eclassified and approved for release by NSA on 04-28-2014 

ursuantto E.O. 13526 
.. t. 

Nane: 

Ro.Ille: 

Unit: 

FP No: 

Deserted: 

Secret No: 

Interro ga.tod~ 

• REF ID : A653 7 7 ·-;;:"'-~ M' BBeRE! , μ.. .-lllr:": L9'·) 

mn«ME, Jan (Bans) 

Cpl 

DVK 183 (German Liall!lQn B;l 

with Italian 1' ROSA Div) 

• 28591 

24 Nov 44-

M lili/1~57 CSDIC (lla.in) CMF, 5 Dec 44 

-. --?1 

Bln'ESCHI, Aldo 

Pte 

CSDIC(KAIN)/r 19 • 

HQ COY, 1 BN, 3 REGT LITTORIO DIV 

87137 A 

9 Nov 1.14 (captured 22 Nov ltlt-) 

:M 44/1961 

CSDIC (l&dn) CMF, 5 Dec 44-

Subject at Rell21:1i: WT and Ci11ber in Italian M ROSA fU1d LITl'ORIO Divisions. 

1. PRW.m£E 

HOMME: born in thD siumTENLAND, and of Ollech nationality. He bas served 

in the German .Army since Jan 39, bavi.2lg been oonaarl.pted, he claims, because of his WT 

tng with the Czechoslovak JJ:ar:/• l'ran about Feb 1.i,. to Aug .I.ti+ be was instructor at a 

Camp in MU.ENSmGEN (Wuerttemberg) where the Italian 1DfrE ROSA Div was being trained. 

He helped' to train Italian WT operetors and cipher clerks and al.SQ ao-ted as interpreter. When the Div moved to IT.ALY, in Jul 44, be was posted to an HQ which was 

oalled 183 Germen Liaison HQ (DEOmBES VERBmoom.5 KOMllWlOO) and 'Ylhioh was a oombined 

liaison-cu:n-advicory unit to the Italian forces, operatillg down to Coy or Sgn HQ level. 

Pff' s knowledge of WT and Cipbar UBtters is complete, but it dat"esJ~aok to Aug 44-, sinoe 

when he has acted as interpreter. He is apt t.o contradict h:f.mseir, and his intomation should be taken with B01De reaerve. Reliability: Fair 

BEDEeCm: · a Italian f't'Oln F AENZA wlx> was in a Jii>t Ji& Bh at the t imo ot the 

Italian Armisfioo, ~ :found bis wrq home frail IJUBIJ.ANA, along with a column of fellow 

soldiers and, after going into biding, was imprisoned and later forced to join the 

LIT.TORIO Div (in Mar lrlf.), wbiahwas then bei~ remnstituted, an,d sent to GERllANI tor 

tng. He trained at SElfiLA.GER, lit" Il!:'19J!MOLD {Westphol.ia) andi llUENSINGEN and came to 

rrALY o.t ~nd Oo:t '44. ~ On 9 Nov 44 ba de ~rted from his HQ, tak:lng aJ.ong 

with hilD a folder aontaim.ng the b.ox-square o:l.phers isa11ed fer Nov lt4 (4. x 2 boxes) 

and schBdules ot oall-signs and trequeiieie s :f'or tho montb.. These latter be handed 

over to a "capo" of a "Brigatta Go.r:l.baJ.diJlaft who was known by the aover-name of "OLIO",, 

o.t a place called BAN BgBASmHQ,. 15-20 km frca ~ He was then passed on from 

,'ibrigatta" to 11briga:tta" till he managed to cross the lines. He bas little infoma.-

tion to give~ Reliability: Fair 

2. WT AND ClPHER mAlNil& ClP r.rAL1.AN TROOPS IN QEJPAANY 

Aooord:Lng to both PW tng of Italian operators and cipher clerks is given by 

Gel1Dfln inst.ruators, assisted by interpreters, wb:> ore expeoted ·to translate and often 

ad.a.pt German examples to the Ito.lian lo.nguaga ( spellingt eto.). 

Equipment is standard.J usua.11.y "b"• "4" o.nd "g" sets ~ used. WT operators fl.t'e all taught bow to emipbar and decipbltr mossages by using the box-equare 

type of cipher (~SSEL)t usually in the torm ot TR,UPPENSCHLUESSEL, 

rarely NACHRICfm:NSCHC,tJESSEL. 

