The Land Forces of the National People's Army (German: Landstreitkräfte der Nationalen Volksarmee - LaSK), was the ground based military branch of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) National People's Army (NPA). The Land Forces Command, located at Geltow was established on 1 December 1972 as a management body created for the land forces. The NPA itself was created on March 1, 1956 from the Kasernierte Volkspolizei (Barracked People's Police).
The LaSK had a peacetime organisation since 1972 under the command of the Kommando Landstreitkraefte (Kdo. LaSK). Its largest formations between 1956 and 1990 were the Military Districts III and V, which generally consisted of three active divisions each, plus training-, combat support and logistic units. The 1. Motorisierte-Schützen-Division was additionally attached to the Military District V, but was designated to leave that formation in wartime to play a key role in the assault on West-Berlin. The 6. motorisierte Schützendivision existed only for two years (1956-1958) as an active formation.
While the two districts held the bulk of the GDR´s land forces, additional artillery- and support elements, as well as the paratroopers of the 40. Fallschirmjägerbataillon (upgraded to Luftsturmregiment 40 in 1986) were under direct command of the Kdo. LaSK.
In wartime both military districts would have been transformed into Armies. The 3rd Army in the South, reinforced by the GDR reserve divisions 10., 6. and 17., and the 5th Army in the North, reinforced by the soviet 94th Guards Motor Rifle Division and the independent tank regiments 138. and 221. of the Red Army. Both armies would have been commanded by the Soviet high-command, while the Kommando Landstreitkräfte was to focus on the military supply chain, medical services, internal security and assist in the capture of West-Berlin.
The order of battle of the ground forces (1980–90):
The headquarters of the northern district was in Neubrandenburg.
1. Motorisierte-Schützen-Division (Potsdam)
Mot.-Schützenregiment 1 Hans Beimler
Mot.-Schützenregiment 2 Arthur Ladwig
Mot.-Schützenregiment 3 Paul Hegenbarth
Panzerregiment 1 Friedrich Wolf
Artillerieregiment 1 Rudolf Gypner
Fla-Raketen Regiment 1 Anton Fischer
Raketenabteilung 1 Rudi Arndt
Geschosswerferabteilung 1 Hermann Rentzsch
Aufklärungsbatallion 1 Dr. Richard Sorge
Pionierbatallion 1 Willi Becker
Panzerjägerabteilung 1 Willy Sägebrecht
Nachrichtenbatallion 1 Bodo Uhse
Battalion Materielle Sicherstellung 1 Georg Handke
Instandsetzungsbatallion 1 Otto Schliwinski
Battalion Chemische Abwehr 1 Herbert Kittelmann
Sanitätsbatallion 1
Ersatzregiment 1
8. Motorisierte-Schützen-Division (Schwerin)
Mot.-Schützenregiment 27 Hans Kahle
Mot.-Schützenregiment 28 Wilhelm Florin
Mot.-Schützenregiment 29 Ernst Moritz Arndt
Panzerregiment 8 Arthur Becker
Artillerieregiment 8 Erich Mühsam
Fla-Raketen Regiment 8 Willi Schröder
Raketenabteilung 8 Hermann Schuldt
Geschosswerferabteilung 8 Mathias Thesen
Aufklärungsbatallion 8 Otto Moritz
Pionierbatallion 8 Tudor Vladimirescu
Panzerjägerabteilung 8 Heinrich Dollwetzel
Nachrichtenbatallion 8 Kurt Bürger
Battalion Materielle Sicherstellung 8 Herbert Tschäpe
Instandsetzungsbatallion 8 Wilhelm Pieck
Battalion Chemische Abwehr 8 Erich Correns
Sanitätsbatallion 8 Hans Rodenberg
Ersatzregiment 8
9. Panzerdivision (Eggesin)
Panzerregiment 21 Walter Empacher
Panzerregiment 22 Soja Kosmodemjanskaja
Panzerregiment 23 Julian Marchlewski
Mot.-Schützenregiment 9 Rudolf Renner
Artillerieregiment 9 Hans Fischer
Fla-Raketen Regiment 9 Rudolf Dölling
Raketenabteilung 9 Otto Nuschk
Geschosswerferabteilung 9 Friedrich Ebert
Aufklärungsbatallion 9 Eduard Claudius
Pionierbatallion 9
Nachrichtenbatallion 9 Adolf Bytzeck
Battalion Materielle Sicherstellung 9 Robert Stamm
Instandsetzungsbatallion 9 Paul Dessau
Battalion Chemische Abwehr 9 Michael Niederkirchner
Sanitätsbatallion 9 Wolfgang Langhoff
Ersatzregiment 9
The headquarters of the southern district was in Leipzig.
