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 BeimlerMot.-Schützenregiment 2 Arthur LadwigMot.-Schützenregiment 3 Paul HegenbarthPanzerregiment 1 Friedrich WolfArtillerieregiment 1 Rudolf GypnerFla-Raketen Regiment 1 Anton FischerRaketenabteilung 1 Rudi ArndtGeschosswerferabteilung 1 Hermann RentzschAufklärungsbatallion 1 Dr. Richard SorgePionierbatallion 1 Willi BeckerPanzerjägerabteilung 1 Willy SägebrechtNachrichtenbatallion 1 Bodo UhseBattalion Materielle Sicherstellung 1 Georg HandkeInstandsetzungsbatallion 1 Otto SchliwinskiBattalion Chemische Abwehr 1 Herbert KittelmannSanitätsbatallion 1Ersatzregiment 18. Motorisierte-Schützen-Division (Schwerin)
Mot.-Schützenregiment 27 Hans KahleMot.-Schützenregiment 28 Wilhelm FlorinMot.-Schützenregiment 29 Ernst Moritz ArndtPanzerregiment 8 Arthur BeckerArtillerieregiment 8 Erich MühsamFla-Raketen Regiment 8 Willi SchröderRaketenabteilung 8 Hermann SchuldtGeschosswerferabteilung 8 Mathias ThesenAufklärungsbatallion 8 Otto MoritzPionierbatallion 8 Tudor VladimirescuPanzerjägerabteilung 8 Heinrich DollwetzelNachrichtenbatallion 8 Kurt BürgerBattalion Materielle Sicherstellung 8 Herbert TschäpeInstandsetzungsbatallion 8 Wilhelm PieckBattalion Chemische Abwehr 8 Erich CorrensSanitätsbatallion 8 Hans RodenbergErsatzregiment 89. Panzerdivision (Eggesin)
Panzerregiment 21 Walter EmpacherPanzerregiment 22 Soja KosmodemjanskajaPanzerregiment 23 Julian MarchlewskiMot.-Schützenregiment 9 Rudolf RennerArtillerieregiment 9 Hans FischerFla-Raketen Regiment 9 Rudolf DöllingRaketenabteilung 9 Otto NuschkGeschosswerferabteilung 9 Friedrich EbertAufklärungsbatallion 9 Eduard ClaudiusPionierbatallion 9Nachrichtenbatallion 9 Adolf BytzeckBattalion Materielle Sicherstellung 9 Robert StammInstandsetzungsbatallion 9 Paul DessauBattalion Chemische Abwehr 9 Michael NiederkirchnerSanitätsbatallion 9 Wolfgang LanghoffErsatzregiment 9The headquarters of the southern district was in Leipzig.
4. Motorisierte-Schützen-Division (Erfurt)
Mot.-Schützenregiment 22 Thomas MüntzerMot.-Schützenregiment 23 Anton SaefkowMot.-Schützenregiment 24 John ScheerPanzerregiment 4 August BebelArtillerieregiment 4 Willi BredelFla-Raketen Regiment 4 Hermann DanzRaketenabteilung 4 Hugo GräfGeschosswerferabteilung 4 Otto FrankeAufklärungsbatallion 4 Wilhelm GirniusPionierbatallion 4 Walter Kaiser-GorrishPanzerjägerabteilung 4 Franz JacobNachrichtenbatallion 4 Wilhelm LiebknechtBattalion Materielle Sicherstellung 4 Ernst PutzInstandsetzungsbatallion 4 Wilhelm LeuschnerBattalion Chemische Abwehr 4 Lothar BolzSanitätsbatallion 4Ersatzregiment 47. Panzerdivision (Dresden)
Panzerregiment 14 Karol SwierczewskiPanzerregiment 15 Paul HornickPanzerregiment 16 Leo JogichesMot.-Schützenregiment 7 Max RoscherArtillerieregiment 7 Albert HößlerFla-Raketen Regiment 7 Paul RockstrohRaketenabteilung 7 Alfred KurellaGeschosswerferabteilung 7 Ernst SchnellerAufklärungsbatallion 7 Ludvik SvobodaPionierbatallion 7 Arthur ThiermannNachrichtenbatallion 7 Egon DregerBattalion Materielle Sicherstellung 7 Kurt SchlosserInstandsetzungsbatallion 7 Gustav SchneiderBattalion Chemische Abwehr 7 Johann EggertSanitätsbatallion 7Ersatzregiment 711. Motorisierte-Schützen-Division (Halle)
