The Land Forces of the National People's Army ( – 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).

Organisation

The LaSK had a peacetime organisation since 1972 under the command of the Kommando Landstreitkräfte (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 1st Motor Rifle 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 6th Motor Rifle Division 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 40th Paratrooper Battalion (upgraded to the 40th Air Assault Regiment in 1986) were under direct command of the Kdo. LaSK. In wartime both military districts would form field armies: the 3rd Army in the south, reinforced by the GDR 6th, 10th, and 17th reserve divisions, and the 5th Army in the north, reinforced by the Soviet 94th Guards Motor Rifle Division and the 138th and 221st Separate Tank Regiments from the GSFG. 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.

Order of battle (1980s)

Military District V

The headquarters of Military District V in the north was in Neubrandenburg. 1st Motor Rifle Division (Potsdam) 8th Motor Rifle Division (Schwerin) 9th Panzer Division (Eggesin)

Military District III (South)

The headquarters of the southern district was in Leipzig. 4th Motor Rifle Division (Erfurt) 7th Panzer Division (Dresden) 11th Motor Rifle Division (Halle)

Second line divisions

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 Motor Rifle Division (Königswartha), the 10th Motor Rifle Division (Ronneburg), the 17th Motor Rifle Division (Petersroda), the 19th Motor Rifle Division (Wulkow, which was not based on a training centre), and the 20th Motor Rifle Division (Bredenfelde). Mobilisation Divisions – command of the Military District III of land forces (Leipzig) 6th Motor Rifle Division (Königswartha) 10th Motor Rifle Division (Ronneburg) 17th Motor Rifle Division (Petersroda) Reserve divisions – command of the Military District V of land forces (Neubrandenburg) 19th Motor Rifle Division (Wulkow) 20th Motor Rifle Division (Bredenfelde)

Aviation units

Other units

The Kommando Landstreitkräfte also contained some specially trained units – like the 40th Paratrooper Battalion (later the 40th Air Assault Regiment "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, to cause confusion amongst NATO forces (emulating and improving on the example of Otto Skorzeny's 150th Panzer Brigade during the Ardennes Offensive). However more recent reports throw doubt on the existence of any such unit.

Types of units

Divisions Regiments Battalions Detachments

Equipment

Small Arms: Armoured Vehicles:

Field artillery and rocket artillery

Rocket systems

Towed artillery

Self-propelled artillery

Mortars

Air defense artillery systems

Mobile missile

Mobile self-propelled AA guns

Towed anti-aircraft gun