4. Motorisierte-Schützen-Division (Erfurt)
Mot.-Schützenregiment 22 Thomas Müntzer
Mot.-Schützenregiment 23 Anton Saefkow
Mot.-Schützenregiment 24 John Scheer
Panzerregiment 4 August Bebel
Artillerieregiment 4 Willi Bredel
Fla-Raketen Regiment 4 Hermann Danz
Raketenabteilung 4 Hugo Gräf
Geschosswerferabteilung 4 Otto Franke
Aufklärungsbatallion 4 Wilhelm Girnius
Pionierbatallion 4 Walter Kaiser-Gorrish
Panzerjägerabteilung 4 Franz Jacob
Nachrichtenbatallion 4 Wilhelm Liebknecht
Battalion Materielle Sicherstellung 4 Ernst Putz
Instandsetzungsbatallion 4 Wilhelm Leuschner
Battalion Chemische Abwehr 4 Lothar Bolz
Sanitätsbatallion 4
Ersatzregiment 4
7. Panzerdivision (Dresden)
Panzerregiment 14 Karol Swierczewski
Panzerregiment 15 Paul Hornick
Panzerregiment 16 Leo Jogiches
Mot.-Schützenregiment 7 Max Roscher
Artillerieregiment 7 Albert Hößler
Fla-Raketen Regiment 7 Paul Rockstroh
Raketenabteilung 7 Alfred Kurella
Geschosswerferabteilung 7 Ernst Schneller
Aufklärungsbatallion 7 Ludvik Svoboda
Pionierbatallion 7 Arthur Thiermann
Nachrichtenbatallion 7 Egon Dreger
Battalion Materielle Sicherstellung 7 Kurt Schlosser
Instandsetzungsbatallion 7 Gustav Schneider
Battalion Chemische Abwehr 7 Johann Eggert
Sanitätsbatallion 7
Ersatzregiment 7
11. Motorisierte-Schützen-Division (Halle)
Mot.-Schützenregiment 16 Robert Uhrig
Mot.-Schützenregiment 17 Fritz Weineck
Mot.-Schützenregiment 18 Otto Schlag
Panzerregiment 11 Otto Buchwitz
Artillerieregiment 11 Wilhelm Koenen
Fla-Raketen Regiment 11 Georg Stöber
Raketenabteilung 11 Magnus Poser
Geschosswerferabteilung 11 Otto Gotsche
Aufklärungsbatallion 11 Heinrich Brandes
Pionierbatallion 11 Willi Gall
Panzerjägerabteilung 11 Hermann Vogt
Nachrichtenbatallion 11 Otto Brosowski
Battalion Materielle Sicherstellung 11 Bernhard Koenen
Instandsetzungsbatallion 11 Albert Funk
Battalion Chemische Abwehr 11 Erwin Hörnle
Sanitätsbatallion 11 Louis Kugelmann Dr.med
Ersatzregiment 11
In the event of a full-scale mobilisation, the six regular divisions of the NVA would have been supplemented by three mobilisation divisions and two reserve divisions. All five divisions would be mobilised on M+2. The cadre of each mobilisation/reserve division remained on hand as the regular staff of training centers/non-commissioned officer (NCO) schools. The five second line divisions were the 6th Motorisierte-Schützen-Division (Königswartha), the 10th Motorisierte-Schützen-Division (Ronneburg), the 17th Motorisierte-Schützen-Division (HQ Petersroda), the 19th Motorisierte-Schützen-Division (HQ Wulkow, which was not based on a training centre), and the 20th Motorisierte-Schützen-Division (HQ Bredenfelde).