Italians -are not taught how to select co.11-signs.,- FrOm evidence a.vailablo 

so for, the Germon Liaison Of'fioers control all secret siga matters. BOllME wa.s sbawn 

:1n Jul/Aug ltJf. on order which stated that the RABrmBCHLUESSEL is for German uni.ts OJJJ.y, 

and thiXt it is NOT to be mentioDBd to n:m--Oermo.n troops, who will oontinue to use the 

bcz-aquare type of cipher, RT was to be ueea, in action, for slx>rt to.otioal. comns ~. . Fer dote.Us of sigs data to.ught to and available to the Italians, as well 

as matters controlled by the Germon permnnel 1n the Ita.lian units, see Appendix· "A", 

dratted by 'BO!IDm. 

3 I EQU]l'M§NT 

(a) 23 Reaoe Bn, M ROSA Div 

llJMME came to IT.ALY with this unit in Jul 44, before being posted to 183 

German Liaison HQ in Aug 44-. The unit had;: 

HQ: '2 - "b" sets !tronsnitting 2000-5000, reoeiriJ:Jg 2ooo-6670 k:os) 

1 Sqn: 2 - "g" sets tronsm:ltting and receiving 2500-3500 kos) 

2 Si;in: 2 - "g" aets n 11 " rr 11 n ) 

3 s,,n• eouipped with Field T~lephonos (F'F-9 7 3).., 
' I . 

• • REF ID:A6537. ~ >; 

• I 

.. ;~ .. ~· .. t :t._ ... L... - · - J -- I ·=~ 

(b) 1 Bng 3 Regt LITTOMO Div (BEJJBfDII • 9 1'ov "4) 

2 - "d" sets (one a.1i Bn ~ and one at Bn Cmdrfs d:ta'posal tor al1.o-t111mt 

to Co;y which required if; 111> st" in aot:ton) • 

6 - 11b 11 sets (used by the Ital.ions ah:lsf'l.7 as RT set and therefore onl,y 

• ' fJ>Od for comns at ranges ot lll8lC 1 • 5-2 Jans) • Distributed 

D.1ll>l'lg Coys. 

4. OODE-:NAISS 

' mn&m stated that baf'ore be left the X ROSA Div tba Gem.111. perm•l 

bad thought of c1rmr.i.ng up a list of "cocle-na.mes" and expressions ~TAIUtTAFEL AUS9RlECKE") 

1n ItaltDzJ. but this ho.cl not been dom at aa,e ot msert1on (2't- Nov 14). 

' 51 PERStlQLITlES 

' ' (a} JI ROSA Divia~n (mid Nov ltJt.) r. 

Note: Some of the cletails shojU.d be talmn with :resarve. -

Gen PICID 

..... ::: & • 

Oapt ( Co.v) AiiBlmL'I 

Somertuahrer RQECXERr, 

.Aloia 

Cpl mmr.ER 

L/CpJ. JCOlmJS, Josef 

2/Lt RAD'ANN, Kurt 

Cpl KIBCH 

L/Cpl lfA.llRER 

I 

' Head of 183 Gel'IDD.n Liaison BQ with JI ll()'.SA. 

Div. BOlda Knight's Cross. 

' 

LO to 1 AiiPm Regt 

Interpreter to 'eo1 DftINGBR. Speaks fluent 

English, French and Itlilian. Reported to 

have been. izJ._the "Diploma.tic Sel"rioe" and to 

• ~ li'!l.6:. five. l'!_~B in IDHDO!'.._ ~ ~hree in 

PA!U.D. 

LO to Reooa Bn (at HQ) 

Interpreter at Reoae Bn 112~ Doctor~ phil,.. 

oaopba'; l>:>minioo.n a>nk wbo was fONed to 

.1om the ArtaT. 

LO with 1 Sqra.t Reece Bn 

Interpreter with 1 Sqn, Reaoe l!ln. Doator at 

pbilomplv', 

On liaison statt with 1 Sqn, Redoe :en 

" II n II u II n 

LO with 2 Sqn., Reoce Bn 

On liaison staff' with .2 Sqn, Reoce Bn 

In 2 Bqn, Raoaa Bn • 

w.o. RAININGER, Xnrl LO with 3 Sqn, Reece Bn. 

