The Federal Security Service (FSB) of Russia has recently declassified previously secret archival documents, shedding light on the extensive security measures implemented during the Potsdam Conference of the Allied leaders in the summer of 1945. The release of these materials coincides with the 80th anniversary of the conference`s commencement.
This historic gathering of the heads of the three principal Allied powers – the USSR, USA, and Great Britain – took place from July 17 to August 2, 1945, in Potsdam, a suburb of Berlin liberated by the Red Army in eastern Germany. The decisions made at Potsdam profoundly influenced not only the concluding phase of World War II but also the subsequent post-war world order, contributing to an era of relative peace and stability in Europe and globally until the early 1990s.
Conference Preparations and Venues
According to a report from the USSR`s People`s Commissariat of Internal Affairs (NKVD) to the State Defense Committee, addressed to Joseph Stalin and Vyacheslav Molotov, preparatory measures for the reception, accommodation, and security of the upcoming three-power conference in Potsdam were successfully completed. The document was signed by NKVD Commissar Lavrentiy Beria.
The chosen location for the conference was the Babelsberg area, situated four kilometers east of Potsdam, near Griebnitzsee Lake and the Teltow Canal. For the Soviet delegation, 62 villas with a total area of 10,000 square meters were prepared, along with a two-story stone mansion of 400 square meters, featuring 15 rooms, an open veranda, and an attic, designated for the head of the Soviet delegation. The conference itself was held in the former palace of the German Crown Prince in Potsdam, located four kilometers from the Soviet delegation`s quarters. This palace was described as a two-story antique building, adequately equipped, with an area of up to 2,000 square meters; its main meeting hall measured 160 square meters, and it included a dining block and canteen suitable for hosting receptions.
Extensive Security Operations
Preparations for the leaders` meeting were meticulous and precise. Many administrative and protocol matters were resolved through coordination between the Soviet side and representatives from Great Britain and the USA. The primary burden of these preparatory activities fell upon the Soviet special services. Personnel from the 6th Directorate of the NKGB (Government Protection), military counterintelligence “Smersh” of the USSR People`s Commissariat of Defense, Soviet foreign intelligence, and other NKGB and NKVD services were involved in ensuring the conference`s safety and security.
The same NKVD document outlined the security arrangements for the Allied delegations. Personal security for the head of the Soviet delegation was provided by operational staff from the NKGB`s 6th Directorate. For the security of the Soviet delegation`s accommodation area, a three-ring security perimeter was established, involving 2,041 NKVD troops. The former German Crown Prince`s castle was guarded by 150 operational staff from NKVD-NKGB and 1,000 NKVD troops. Joseph Stalin`s personal security was led by Nikolai Vlasik, First Deputy Head of the NKGB`s 6th Directorate. The document further specified that the personal security of the American and British delegations was managed by Allied forces, while external security was handled by NKVD troops.
Demining and Route Clearance
In the areas surrounding the conference venue, extensive reconnaissance and demining operations were conducted on special facilities and routes in Potsdam and Babelsberg. From June 13 to June 29, 1945, personnel from the 8th Guards Special Mining Red Banner Battalion, supported by a company from the 2nd Guards Mine-Engineer Battalion and a separate company of mine-sniffing dogs, thoroughly inspected these sites and routes.
A report dated June 29, 1945, indicated that a total of 888 Faustpatron anti-tank weapons, 1,484 artillery shells, 61 kg of explosives, 726 mortar mines, 102 anti-tank mines, 20 aerial bombs, and other explosive devices were discovered and neutralized. As a result of these reconnaissance and demining activities, 8.8 square kilometers of territory and 41.8 kilometers of routes were cleared.
The final results of the reconnaissance and demining of facilities and routes for the leaders and delegation members were formalized in an act by the 8th Guards Red Banner Special Mining Battalion, signed by Guard Colonel Yuri Pergament on July 13, 1945. The act specifically noted that “Route No. 1” was reconnoitered and demined twice. During the initial sweep of Route No. 1, 482 artillery shells, 298 hand grenades, 28 anti-tank mines, 425 Faustpatrons, and a large number of other explosive items were found and destroyed. Similar reports were submitted for “Routes No. 2–4.” A repeat inspection led to the discovery of an additional four artillery shells, three Faustpatrons, one anti-tank mine, two mortar mines, and over a dozen small arms.
Soviet Delegation Travel Security
The NKVD`s report to the State Defense Committee also detailed the security measures for the Soviet delegation`s journey from Moscow to Berlin. The total route length was 1,923 kilometers: 1,095 km through USSR territory, 594 km through Poland, and 234 km through Germany. To ensure security both during the special train`s journey and at stations, 1,515 operational NKVD-NKGB personnel and 17,140 NKVD troops were deployed. They were strategically positioned with a density of 6 personnel per kilometer in the USSR, 10 in Poland, and 15 in Germany. Furthermore, 8 NKVD armored trains operated along the route, including two in the USSR, two in Poland, and four in Germany.
The FSB emphasized that these extensive preventive measures, executed by Soviet state security agencies in collaboration with Allied special services, ensured the successful conduct of the conference of the victorious powers` leaders.
