US 3rd ARMY daily reports and photos May 1945 Linz / Gusen Austria (National Archives and Records Administration)

This message is to confirm your request submission to the FOIAonline application: View Request. Request information is as follows: (https://foiaonline.gov/foiaonline/action/public/submissionDetails?trackingNumber=NARA-NGC-2022-000529&type=request)

* Tracking Number: NARA-NGC-2022-000529
* Requester Name:
Tino Von Struckmann
* Date Submitted: 12/19/2021
* Request Status: Submitted
* Description:
To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

On May the 11th Armored Division of the 3rd US Army Combat Command B entered the Austrian cities of Linz and Gusen and St. Georgen . Here they and other units of the #rd Army liberated 2 Tunnel Systems Named Kellerbau and Bergkristall B8. These were underground factories where munitions and Jet planes were built. Machinery and Plane parts as well as documents were removed from these in May before handing them over to the Russian Army.

I would like to request the Diary of the 3rd Army for May 1945 from Austria, Especially with all photos and reports written about their findings in Linz and Gusen, including lists of German prisoners taken in the month of May.

The tunnel systems with their underground factories and labs were also code named :
Georgenmuhle and Esche II and B8 St.Georgen
Also documents and photos of the recovery of machinery and materials from these tunnels are requested.
Both tunnel systems were under the command of SS General Hans Kammler and constructed by Engineer Karl Emil Fiebinger. General Kammler was taken in Custody by the #rd Army in May near the CZ town of Pilsen. and was being questioned by the CIC in Gemunden in late May. Any information on the Generals interactions with the 3rd army is requested.

Investigators of military intelligence and engineers and the 3rd Army documented their findings in Linz/Gusen in several detailed reports with photos these are especially requested. (some of these have until now been classified, I request for their declassification)

Also the war diary of the 3rd Army for the month of May 1945 and its actions in Czechoslovakia and especially the city of Pilsen and Prague is requested, along with prisoner list and photographs and reports taken from Skodawerke in Pilsen.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Tino Von Struckmann

Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/

Dear Mr. Von Struckmann:

Thank you for submitting your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to
the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) via the *FOIAonline*
website. We received your request on December 20, 2021. Your request
concerns records of the 3rd Army in May 1945 for certain locations in
Austria and Czechoslovakia.

Our office uses the *FOIAonline* portal for FOIA and Privacy Act requests
for the National Archives and Records Administration's operational records
(records created by this agency). Because your *FOIAOnline *request is for
records that may be textual archival records (records created by or
originated in a different agency but that may have been transferred to the
legal custody of NARA), we are forwarding it by this email to two
components of our *Office of Research Services. Textual Reference
(RR2RR)* staff
will respond with regard to any textual archival records and *Still
Pictures *will respond with regard to photographs.

Since *Research Services* does not process FOIA requests through
*FOIAOnline*, we removed your request from the *FOIAOnline* website. Each
component will assign your request a new and different tracking number and
respond directly to you. In the future, if you need to follow up with these
components, please contact them at the addresses below, or electronically
via email (email is preferred).

National Archives and Records Administration
Research Services, Textual Reference Branch (RR2RR)
8601 Adelphi Road, Room 2400
College Park, MD 20740

By phone: 301-837-3091
By fax: 301-837-1752
By email: archives2reference@nara.gov

The National Archives and Records Administration
Still Pictures Branch, Room 5360
8601 Adelphi Rd.
College Park, MD 20740

By phone: 301-837-837-0561
By fax: 301-837-3621
By email: stillpix@nara.gov

These components will notify you if access to some of these records is
restricted or the records are classified. If you need to request a
mandatory declassification review (MDR) request, please see
<https://www.archives.gov/isoo/training/mdr?_ga=2.106723395.1158927958.1640045175-776841480.1625662514>https://www.archives.gov/isoo/training/mdr?_ga=2.106723395.1158927958.1640045175-776841480.1625662514
for information about how to do this and what you must submit. You cannot
submit an MDR concurrently with a FOIA request for the same records.

For your reference, a copy of your request is below.

Please visit our website at www.archives.gov/foia for further information
about submitting a FOIA request to NARA. On our main website,
www.archives.gov, you can learn more about the resources we offer to the
public, and you can access our online catalog.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and pursuant to guidance received from the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), NARA has adjusted its normal
operations to balance the need of completing its mission-critical work
while also adhering to the recommended social distancing for the safety of
our staff. As a result of this re-prioritization of activities, you may
experience a delay in receiving a substantive response to your FOIA
request. We apologize for this inconvenience and appreciate your
understanding and patience.

