jpg

| military_rank = Army general

| officeholder = Boris Snetkov

| officeholder_sort = Snetkov, Boris

| born_year = 1925

| died_year = 2006

| term_start = 26 November 1987

| term_end = 13 December 1990

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1987|11|26|1990|12|13}}

}}

{{Officeholder table

| order = 2

| image =

| military_rank = Colonel general

| officeholder = Matvey Burlakov

| officeholder_sort = Chuikov, Vasily

| born_year = 1935

| died_year = 2011

| term_start = 13 December 1990

| term_end = 31 August 1994

| timeinoffice = {{ayd|1990|12|13|1994|08|31}}

}}

{{Officeholder table end}}

=WGF military soviet=

Members (June 1993):{{cite book |script-title=ru:Советские войска в Германии, 1945–1994: памятный альбом |editor-first=S. N. |editor-last=Dmitriyev |publisher=Young Guard |year=1994 |chapter=Members of the WGF military soviet, Wünsdorf in June 1993 |location=Moscow |trans-title=Soviet Forces in Germany 1945–1994 |page=113 |isbn=5-235-02221-1}}

  • Commander-in-Chief of the WGF – Colonel general М. P. Burlakov
  • 1st deputy commander-in-Chief of the WGF – Colonel general A. N. Mityukhin
  • Deputy commander-in-Chief of the WGF for the withdrawal of forces – Lieutenant general С. В. Тshernilevsky
  • WGF chief of staff – Lieutenant general A. V. Teretev
  • Deputy commander-in-Chief of the WGF for logistics – Lieutenant general W. I. Isakow
  • Deputy commander-in-Chief of the EGF for armaments – Major general W. N. Shulikov
  • Commander of the 16th Air Army – Lieutenant general A. F. Tarasenko

See also

Notes

{{notelist}}

References

{{reflist|30em}}

  • {{Cite book|script-title=ru:Вооруженные силы СССР после Второй Мировой войны: от Красной Армии к Советской|last=Feskov|first=V.I.|last2=Golikov|first2=V.I.|last3=Kalashnikov|first3=K.A.|last4=Slugin|first4=S.A.|publisher=Scientific and Technical Literature Publishing|year=2013|isbn=9785895035306|location=Tomsk|language=ru|trans-title=The Armed Forces of the USSR after World War II: From the Red Army to the Soviet: Part 1 Land Forces}}

Further reading

  • William Durie, " The United States Garrison Berlin 1945-1994", (Mission Accomplished, Aug 2014 {{ISBN|978-1-63068-540-9}} (English).
  • {{Cite book

|last=Freundt

|first=Lutz

|year=1998

|title=Sowjetische Fliegerkräfte Deutschland 1945–1994 (Band 1)

|trans-title=Soviet Aviation Forces in Germany 1945–1994 (Volume 1)

|language=de

|location=Diepholz

|publisher=Freundt Eigenverlag

|isbn=3-000014-93-4

}}

  • Scott and Scott, The Armed Forces of the USSR, Westview Press, Boulder, Colorado, 1979
  • Roter Stern über Deutschland, Ilko-Sascha Kowalczuk und Stefan Wolle, Ch. Links Verlag, Berlin, 2001, {{ISBN|3-86153-246-8}}. This German book, The Red Star over Germany, Soviet troops in the GDR, presents 49 years of the Soviet Army stationed in East Germany.

External links

  • [http://www.brixmis.co.uk BRIXMIS] (British Liaison Mission to GSFG)
  • U.S. Military Liaison Mission memorial site, [http://www.usmlm.org/home/soviets/GSFGOB.htm Group of Soviet Forces in Germany]
  • German Armed Forces Military History Research Office, [http://www.mgfa-potsdam.de/html/standorte_index.php Database of GSFG and NPA locations] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181110145131/http://www.mgfa-potsdam.de/html/standorte_index.php |date=10 November 2018 }}
  • [http://www.gsvg.ru The GSVG : Group of Soviet Forces in Germany] {{in lang|ru}}
  • {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233124/http://www.genstab.ru/gsvg.htm GSFG]}} {{in lang|ru}}
  • [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+gx0156) The Group of Soviet Forces in Germany]

{{Soviet Groups of Forces}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Group of Soviet Forces in Germany}}

Germany

Category:Allied occupation of Germany

Category:Soviet occupation zone

Category:Germany–Soviet Union relations

Category:Cold War military history of Germany

Category:Military units and formations established in 1945

Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1994

Category:Perestroika

Category:Military history of East Germany

Category:Military history of the Soviet Union

Category:East Germany–Soviet Union relations

Category:1945 establishments in Germany

Category:1994 disestablishments in Germany