NVA honourary unit names

[tyskaorden]

In a move to foster Unit pride the Units of the NVA was in many cases awarded honourary names. They where mostly names of communist heroes and persons from German history that where demeed ideological acceptable.

I begin with the Air Force:

Offiziershochschule (Officer College) Franz Mehring, Kamenz.
F. Mehring (1846-1919), was a publicist, politician and historian. In 1891 he joined the Socialdemocratic Pary of Germany (SPD) but he drifted mor to the left and in 1916 was one of the founders of the leftwing Spartakusbund. He wrote a marxist influenced history of the Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus and the 30 years War. Mehring also published a biography on Karl Marx.

Transportfliegergeschwader (TFG/TG = Transportflying Wing) 44 Arthur Pieck, Marxwalde (Neuhardenberg).
A. Pieck (1899-1970), was a communist politician, functionary of the SED and director of the Interflug (the national Airline of the GDR).

Jagdfliegergeschwader (JFG/JG = Fighter Flying Wing) 1 Fritz Schmenkel, Holzdorf/Jessen.
F. Schmenkel (1916-1944), a oponent to the Nazi Regime he was in 1940 sentenced to 18 months in Prison. Whe he was released he volunteered for service on the Eastern Front. In November 1941 he deserted his Unit and joined a Partisan outfit in the Smolensk Area. Schmenkel later recieved infiltration training and jumped behind German lines at the end of 1943. He was captured and executed on 22 February 1944.

JG 2 Juri Gagarin, Trollenhagen/Neubrandenburg.
Named after the famous Soviet Cosmonaut who was the first Man to orbit Earth. He lived 1934-68.

JG 3 Wladimir Komarow, Preschen.
W. Komarow (1927-67), was a Soviet Cosmonaut and had the dubious honour of beeing the first Human to die during a Space mission.

JG 7 Wilhelm Pieck, Drewitz.
W. Pieck (1876-1960), was one of the founders of the Communist Part of Germany (KPD) and president of the GDR 1949-60.

JG 8 Hermann Matern, Marxwalde.
H. Matern (1893-1971), ws one of the founders of the KPD. He lived in exile in the Sovietunion 1941-45. Later returned to Germany and become one of the leaders of teh GDR.

JG 9 Heinrich Rau, Peenemünde.
H. Rau (1899-1961), was a functionary in the KPD. Fought in Spain 1937-38 with the XI International Brigade and later emigrated to France. Captured at the German occupation of France and imprisoned in Mathausen Concentration Camp until 1945. Was later to become part of the GDR leadership and served as Minister of Planning and as Head of the Economic Planning Commission.

Jagdbombergeschwader (JBG =Fighter-Bomber Wing) 37 Klement Gottwald, Drewitz.
K. Gottwald (1896-1953), was one of the founders of the Czech Communist Party and President of Czechoslovakia 1948-53.

JBG 77 Gebhard Lebrecht von Blücher, Laage.
G L von Blücher, Prince of Wahlstadt (1742-1819) was a Prussian Fieldmarshal and one of the conquerors of Napoleon.

Marinefliegergeschwader (MFG = Naval Flying Wing) 28 Paul Wieczoreck, Laage.
P. Wierczoreck served as a NCO in the Imperial Navy's Flying Service. Patricipated in the Communist Uprising in 1918 and on 11 November 1918 was made chief of the People's Naval Division. During the figthing his was on 14 November shoot by a Lieutenant-Commander Brettschneider.

Transporthubschraubergeschwader (THG Transport Helicopter Wing) 34 Werner Seelenbinder, Brandenburg-Briest.
W. Seelenbinder (1904-44), Communist and Boxer. Participated in the 1936 Olympic Games and was in 1944 executed in the Brandenburg Zuchthaus Prison.

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From 1984 the following two Combat Helicopte Regiments (KHG = Kampfhubschraubergeschwader) was placed under Army Control:

KHG-64 (from Decemebr 1986 KHG-3) Ferdinand von Schill, Cottbus.
F. von Schill (1776-1809), was a Officer that led a Uprising aginst Napoleon and fell in Battle on 31 May 1809 in Stralsund.