Sincerely,
Susan Gillett
Government Information Specialist
Office of General Counsel
National Archives and Records Administration
College Park, MD 20740-6001
susan.gillett@nara.gov

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: <admin@foiaonline.gov>
Date: Mon, Dec 20, 2021 at 6:50 PM
Subject: FOIA Request Deletion: NARA-NGC-2022-000529
To: <susan.gillett@nara.gov>

Below is an export of the submitted request information for the FOIA
request NARA-NGC-2022-000529.

- *Name and Address*
- First Name: Tino
- Middle Initial: Von
- Last Name: Struckmann
- Organization:
- Mailing Address Location: United States/U.S. Territories
- Address Line 1: MuckRock News DEPT MR 122031
- Address Line 2: 411A Highland Ave
- City: Somerville
- State/Province: MA
- Zip/Postal Code: 02144-2516
- *Contact Information*
- E-mail Address: requests@muckrock.com
- Phone Number:
- Fax Number:
- *Agency and Fee Information*
- Assigned Agency: NGC - Office of General Counsel
- Will Pay Up To: $0.00
- *Description*
- To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the
following records:

On May the 11th Armored Division of the 3rd US Army Combat Command B
entered the Austrian cities of Linz and Gusen and St. Georgen . Here they
and other units of the #rd Army liberated 2 Tunnel Systems Named
Kellerbau
and Bergkristall B8. These were underground factories where munitions and
Jet planes were built. Machinery and Plane parts as well as
documents were
removed from these in May before handing them over to the Russian Army.

I would like to request the Diary of the 3rd Army for May 1945 from
Austria, Especially with all photos and reports written about their
findings in Linz and Gusen, including lists of German prisoners taken in
the month of May.

The tunnel systems with their underground factories and labs were
also code named :
Georgenmuhle and Esche II and B8 St.Georgen
Also documents and photos of the recovery of machinery and materials
from these tunnels are requested.
Both tunnel systems were under the command of SS General Hans Kammler
and constructed by Engineer Karl Emil Fiebinger. General Kammler
was taken
in Custody by the #rd Army in May near the CZ town of Pilsen.
and was being
questioned by the CIC in Gemunden in late May. Any information on the
Generals interactions with the 3rd army is requested.

Investigators of military intelligence and engineers and the 3rd Army
documented their findings in Linz/Gusen in several detailed reports with
photos these are especially requested. (some of these have until now been
classified, I request for their declassification)

Also the war diary of the 3rd Army for the month of May 1945 and its
actions in Czechoslovakia and especially the city of Pilsen and Prague is
requested, along with prisoner list and photographs and reports
taken from
Skodawerke in Pilsen.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public,
and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would
inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my
request. I would
prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment
if available
or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter.
I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20
business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Tino Von Struckmann

Upload documents directly:
https://www.muckrock.com/
- *Fee Waiver*
- Fee Waiver Requested: No
- Fee Waiver Reason:
- *Expedited Processing*
- Expedited Processing Requested: No
- Expedited Processing Reason:

Dear Mr. Von Struckmann:

This is in reply to your December 20, 2021, Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA) request concerning your interest in obtaining copies of “the Diary
of the 3rd Army for May 1945 . . . [including] all photos and reports
written about their findings in Linz and Gusen, [and] including lists of
German prisoners taken in the month of May [1945],” “all documents and
photos of the recovery of machinery and materials from [the Georgenmuhle
and Esche II and B8 St.Georgen] tunnels,” and the “war diary of the 3rd
Army for the month of May 1945, . . .along with prisoner list and
photographs and reports taken from Skodawerke in Pilsen.”

Your FOIA request was received by my office on December 22, 2021 and
assigned internal tracking number 22-12638.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and pursuant to guidance received from the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), NARA has adjusted its normal
operations to balance the need of completing its mission-critical work
while also adhering to the recommended social distancing for the safety of
our staff. As a result of this re-prioritization of activities, we are
unable to provide a substantive response to requests that require us to
consult the records at this time. We apologize for this inconvenience and
appreciate your understanding and patience.

We will continue to process your request when the National Archives resumes
normal operations. Upon reopening, we will search the following record:

(1) Records of the Adjutant General’s Office, U.S. Army (Record Group
407), World War II Operations Reports, 1940-1948 (Entry NM3-427),
Headquarters, Third U.S. Army After Action Reports (a.k.a. “War Diaries”),
May 1945 (Box 1570) and G-2 Periodic Reports (Re: Intelligence and Prisoner
of War information), May 1945 (Box 1592).

We do not consider this a denial of your FOIA request. However, if you are
not satisfied with our action on this request, your options for appeal and
dispute resolution are outlined in the attachment.

Sincerely,

PAUL B. BROWN

Textual Reference Operations

National Archives at College Park, MD

RR2RR 22-12638

Attachment

Dear Tino Von Struckman,

I am writing in response to your Freedom of Information Act request sent on
December 3, 2021 for records in the custody of the National Archives and
Records Administration. Your request was received in this office on
December 21, 2021 and assigned FOIA Case Number 22-12465.

You requested photographs relating to photographs of two liberated tunnel
systems named Kellerbau and Bergkristall B8, which were liberated in
May, 1945 when the 11th Armored Division of the 3rd U.S. Army Combat
Command B entered the Austrian cities of Linz and Gusen and St. Georgen.
Additionally, you requested photographs relating to the capture of SS
General Hans Kammler, who was taken into custody by the 3rd Army in May
near Pilsen, along with photographs of the 3rd army in May, 1945 taken at
Skodawerke in Pilsen. We conducted searches of series 111-SC, Photographs
of American Military Activities, ca. 1918 - ca. 1981
<https://catalog.archives.gov/id/530707> and series 208-AA, Photographs of
Allies and Axis, 1942-1945 <https://catalog.archives.gov/id/535523>. We
were unable to locate any photographs of your requested subjects.

We also conducted a search of our series 342-FH Photographs of Facilities
and Personnel, ca. 1940 - ca. 1983 <https://catalog.archives.gov/id/542351> and
were able to locate one image that mentions "an assembly-line tunnel." This
series is mostly digitized and available online. The photograph that we
were able to locate can be viewed here
<https://www.fold3.com/image/29021837?terms=linz,war,world,tunnel,ii,tunnels>
and
you can search the rest of the digitized Army Air Force photos on the same
website.

Please note that your request was also forwarded to the Textual Reference
Branch of the National Archives. They will respond to you separately.

This completes the processing of your request. If you have any questions, the
Still Picture Reference Team will be happy to assist you. Written
inquiries may be directed to the Still Picture Reference Team, RDSS, Room
5360, National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road,
College Park, Maryland 20740-6001. Our phone number is 301-837-0561 and
fax 301-837-3621. We can also be reached by e-mail at stillpix@nara.gov.

We do not consider this a denial of your FOIA request. However, if you are
not satisfied with our action on this request, your options for appeal and
dispute resolution are outlined in the attached document.

Sincerely,

Aaron Arthur, Archivist
National Archives and Records Administration
Special Media Records Division
Still Picture Branch (RRSS)
aaron.arthur@nara.gov
301-837-0578

Good Afternoon Tino,

The request reference number #22-12638 is the number assigned to your
request in the National Archives Textual Branch. They will have to respond
to you based on the results of their search for records. I do not have any
information about where they are in their process for searching for
relevant records in their holdings. You can contact them at
archives2reference@nara.gov.

The case number that we assigned for your search here in the Still Picture
Branch was #22-12465.
Regards,

Aaron Arthur

--

Aaron Arthur, Archivist
National Archives and Records Administration
Special Media Records Division
Still Picture Branch (RRSS)
aaron.arthur@nara.gov
301-837-0578

Thank you for contacting the Textual Reference Branch at the National Archives at College Park, MD.

We will assign your request to a staff member who will contact you with a more substantive response. Due to the number of reference requests received -- including virtual consultation requests -- and the limitation of staff time available to answer correspondence, requests require approximately 10 business days to coordinate/answer.

Our research room is open on a limited basis. Research visits are by appointment only. At this stage in our reopening, we are scheduling visits no more than one month in advance as we are closely monitoring local public health metrics due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Research room hours will be Tuesday-Friday, 9:00am-4:00pm. Please contact visit_archives2@nara.gov to request a research appointment.

If you know the specific records you would like to view, please provide that information -- including Record Group #, Entry #, Series Title, and Container #(s) -- when you request an appointment.

It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you schedule a virtual consultation BEFORE scheduling a research appointment, particularly if you do not know the specific boxes you would like to request; working with a reference consultant will help you better prepare for your visit. Contact archives2reference@nara.gov to schedule a virtual consultation.

Please monitor our web page (https://www.archives.gov/college-park) for details and updates, as the situation can change quickly. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this time.

Sincerely,
Textual Reference Archives II Branch (RR2RR)
National Archives at College Park, MD

Dear Tino Von Struckmann,

I am writing in response to your Freedom of Information Act request sent on
April 22, 2022 for records in the custody of the National Archives and
Records Administration. Your request was received in this office on April
22, 2022 and assigned FOIA Case Number 22-36320.