L/Cpl SCBLAGBAUER,Gustav ·On lia.iaon atntf with 3 Sqn, Reooe Bn 

Cpl HE:mm, Franz Dtte.rpreter with 3 Sqn,. Reece Bn. 

Cpl EISENKDPF H II rt n n 

Lim BOP.AX 

• 

1IO 1 XElUf 

Bigs Otf'iQOr at Div lll 

In l)S.v s.i-Bfil Bn, . Signed mor:J.y all or&lr•• 

eta. , though DOR.Alt was said to be 1/c. 

In Div Sigs Bn. An A.unrian with a J.oathUg 

for Itol tans. 

WO (Waohmister).ROEEDI With Div. A Bo.varilm regular. 
.. ,"', 

, 

, . 

"' 

" 

• 

~ 

~ REF ID:A65377 ~ · 

(b) LITmRIO Di\t' (beg Nov '41+) 

CSDIC (KAIN), 

CD, 

8 Dao 19i.4. 

Capt 01lAR 

w.o. RADIB ) 

w. o. P.REm or PRAIS ) 

- 3 .. 

LO at 3 Regt Bq 

ml? Bll9Hlf.! 

OSDIC(DD)/f 12. 

German instructors witb: 3 Regt during t!llJ in 

GBRMARY end came to r.r .. \LY aa ai~a peraonnel 

with same Regt, 

Si11s sjt 1n Siga Pl, Hfl Coy, 1 Bn, 3 Regt • 

. A.G.B. 

, 
.. • APP!Bit. ~b: A653. • 

CSDIC(J&U:N')/I 19. 

1'1' Alm CIH1ER PROOEDUlB 1H D.ALIAX REPUBLICAN FOBCES 

(at Para 2 of att report) 

!bia .. \pp ia a tranalation ";f a draft ~ared by PVf BODI, and. aontaina mtea on prooed\re taught' to Italian aiga peraonml of the JI 

BOSA. Div while training at :r.mDSINGEN. Sidalimd paraqrapha indioate 

c1ato:lls of prooadure whioh ware NOT clisoloaod to the Italians. .. A. Iplf.BWSmNBCtlLl:IESSEL Bpl1mUlJE 

1, Em:lphozjne; 

Example: 

A B . - I B Q I lt p D 

-- i 

s r 1_;.; ~- !r 1' _,r--, - I I )( u L ' G B ' I )( 

I x z v I y " I x --+--........ -t--i-t _, 

_, l ... ______ 0 R F _. t ..... , c. _ 0 _._.t ! ' _ E __! ! C 

Jf8 aaa5e (FUNKSPRUCH) 

naoht rubig verlauten • pteabtaataerke 73 mann • mumtiom 

ld.oht gekomen • hager m&JQI' , 

1 2 3 I+ 5 6 7 8 g 1 0 11 12 I '13 .,.. 15 16 17 18 I f9 20 21 

n a q t r u b i g v e r l & u t o n~ y y s 

• t e q t • s t a e r k e x s 1 a b e n d 

r • i x m a n n y y m u n 1 t 1 o n x b a 

g e r • • • a 1 1 o r 7 y n 1 q t g e k o 

m • 

e "11 

Note a: a.~ Full .-top • n"J OOllln& = Bii, ' ' 

b ob and ak • q, 'but NOT 1n pl'Opel" mmea, 

a Azv letter can be used as a. 11 du4" (BLDlBR), exoept x, 7 or z 

a !'&Zt to 'be emipbe:Nd must mvor be written on the same tOim lpa.ge) 

as "t;ba final,. enaipbcl'ed1 text (BClHLUESSEL--TEXT). 

Emlpbered text (SOHLUESSEL-TEXT) 

i) 

'.ro e:nai2her: toke the firat pair of letters - unaer figure 1 - 1 

ld far letter "n" in aqua.re 11 J.11 and for letter 11e 11 1n sqmre "B" 

and ta.ke the oPP>ntea, wbiob tom o. roctan.~ with "n" and 11e 11 , 

tbo.t is letter "1" in squaro •:a• and letter "o" in aq,uare .. A1', 

If' the al.ear letters ( pa1rs) aro on tho BDllll line, toke lettera 

:lnmecli.ately on the right, e. g, "e" "e" 111 "b" 110•. 

