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German Air Force signal intelligence 1956: A museum of comint and sigint
Cryptologia, Jul 1999 by van der Meulen, Michael
Center for Radio Analysis at Trier
Signal Regiment 71 at Osnabruck with
Signal Sector A at Grossenbrode
Signal Sector B at Neutramm
Signal Sector C at Gottingen and Wieda
Signal Sector D at Osnabrck
II Signal Sector D at Hambruhren
Signal Sector N at Osnabruck
Signal Sector Q at Hambuhren
Signal Regiment 72 at Feuchtwangen with
Signal Sector E at Wunsiedel
Signal Sector F at Kotzting
Signal Sector S at Feuchtwangen
Radio Direction Finding Center South at Eriskirch.13
But in 1971 the units were again reorganized. Signal Sectors N and S were closed. Their functions, together with the Center for Radio Analysis were combined and relocated at Fernmeldebereich 70 at Trier.
The history of Fernmeldebereich 70 goes back to the 1956 central evaluation at Porz-Wahn, Cologne. Under the command of Captain Thornagel the first organizational steps were taken. In 1957, the first of many reorganizations and renamings occurred as Zentralauswertung der Fernmelde- und Elektronischen Aufklarung (Central COMINT/SIGINT evaluation). In 1961, another reorganization and renaming was conducted into Zentrale far Funkauswertung ZFA (Center for Radio Evaluation). This time, the ZFA was subordinated to the Electronic Warfare group's daily intelligence reports within the Luftwaffenamt. This group was commanded by Major Krohs, later commander of Fernmeldebereich 70. In 1963 the ZFA was commanded by Major Werther, a wartime cryptanalyst who in 1964 as Lt. Col. recommended a relocation from Cologne to Trier. The reason was insufficient space in the existing office buildings at Porz-Wahn.14
The lack of space was caused by the computers of the time, which were used for processing the intelligence data. The Air Force had started in 1959 with the Zuse Z22R; by 1965 it used the larger Telefunken TR 4 at Tier. Unfortunately, this computer had to be shared with other organizations. Soon it proved to be totally insufficient and the next generation, the IBM I was installed in 1970. After some time the IBM I proved to be insufficient for the increasing amount of data to be processed and again and again new systems were installed. As the computers were changing, so were the programming languages. The Z22R used machine language; the TR 4 needed COBOL and the IBM asked for PL1. Mr. Schemainda and Mr. Kleefeld were involved with every computer generation installed.15
In 1989 Signal Regiment 71 and Signal Regiment 72 were renamed Fernmeldebereich16 71 and Fernmeldebereich 72. The shadows of reunification were on the horizon and the shutdown of signal sectors and SIGINT towers and a reduction of materiel and personnel were only a question of time.17
Today, only Fernmeldebereich 70 has survived while the oldest one, Fernmeldebereich 71, once Signal Detachment 711 in 1957 was closed first. Once there were about 14 signal sectors; now there are only a very few left.18 For forty years only a few people thought about securing historic records and equipment. The downsizing and dismantling of Air Force Intelligence units now made losses imminent. Even worse records were being destroyed and parts of the Air Force Intelligence history were being lost forever.
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