You requested photographs relating to two German/Austrian underground
tunnel systems named Kellerbau and Bergkristall, which were liberated in
May, 1945. Additionally, you noted that the OSS produced detailed reports
that included photographs. We conducted searches of every series of
photographs in our holdings from RG 226 -
<https://catalog.archives.gov/search?q=*:*&f.oldScope=(descriptions%20or%20online)&f.level=series&f.locationIds=31&f.recordGroupNoCollectionId=226&SearchType=advanced>Records
of the Office of Strategic Services, 1919 - 2002
<https://catalog.archives.gov/search?q=*:*&f.oldScope=(descriptions%20or%20online)&f.level=series&f.locationIds=31&f.recordGroupNoCollectionId=226&SearchType=advanced>
and
we were unable to locate any photographs of your requested subjects.

Please note that your request was also forwarded to the Cartographic,
Motion Picture and Textual Reference Branches of the National Archives.
They will respond to you separately.

This completes the processing of your request. If you have any questions, the
Still Picture Reference Team will be happy to assist you. Written
inquiries may be directed to the Still Picture Reference Team, RDSS, Room
5360, National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road,
College Park, Maryland 20740-6001. Our phone number is 301-837-0561 and
fax 301-837-3621. We can also be reached by e-mail at stillpix@nara.gov.

We do not consider this a denial of your FOIA request. However, if you are
not satisfied with our action on this request, your options for appeal and
dispute resolution are outlined in the attached document.

Sincerely,

Aaron Arthur, Archivist
National Archives and Records Administration
Special Media Records Division
Still Picture Branch (RRSS)
aaron.arthur@nara.gov
301-837-0578

Dear Mr. Von Struckmann:

This is in reply to your follow-up inquiry (22-36843), dated April 20,
2022, regarding your December 20, 2021, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
request concerning your interest in obtaining copies of “the Diary of the
3rd Army for May 1945 . . . [including] all photos and reports written
about their findings in Linz and Gusen, [and] including lists of German
prisoners taken in the month of May [1945],” “all documents and photos of
the recovery of machinery and materials from [the Georgenmuhle and Esche II
and B8 St.Georgen] tunnels,” and the “war diary of the 3rd Army for the
month of May 1945, . . .along with prisoner list and photographs and
reports taken from Skodawerke in Pilsen.”

Our response to your original FOIA request, which was received by my office
on December 22, 2021, and assigned internal tracking number 22-12638, was
delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and pursuant to guidance received from
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), NARA which had adjusted its
normal operations to balance the need of completing its mission-critical
work while also adhering to the recommended social distancing for the
safety of our staff. As a result of this re-prioritization of activities,
we were unable to provide a substantive response to requests that required
us to consult the records.

We have searched the following records of the Third U.S. Army: Records of
the Adjutant General’s Office, U.S. Army (Record Group 407), World War II
Operations Reports, 1940-1948 (Entry NM3-427); Headquarters, Third U.S.
Army After Action Reports (a.k.a. “War Diaries”),
May 1945 (Box 1570) and G-2 Periodic Reports (Re: Intelligence and Prisoner
of War information), May 1945 (Box 1592). During our search, we were unable
to locate “photos and reports written about their findings in Linz and
Gusen,” “lists of German prisoners taken in the month of May [1945],”
“documents and photos of the recovery of machinery and materials from [the
Georgenmuhle and Esche II and B8 St.Georgen] tunnels,” or “prisoner list
and photographs and reports taken from Skodawerke in Pilsen.”

These records are already open for public viewing in our research room at
the National Archives in College Park, MD, located at 8601 Adelphi Road,
College Park, MD. Since there are no access restrictions on these
documents, there is no need to file a Freedom of Information Act request
with the National Archives.

If you would prefer to visit our facility to review the records yourself,
we will be happy to make appropriate records available in our research
rooms should you have an opportunity to visit the National Archives. You
could also hire a researcher to conduct research on your behalf. A list of
private researchers who are familiar with National Archives facilities is
available on our web site at
https://www.archives.gov/research/hire-help/index.html.

We are scheduling visits no more than three months in advance as we are
closely monitoring local public health metrics due to the COVID-19
pandemic. Research room hours are Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm. Please
contact visit_archives2@nara.gov to request a research appointment. If you
hire a researcher, they will need to make an appointment directly with us.
Requests will be processed in the order they are received by the above
listed email address.

We do not consider this a denial of your FOIA request. However, if you are
not satisfied with our action on this request, your options for appeal and
dispute resolution are outlined in the attachment.

Sincerely,

PAUL B. BROWN

Textual Reference Operations

National Archives at College Park, MD

RR2RR 22-36843

RR2RR 22-12638

Attachment

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