Mot.-Schützenregiment 16 Robert UhrigMot.-Schützenregiment 17 Fritz WeineckMot.-Schützenregiment 18 Otto SchlagPanzerregiment 11 Otto BuchwitzArtillerieregiment 11 Wilhelm KoenenFla-Raketen Regiment 11 Georg StöberRaketenabteilung 11 Magnus PoserGeschosswerferabteilung 11 Otto GotscheAufklärungsbatallion 11 Heinrich BrandesPionierbatallion 11 Willi GallPanzerjägerabteilung 11 Hermann VogtNachrichtenbatallion 11 Otto BrosowskiBattalion Materielle Sicherstellung 11 Bernhard KoenenInstandsetzungsbatallion 11 Albert FunkBattalion Chemische Abwehr 11 Erwin HörnleSanitätsbatallion 11 Louis Kugelmann Dr.medErsatzregiment 11In 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 11Mot.-Schützenregiment 12Mot.-Schützenregiment 13Panzerregiment 6Artillerieregiment 6Fla-Raketen Regiment 6Raketenabteilung 6Geschosswerferabteilung 6Aufklärungsbatallion 6Pionierbatallion 6Panzerjägerabteilung 6Nachrichtenbatallion 6Battalion Materielle Sicherstellung 6Instandsetzungsbatallion 6Battalion Chemische Abwehr 6Sanitätsbatallion 6Ersatzregiment 610. Motorisierte-Schützen-Division (Ronneburg)
Mot.-Schützenregiment 14Mot.-Schützenregiment 15Mot.-Schützenregiment 16Panzerregiment 10Artillerieregiment 10Fla-Raketen Regiment 10Raketenabteilung 10Geschosswerferabteilung 10Aufklärungsbatallion 10Pionierbatallion 10Panzerjägerabteilung 10Nachrichtenbatallion 10Battalion Materielle Sicherstellung 10Instandsetzungsbatallion 10Battalion Chemische Abwehr 10Sanitätsbatallion 10Ersatzregiment 1017. Motorisierte-Schützen-Division (Petersroda)
Mot.-Schützenregiment 41Mot.-Schützenregiment 42Mot.-Schützenregiment 42Panzerregiment 17Artillerieregiment 17Fla-Raketen Regiment 17Raketenabteilung 17Geschosswerferabteilung 17Aufklärungsbatallion 17Pionierbatallion 17Panzerjägerabteilung 17Nachrichtenbatallion 17Battalion Materielle Sicherstellung 17Instandsetzungsbatallion 17Battalion Chemische Abwehr 17Sanitätsbatallion 17Ersatzregiment 17Reserve divisions - command of the Military District V of land forces (Neubrandenburg)
19. Motorisierte-Schützen-Division (Wulkow)
Mot.-Schützenregiment 51Mot.-Schützenregiment 52Mot.-Schützenregiment 52Panzerregiment 19Artillerieregiment 19Fla-Raketen Regiment 19Raketenabteilung 19Geschosswerferabteilung 19Aufklärungsbatallion 19Pionierbatallion 19Panzerjägerabteilung 19Nachrichtenbatallion 19Battalion Materielle Sicherstellung 19Instandsetzungsbatallion 19Battalion Chemische Abwehr 19Sanitätsbatallion 19Ersatzregiment 1920. Motorisierte-Schützen-Division (Bredenfelde)
Mot.-Schützenregiment 33Mot.-Schützenregiment 34Mot.-Schützenregiment 35Panzerregiment 20Artillerieregiment 20Fla-Raketen Regiment 20Raketenabteilung 20Geschosswerferabteilung 20Aufklärungsbatallion 20Pionierbatallion 20Panzerjägerabteilung 20Nachrichtenbatallion 20Battalion Materielle Sicherstellung 20Instandsetzungsbatallion 20Battalion Chemische Abwehr 20Sanitätsbatallion 20Ersatzregiment 20The 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:
