Felix Dzerzhinsky Watch Regiment

The Felix Dzerzhinsky Guards Regiment (German: "Wachregiment "Feliks E. Dzierzynski") was an elite motorized rifles regiment under the command of the Ministry for State Security of the German Democratic Republic (GDR). It was named in honor of Felix Dzerzhinsky, founder of the Soviet secret police. As the only highly visible part of the feared Stasi, it was very unpopular with the population.

Mission

It was tasked with protecting government and party buildings in the GDR capital of East Berlin and the security of the party leaders' residential compound in Wandlitz, near East Berlin. Per Soviet practice, the regiment was a politically-reliable internal security force that could be deployed to suppress rebellion and unrest.

Organization

*Personnel: At full strength, the regiment consisted of over 11,200 personnel, including 2,500 officers, 8,735 NCOs and enlisted men, and nine civil staff. Its commander was a Major General after 1956.
*Subunits: It comprised the following:
**Three combat groups with six motorized rifle battalions and three training battalions,
**an artillery battalion and
**engineer, medical, support and reconnaissance companies.
*Equipment: It received the same training and equipment as the Alert Police and some of its personnel were paratroopers. It was also equipped with modern armored fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers, anti-tank guns, anti-aircraft weapons and mortars.
*Uniforms: Its uniforms were nearly identical to those of the regular National People's Army (NVA) and were distinguished primarily by the dark red MfS service color of its insignia and by an honorary cuffband on the left sleeve bearing the regiment's name. Other Stasi officers wore a similar uniform, but without the cuffband. Members were selected from among the most reliable volunteer recruits and had to perform a three-year minimum service tour.

Other guard units

The regiment was one of three guards regiments in the GDR. The other two were units of the regular army:
* 1. "Wachregiment "Friedrich Engels" (WR-1) guarded the Memorial to the Victims of Fascism and Militarism on Berlin's Unter den Linden and performed other honorary duties, including the welcoming ceremony for state visitors.
* 2. "Wachregiment "Hugo Eberlein" (WR-2) guarded the Ministry for National Defense command center in Strausberg, near Berlin.

ee also

* Wachbataillon - the West German equivalent.