KHG-57 (from December 1986 KHG-5) Adolf von Lützow, Basepohl/Stavenhagen.
Freiherr A. von Lützow (1782-1834), served as an Officer in the Prussian Army until 1808 when Prussia had to kneel before Napoleon. In 1811 he returned to military and raised a Free Corps that fought the French and their Allies.

Under the Chief of the Naval Flying Forces was:

Marinehubschraubergeschwader (MHG = Naval Helicopter Wing) 18 Kurt Barthel, Parow.
K. Barthel (1914-67), Writer and Dramatist, Member of the SED and 1946-48 Chief of the Party Publishing House Dietz. From 1952 Functionary as 1st Secretary of the GDR Writers Association, Member of the SED Central Commity and Memebr of the GDR Art Academy.

Air Force Flying Training Units:
Offiziershochschule für Militärflieger (Officer's College for Mlitary Flyers) Otto Lilienthal , Bautzen och Brandenburg-Briest.
O. Lillienthal (1848-96), Engineer and Flying Pioneer. Died of injuries from a Airplane Crash on 10 August 1896.

Fliegerausbildungsgeschwader (FAG = Flying Training Wing) 15 Heinz Kapelle, Rothenburg/Oberland.
H. Kapelle (1913-41), Book Printer and anti-nazi resistance figther. Executed on 1 July 1941 in teh Berlin-Plötzensee Prison.

FAG 25 Leander Ratz, Bautzen.
Colonel Leander Ratz (1923-62) was one of the founders of the GDR Air Force. Died in an Air Crash while on an Training Fligth over Poland.

Hubschrauberausbildungsgeschwader (HAG = Helicopter Training Wing) 35 Lambert Horn, Brandenburg-Briest.
L. Horn (1899-1939) KPD member of the Prussian Lanttag 1932-33 and in 1933 Member of the Reichstag. Lost his Reichstag seat on 30 March and in November inprisoned. A Year later sentenced to three Years imprisonment, he died in Sachsenhausen Concntration Camp in the summer of 1939.

[eadweard]

Thanks, for the names and the background info on the personalities.

[Tom Nutter]

I wanted to add my thanks for your work in putting all of this great information together.

The association of Juri Gagarin's name with JG2 is interesting, in light of an article by Dieter Schmidtgen in Deutsches Soldatenjahrbuch 2000/2001 (Schild Verlag, Munich, 2001), 381-391 in which the author contends that the future astronaut spent the period from October 1941 until the end of the war as the "mascot" for Panzer-Jaeger-Abteilung 7, 7.Infanterie-Division. Schmidtgen's story is based on the testimony of veterans from PzJgAbt 7, and includes numerous photographs showing a young Russian lad among members of the Abteilung's Werkstattkompanie. The story, however, seems not to have been corroborated by anyone on the Russian side. Perhaps you have some information that would shed further light on this tale.

Kind regards.

Tom

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Thanks eadweard and Tom. It was an interesting story about Gagarin but unfortunately I have no further information on the subject.

I continue the Honourary Names this time with Units directly under the Ministerium für Nationale Verteidigung (MfNV = Ministry of National Defence).

Militärakademie Friedrich Engels (Military Academy), Dresden.
F. Engels (1820-95), with Marx he wrote the Communist Manifesto and wwas one of the leading figures in the early Marxist Workers movement.

Wachregiment 1 Friedrich Engels (Guards Regiment, the number 1 is often left out), Berlin.

Wachregiment 2 Hugo Eberlein, Strausberg.
H. Eberlein (1887-1944), KPD politician and functionary of the Comintern. Fled to the Sovietunion upon the Nazi siezure of Power in 1933. Fell victim to of of Stalin's purges and died in Soviet Prison. Was later rehabilitated and become a National Hero in the GDR.

2. Propagandabrigade Albert Norden, Strausberg.
A. Norden (1904-82), Communist Politician and Journalist. Was head of the agtition in the SED Politbureau.

Kraftfahrzeugregiment 2 Theodor Winter (Automobile/Transport Regiment ), Strausberg.
T. Winter (1902-44), Carpenter, Communist Politician and Resistance Fighter. Fled to the Sovietunion together with his Wife Elly (Daughter of Wilhelm Pieck). With the Begining of Operation Barbarossa he begun agitation amongst German POW:s and was one of the founders of the Nationalkommitte Freies Deutschland. Later educated as a Paratrooper and Signalist. On 7 October 1943 he jumped together with Käthe "Katja" Niederkirchner into the German Occupied Poland. They where captured and executed.

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2. Nachrichtenbrigade Fritz Große (2.NBr = 2nd Signal Brigade), Niederleme.
F. Große (1904-57) KPD/SED Politician and Diplomat, inprisoned 1936-45. Was during the Years 1949-52 the first GDR Ambassador to Czechoslovakia.

Richtfunkregiment 2 Konrad Wolf (RFuR 2 = Radio Calibration Regiment?), Ludwigsfelde.
K. Wolf (1925-82), Brother of Markus Wolf (head of the GDR Foreign Intelligence). During the Third Reich he was in exile in the Sovietunion and served in the Soviet Army. Later he was a flimmaker with the DEFA and President of the GDR Arts Academy 1965-82.

Batallion Chemische Abwehr 2 Fritz Köhn (BChA = Chemical Defence Battalion), Strausberg.
Unfortunatley I haven't been able to find information about Fritz Köhn, perhaps someone knows more about him?

Vermessungseinheit 2 Stefan Heymann (VE = Measurement Unit), Prenzlau.
Unfortunatley I haven't been able to find information about Stefan Heymann, perhaps someone knows more about him?

Eisenbahnpionierbauregiment 2 Erich Steinfurth (EbPiBauR = Railway Pioneer Construction Regiment), Walddrehna.
E. Steinfurth (1896-1934), KPD Politician shoot during an escape attempt the Night betwwen 1 and 2 February 1934.

Eisenbahnpionierausbildungsregiment 2 Bruno Schramm (EbPiAR = Railway Pioneer Construction Training Regiment), Doberlung-Kirchhain.
Unfortunatley I haven't been able to find information about Bruno Schramm, perhaps someone knows more about him?

Ingenieurbauregiment 2 Augustin Sandtner (IBR = Engineer Construction Regiment), Bernau.
A. Sandtner (1893-1944), KPD Functionary and Anti-Militarist. Member of the Prussian Lanttag 1932-33. Arrested by the GESTAPO on 27 April 1933 and in January 1934 sentenced to three Years in Prison. Up on release Sandtner was deported to the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp where he together with 26 German and French Antinazis was shoot on 11 October 1944.

Pionierbaubatallion 2 Dimitri Karbyschew (PiBB = Pioneer Construction Battalion), Storkow.
D. Karbyschew was a Soviet General and POW in the Mauthausen Concentration Camp.

PiBB 22 Heinrich Wieland, Berlin Biesdorf.
I not realy sure but this Battalion may be named for the 1927 Nobel Prize laureate for Chemistry H. Wieland (1877-1957). During the Third Reich he successfuly tried to protect his Jewish Students and other People that where "racialy burdened" accoring to the Nürnberg Laws. But has he lived and worked in the West i'am not sure if he was acceptable to the GDR authorities.

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Rohrleitungsbaubatallion 2 Eugen Schönhaar (RLB-2), Prenzlau.
E. Schönhaar (1898-1934), functionary of the KPD. Imprisoned i november 1933 and together with John Schehr, Rudolf Schwarz and Erich Steinfurth shot during an attepted escape i februari 1934.

Nachrichteninstandsetzungsregiment 7212 Walter Laue (NaIR-7212, Signalsmaintenance Regiment), Oschatz.
I havn't been able to find out any information about W. Laue, perhaps someone knows more about him?

Militärmedizinische Seltion Maxim Zetkin (MMS - Military Medica Section) of the Ernst Moritz Arndt University of Greifswald.
M. Zetkin (1883-1965), KPD/SED Politician and Surgeon.

Sektion militärisches Transport- and Nachrichtenwesen an der Hochschule für Verkehrswesen Friedrich List (Section for Military Transport and Signal Services at the College for Traffic Services) , Dresden.
F. List (1789-1846) was a National economist and politician. Member of the Parliamental Chamber of Württemberg, he was in 1820 sentenced to Jail for Agitation for backin a liberal antibuerocrat petition. Was however allowed to go into Exile and lived in the USA 1825-30. Upon returning he worked for the development of the German Railroad Network. On 30 November 1846 List commited suicide when overcome by economical dificulites he didn't get a State employment he had sought.

Ausbildungseinrichtung Peter Göring (Studenten) (Student Training Unit), Seeligstedt.
P. Göring (1940-62), was a Corporal in the Border Guard when shot by two West Berlin Policemen who where trying to protect the 14 year old School boy Wilifried Tews. The Boy was trying to escape to the West and was under fire from Göring and his Men.

Pionierregiment 2 Ottomar Geschke (PiR-2 Pioneer Regiment), Storkow.
O. Geschke (1882-1957), Communist politician in Conctration Camp 1933-40. Again inprisioned after 20 june 1944 in Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp until May 1945. 1947-53 Chairman of the Association of Prosecuted bu the Nazi Regime and from 1953 President of the Comittee of Anti-Fascist Resistance Figthers.

[Bokkop]

Nachrichteninstandsetzungsregiment 7212 Walter Laue (NaIR-7212, Signalsmaintenance Regiment), Oschatz.
I havn't been able to find out any information about W. Laue, perhaps someone knows more about him?

Walter Laue was a Communist Pary functionary who was detained under the NSDAP regime but survived the war and rose to some prominence in the DDR.

There is a website about the regiment that also has some information and a photograph of Walter Laue. http://www.nir-oschatz.de/frames.html

[tyskaorden]

Thanks Bokkop!

I continue with my exposee,

Militärpolitische Hochschule Wilhelm Pieck (MPHS , Military Political College), Berlin-Grönau.
W. Pieck (1876-1960) State President of the GDR 1949-60. He had great influence ovre the creation of the SED Party Programme.

Ingenieurbautechnische- und Ausbildungsbasis 2 Rudolf Axen (IBTAB-2, Engineer Construction Technical and Training Base ), Bernau.
R. Axen (1912-33), was a Communist Functionary who died undr interagation in the Dresden Police Presidium on 17 October 1933.

Institut für Fremsprachenausbildung Johannes Diekmann (IfFA, Institute of Foreign Language Education), Naumburg.
J. Diekmann (1893-1969), Communist and SED politician. President of the Volkskammer 1949-69 and acting State President of the GDR 1949 and 1960.

Ingenieurbauregiment 12 Peter Lamberz (IBR-12. Engineer Construction Regiment), Neiden.
I have at the moment no information on Peter Lamberz, perhaps someone knows more about him?

Pionierbaubatallion 12 Ewald Muschke (PiBB-12, Pioneer Construction Bn), Merseburg.
E. Muschke, fought with the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War and later served as a Major General in the NVA.

PiBB-32 Arno Liske, Prenzlau.
I have at the moment no information on Arno Liske, prehaps some knows more about him?

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Hochbauregiment 7001 Rudolf Menzel (HBR-7001, High Construction Regiment), Seelow.
R. Menzel (1910-74), in 1948 entered the Volkspolizei. Acting Minister for State Scurity 1952-53, Acting Minister of the Interior 1953-55, Acting Minister of National Defence 1956-59. His performance was found lacking and Menzel was ordered to addend the Military Academy before resuming his post in 1961-65. Named Director of the German military library in Strausberg 1965, in 1967 Military Atttache in Moscow. Made a Lieutenant General in 1973.

Strassenbrückenbauregiment 7003 Wilhelm Mayer (SBBR-7003, Road Bridges Construction Regiment), Seelow.
I have at present no information on W. Mayer any addtions is welcome.

Strassen- and Brückenbauregiment 2 Hermann Mayer (SBBR-2, Road and Bridge Construction Regiment), Seelow.
I have at present no information on W. Mayer any addtions is welcome.

Militärtechnisches Schule Herbert Jensch (Nachrichten) (Military Technical School for Signals), Frankfurt/Oder.
H. Jentsch (1900-44), KPD functionary and Resistance Fighter. Memebr of the Prussian Lanttag 1930-33, imprisoned 2 March 1933- 1935. Upon release worked in a Brewrey and in the River Shipping. In 1939 conscripted into the Kriegsmarine, during the Years 1941-44 stationed in Brest, France where he upheld contact with the France Resistance. allegedy shoot on the Street in Brest by an SS-Man on 5 June 1944.

Militärtechnisches Institut Anton Ackermann (MTI, Military Technical Insitute), Königs-Wusterhausen.
A. Ackermann (born Eugen Hanisch 1905-73) Communist Politician, in Exile in Prague 1935-37, Later Head of the Political School for the International Brigades in Spain. Then into exile in Moscow, member of the National Committe Free Germany and later of the SED. Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs 1949-53. Expelled from the Politbureau in 1954 for Anti-Party Activities. Rehabiltated in 1956 and employed with the State Planning Bureau, committed suicide on 4 May 1973.

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Units direclty under the Land Forces Command:

Luftstrumregiment 40 Willi Sänger (Air Assault Regiment), Lehnin.
W. Sänger (1894-1944), Communist and Anti-Nazi Resitance Fighter. Arrested on 6 July 1944 and sentence to death and executed on 27 Nobemebr 1944.

40. Artilleriebrigade Otto Nelte (40. ABr = Artillery Brigade), Blankenflede.
I have at this time no information about O. Nelte, perhaps someone knows more?

Fla.-Raketenausbildungszentrum 40 Georg Ewald (FRAZ-40 = Anti Aircraft Missile Training Centre), Zingst.
G. Ewald (1926-73), SED politicin and member of the Central Committee, Candidate to the Politbureau and Minsiter of Agriculture.

Wach- and Sicherungsbataillon 40 Arthur Wölk (WSB-40, Guard and Security Battalion), Potsdam-Geltow.
I have at this time no information about A. Wölk, perhaps someone knows more?

Offiziershochschule (OHS = Officer College) Ernst Thälmann, Löbau/Zittau.
E. Thälmann (1886-1944) leader of the KPD who probaly was shot at the Buchenwald Concentration Camp 18 August 1944.

OHS Otto Winzer, Prora.
O. Winzer (1902-75), KPD/SED Politician. In exile in the Sovietunion 1938-45. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the GDR 1965-75.

Militärtechnische Schule (MTS = Military Technical School) Erich Habersaath, Prora.
E. Habersaath (1893-1918), was orignaly a Socialdemocratic Politician who becom a Communist and a founder of the USPD the forerunenr of the KPD. On 9 November 1918 he was shot at the Barracks of the Guards Fusilier Regiment, a victim of the turbulent times at the end of the First World War.

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Units under the Militärbezirk III (Military district III).
3. Raketen Brigade Otto Schwab (3.RBr = 3rd Rocket Brigade), Tautenhein.
I have at present no information on O. Schwab, perhaps someone knows more?
Artillerieregiment 3 Alfred Frank (AR-3 =Artillery Regiment 3, on Mobilization it mobilized the 3rd Arillery Brigade), Leipzig.
I have at present no information on A. Frank, perhaps someone knows more?

Panzerjägerabteilung 3 Georg Schwarz (PJA-3 = Tank-Hunter Battalion, becom on mobilization a Regiment), Zwickau.
I have at present no information on G. Schwarz, perhaps someone knows more?

Fla.-Raketenregiment 3 Kurt Kresse (FRR-3 = Anti-Aircraft Rocket Regiment) Hohenmölsen.
K. Kresse (1904-45), a Communist and member of the anit-nazi resistance. Sentenced to death on 24 November 1944 and executed on 11 January 1945.

KHG-3 Ferdinand von Schill, se the Air Force section.

Nachrichtenregiment 3 Georg Schumann (NR-3, Signal Regiment), Leipzig.
G. Schumann (1886-1945). SPD and later KPD Politician, in Moscow 1925-26, Member of the Reichstag 1930-33. Resistance fighter. Sentenced to death on 23 November 1944 and executed on 11 January 1945.

Pontonregiment 3 Johann Philipp Becker (PoR-3 = Pontoonier Regiment), Dessau.
J.P. Becker (1809-1886), Revolutionary and Friend of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. He organized the Badian People's Defence Force in 1849 and later went to exile into Switzerland.

Pionierregiment 3 Erwin Panndorf (PiR-3 = Pionier Regiment), Gera.
E. Panndorf (1903-42) was a Communist who fougth with the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War. On 17 May 1942 He parachuted into East Prussia with the intention to reach Berlin. In July 1942 he was captured and executed in December.

Funktechnisches Bataillon 3 Otto Egert (FuTB-3 = Radio Technical Battalion), Leipzig.
O. Egert (1895-1945), KPD politician and 1929-33 Mayor of Neuhaus am Rennweg. Arested for ilegal activities in July 1944, sentenced to death and executed on 11 January 1945.

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Wach und Sicherstellungsbataillon 3 Max Hoelz (WSB-3 Guard and Security Bn) Leipzig.
M. Hoelz (1889-1933). Communist Agitator and Red Guardsman. Founder of the KPD Ortsgruppe in Falkenstein. Emigrated to the Soviet Union in 1929. Probably murdered by the NKVD on 15 September 1933, officaly he died in a boating accident.

Armee-Lazarett (Army Hospital) Leipzig-Wiederitzsch Dr. med. Karl Gelbke.
K. Gelbke was a Doctor with Communist believes. During the whole Third Reich he had a Private Pratice in Leipzig and many communists, forced labourers and POW:S have heim to thanks for their lives.

Armee-Lazarett Gotha Dr.med. Herbert Bär.
I have no information on Dr. Bär as of yet, but perhaps some one knows more about him?

Bewegliche Fla. Raketentechnische Basis 3 Otto Walter (Mobile Anti Aircraft Rocket Technical Base) Höhenmölsen.
I have no information on Otto Walter as of yet, but perhaps some one knows more about him?

Batallion Funkelektronischer Kampf 3 Friedrich Adolf Sorge (BFEK 3 Battalion for Radioelectonical Warfare) Eilenburg.
F.A. Sorge (1826-1906), a Revolutionary which emigrated to the USA. In 1857 he was co-founder of the Communist Club of New York and in 1867 he founded a Section of the International Workingmen's Association.

Bewegliche Raketentechnische Basis 3 Johannes R Becher (Mobile Rocket Technical Base) Jena.
J.R. Becher (1891-1958) Poet and Politician. Was the first President of the GDR Cultural Association and author of the text to the GDR National Anthem.

Leitungsbauregiment 3 Georgi Dimitroff (LBR 3 Cable Construction Regiment) Döbeln.
G. Dimitroff (1882-1949) Was a Bulgarian Communist Leader. Secretary General of the Komintern and Soviet Citizen. Prime Minister of Bulgaria 1946-49.

Batallion Chemische Abwehr 3 Rudolf Rotkegel (Chemical Protection Bn) Bad Düben.
I have no information on Rudolf Rotkegel as of yet, but perhaps some one knows more about him?

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U-Schule I / AZ-6 Rudolf Engelhofer (NCO School I / Training Centre 6) Weißkeisel.
R. Engelhofer (1896-1919) Communist, in april 1919 City Commandant of Munich and Commander of Munich Soviet Republic Red Army.

U-Schule II / AZ 17 Kurt Bennewitz Delitzsch.
As of yet I have no info on Kurt Bennewitz, perhaps anyone knows more about him?

U-Schule IV /AZ-10 Paul Frölich Schneeberg.
P. Frölich (1887-1953), Communist and the Biographer of Rosa Luxemburg.

Ausbildungsregiment Militärtransportwesen 13 Erwin Kramer (ARMTW-13 Training Regiment for Military Transport Services) Doberlung-Kirchhain.
E. Kramer (1902-79) KPD/SED Politician. He fougth in the Spanish Civil War and in Exile in the Soviet Union until 1946. Minister of Traffic in the GDR 1954-70 and Director-General of the State Railways (Deutsche Reischbahn) 1950-70.

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4. Mot.-Schützen-Division (4. MSD Motorized Rifle Division) HQ Erfurt had the following Units:

Mot.-Schützen-Regiment 22 Thomas Müntzer (MSR-22, Motorized Rifle Regiment) Mühlhausen.
T. Müntzer (1490-1525), Extremist and Leader of the Thuringian Pesant Rebellion 1524-25.

MSR-23 Anton Saefkow Bad Salzungen.
Anton Emil Hermann Saefkow (1903-44), KPD Member, imprisoned 1933-39. After the beginning of Operation Barbarossa he formed an Resistance Group. He was captured and executed on 18 Septemebr 1944.

MSR-24 John Schehr Erfurt.
J. Schehr (1896-1934) Communist Politician leader of the KPD after the arrest of Thälman in 1933. He was shot on the nigth between 1 and 2 February 1934 while attempting to escape.

Panzer Regiment 4 August Bebel (PR-4 Armoured Regiment)/Ausbildungsbasis 21 (Training Base 21) Gotha.
A. Bebel (1840-1913) Socialist and one of the Co-founders of the SPD.

Artillerie Regiment 4 Willi Bredel (AR-4 Artillery Regiment) Erfurt.
W. Bredel (1901-64) Communist and Author, Pioneer of the Social Realistic Litterature. President of the German Academy of Arts 1962-64.

Fliegerabwehr Raketen Regiment 4 Hermann Danz (FRR-4 Anti Aircraft Rocket Regiment) Erfurt.
H. Danz (1906-45) Smith and KPD Politician. Arrested in July 1944 and executed on 5 February 1945.

Geschoß Werfer Abteilung 4 Otto Franke (GeWA-4 Rocket launcher Battalion) Erfurt.
O. Franke (1877-1953) was a Communist Politician.

Raketenabteilung 4 Hufo Gräf (RA-4 Rocket/Missile Battalion) Erfurt.
H. Gräf (1892-1958) was a Communist Politician.

Pionierbataillon 4 Walter Kaiser-Gorrisch (PiB-4 Pioneer Battalion) Bad Salzungen.
Walter Kaiser with the pseudonym Gorrisch (1909-81) KPD later SED Politician. Fought with the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War. Handed over to Germany by the French Authories and sentenced to Prison for High Treason. Later sent to the Penal Battalion 999 from which he escaped. 1945-49 he served as an Offcier in the German People's Police.

Instandsetzungsbataillon 4 Wilhelm Leuschner (IB-4 Maintenance Battalion) Gotha.
W. Leuschner (1890-1944) was a Socialdemocratic Anti-Nazi which was hanged in the Berlin-Plötzensee Prison 29 September 1944.

Bataillon Chemische Abwehr 4 Lothar Bolz (BChA Chemical Protection Battalion) Erfurt.
L. Bolz (1903-86) KPD/NDPD Politician Minister of Foreign Affairs of the GDR 1953-65.

Aufklärungsbataillon 4 Wilhelm Girnius (AB-4 Recon Battalion) Bad Salzungen.
As of present I have no information on W. Girnius, perhaps someone knows more about him.

Bataillon Materielle Sicherstellung 4 Ernst Putz (BMS-4 Logistics Battalion) Erfurt.
E. Putz (1896-1933) KPD Politician, died in the Berlin-Moabit Prison 15 September 1933.

Nachrichtenbataillon 4 Wilhelm Liebknecht (NB-4 signal Battalion) Erfurt.
W. Liebknecht (1826-1900) was one of the founding fathers of the SPD.

Panzerjägerabteilung 4 Franz Jacob (PJA-4 Anti Armour Battalion) Bad Salzungen.
F. Jacob (1906-44) from 1922 member of the SPD he in 1925 joined the KPD. He was active as a municipal Politician in Hamburg. Imprisoned 1933-41, when released he was active in resistance groups. He was executed on 18 September 1944.