Mobilization Divisions - command of the Military District III of land forces (Leipzig)
6. Motorisierte-Schützen-Division (Königswartha)
Mot.-Schützenregiment 11
Mot.-Schützenregiment 12
Mot.-Schützenregiment 13
Panzerregiment 6
Artillerieregiment 6
Fla-Raketen Regiment 6
Raketenabteilung 6
Geschosswerferabteilung 6
Aufklärungsbatallion 6
Pionierbatallion 6
Panzerjägerabteilung 6
Nachrichtenbatallion 6
Battalion Materielle Sicherstellung 6
Instandsetzungsbatallion 6
Battalion Chemische Abwehr 6
Sanitätsbatallion 6
Ersatzregiment 6
10. Motorisierte-Schützen-Division (Ronneburg)
Mot.-Schützenregiment 14
Mot.-Schützenregiment 15
Mot.-Schützenregiment 16
Panzerregiment 10
Artillerieregiment 10
Fla-Raketen Regiment 10
Raketenabteilung 10
Geschosswerferabteilung 10
Aufklärungsbatallion 10
Pionierbatallion 10
Panzerjägerabteilung 10
Nachrichtenbatallion 10
Battalion Materielle Sicherstellung 10
Instandsetzungsbatallion 10
Battalion Chemische Abwehr 10
Sanitätsbatallion 10
Ersatzregiment 10
17. Motorisierte-Schützen-Division (Petersroda)
Mot.-Schützenregiment 41
Mot.-Schützenregiment 42
Mot.-Schützenregiment 42
Panzerregiment 17
Artillerieregiment 17
Fla-Raketen Regiment 17
Raketenabteilung 17
Geschosswerferabteilung 17
Aufklärungsbatallion 17
Pionierbatallion 17
Panzerjägerabteilung 17
Nachrichtenbatallion 17
Battalion Materielle Sicherstellung 17
Instandsetzungsbatallion 17
Battalion Chemische Abwehr 17
Sanitätsbatallion 17
Ersatzregiment 17
Reserve divisions - command of the Military District V of land forces (Neubrandenburg)
19. Motorisierte-Schützen-Division (Wulkow)
Mot.-Schützenregiment 51
Mot.-Schützenregiment 52
Mot.-Schützenregiment 52
Panzerregiment 19
Artillerieregiment 19
Fla-Raketen Regiment 19
Raketenabteilung 19
Geschosswerferabteilung 19
Aufklärungsbatallion 19
Pionierbatallion 19
Panzerjägerabteilung 19
Nachrichtenbatallion 19
Battalion Materielle Sicherstellung 19
Instandsetzungsbatallion 19
Battalion Chemische Abwehr 19
Sanitätsbatallion 19
Ersatzregiment 19
20. Motorisierte-Schützen-Division (Bredenfelde)
Mot.-Schützenregiment 33
Mot.-Schützenregiment 34
Mot.-Schützenregiment 35
Panzerregiment 20
Artillerieregiment 20
Fla-Raketen Regiment 20
Raketenabteilung 20
Geschosswerferabteilung 20
Aufklärungsbatallion 20
Pionierbatallion 20
Panzerjägerabteilung 20
Nachrichtenbatallion 20
Battalion Materielle Sicherstellung 20
Instandsetzungsbatallion 20
Battalion Chemische Abwehr 20
Sanitätsbatallion 20
Ersatzregiment 20
The Kommando Landstreitkräfte also contained some specially trained units - like the 40. Fallschirmjägerbataillon Willi Sänger (later Luftsturmregiment 40 Willi Sänger). The structure and equipment was mostly of Soviet design, and the NVA operated in close collaboration with the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany. There were also reports of a special NVA diversionary battalion in south Germany equipped with M-48s and M-113s, able to cause confusion amongst NATO forces if war came (thus emulating and improving on the example of Otto Skorzeny's Panzerbrigade 150 during the Ardennes Offensive). However more recent reports throw doubt on the existence of any such unit.
Divisions
Motorisierte-Schützen-Division (motorised/mechanized infantry division)
Panzerdivision (tank division)
Regiments
Artillerieregiment (artillery regiment)
Ersatzregiment (replacement regiment)
Fla-Raketen Regiment (AA-missile regiment)
Battalions
Aufklärungsbatallion (reconnaissance battalion)
Battalion Chemische Abwehr (chemical-defence battalion)
Battalion Materielle Sicherstellung (logistical security battalion)
Instandsetzungsbatallion (repair battalion)
Nachrichtenbatallion (signal battalion)
Pionierbatallion (engineer battalion)
Sanitätsbatallion (medical battalion)
Detachments
Panzerjägerabteilung (light AT-detachment)
Raketenabteilung (rocket detachment)
Geschosswerferabteilung (heavy mortar detachment)
Small Arms:
Armored Vehicles:
