HC Deb 02 December 1952 vol 508 cc144-5W
Major Beamish

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what German military and para-military forces now exist in East Germany.

Mr. Nutting

On 12th May last, I announced that the East German paramilitary police forces were estimated at a strength of 53,000 men. These forces were first established as long ago as 1948. According to the most recent information available these forces are now being transformed into an army which at present numbers nearly 100,000 men. The strength of the East German so-called "Air Police" is rapidly approaching 5,000 men, while that of the naval force exceeds 4,000 trained men.

Some of the East German land forces have already been organised in a corps composed of three divisions; and there are indications that further corps are being organised on similar lines. The corps at present in existence possesses at least 350 Soviet T/34 tanks and 200 artillery weapons of various calibres.

Although it will no doubt take time for the reorganisation and training of this force to be completed, the steps recently taken mark the decisive transition from an armed police force to an effective military machine. Para-military training and political indoctrination for youth are provided on a large scale by the "Free German Youth," the "Service for Germany" Organisation, and the "Sport and Technical" Organisation.

I am making available in the Library copies of a recent Foreign Office statement on East German re-armament.