' 

It the meaaai;e (attar o.Clding lettors tor '('\D'lOtuation marks) has an 

W111WOn nmibor of letters, a "ibld" letter (BLENIDR) 'is aaaea... 

\ 

) 
.. 

.. 

' • ~k~:~~537 •• 

.. 2 .. 

.. 

" Sl!'tJ1\!! CSDIO(Jlli.IN)/t 19 • 

S:ligmturaa ~ the msaa~e are ploaad sometimes at the beginn:lniJ, on 

other occasions in the m:ldalo of the text, eta., :NO.r olwa.va at the 

em of text. When s:lpll:lng names (o:t persona and plaaes) in the 

text, inaert lotters nz1t it tho JJameB ore mt well known. Compliaated 

:names of persona and localities are repeo.ted :ln the text, e.g. 

••••• text x.'IBllMI x nmaa x text •••• , 

Vowels ore written inside bozea :l.n a different oolour from that in 

wbiob oonsommts are written, in order to have IJl'eater ea.ae :ln bandling, 

If abbreviations are imludsd in tbc clear text, then tmy are enoipbBred in the same me.nnar as they 111'8 dicta.tad,, thus: 

n sotort eine AVI aohloken" • n aoforl; aim x gr:'OBl!I anton / x lll'C>Sll 

rlktor z pa ida / x sqiqen" 

ii) Double e~ller:lns (Ht.i.CimICH!rBNSOHLUESSMI,) : Orders whioh are mt 

e:moutedediBteq and report.a whiCli a.re not ur1!9nt are eno:lphered 

twioe, Jhubla enaipherin11 is usuall;r resorted to, Taking tl)e 8&1118 

exmtiple as above 1 

1 2 3 ••••• ! 

n o. q • • • • • ' ne- = io == ~ rd = qq :::i to., oto. 

e t . • • • e I e 

2. :Q!_oiph~ 

When daoipher1n1J use tho 'two sqwiros in rnersa order. . In ord&i- to 

tac:ll:l.tat.e eipher work the squares are drawn as :tollaws1 

1 

"A'' 

2 

"Bn 

and the e:naipher!ng work is done on box-squares 1 and 2 ("A" a.nil. "B") whe:reas the 

daoiphorinrJ 1'0rk is dona on box-squares 2 and 3 ("B" and "A"). 

When clBoiphering P'V' a.ttontion to t'be fact that pairs of letters 

(alear) must be written one under the other and that this must be. dona in IJt'C)ups 

st 2, pairs. 

B. HEERSSRm'ZEICiH§N'+AF!H (Arnly oall-sign tabla) 

Gel'IDa.n units DN.St aaloulafie the pDJJG whioh they bave been allotted and 

wbioh a.pplielS to that iJq1 wherea.s foreign lDlita, e.g. Itolion formations, ore ;iven 

the mnber of the po.ge which has been aal.culated tor them. 

Ever,y month, the .Liaison Officer (Gernum) a.t the HQ ot an Italian unit 

rcoe1"9'Bs tram the Siga Officer a.t Div a list of mmbera ("Z.UiLEN") whioh are typad 

on a mhedule, and whiab ore used as "basio bumbers" ("GRUNDZAHLEN") for loolcin.g up 

oalJ...signa f'or the units to which be is attached. {In tho oaae ot the K ROSA Div, 

this aohedule is i11Bued by Lt Dr .\PPUN and WO XERNi ... both from the Siga Bn of tba 

Div) a.sr. Ruf'z.GZ'Undz.fuBr "DORA" 21 - 2' 

- Rufz.Grundz,fuer "GUSTAV" 11tJi,. - 148 

On aiiotmr list are indicated, b7 month and dJl8 ot the year ( 11X.'\IBNIER--

KAESSIG"), the pages of the A%'1Q' oall•s1gns trible (BEERESRUFZEICHENTAFEL) on whl.ob 

the oall-signs far nmbers 21-26. o.nd 1 z.i.,-143 must be soupt • 

, --- 1 ms 

2 5&1 

3 DZO 

,,. auq 

5 okr 

6 ••• 7. , ... • 

• 

- 58 - (pa.ge of BEERESROl!'ZEICHENT.APEL) -1 

---' I 

I 

------ ~-r--

~· N.B. I 

l 

~ 

I l 

I 

t I 

Source thought there wera f 

4 oolllll!lB and a.b-:ut 180 I 

ooll-BilJD.B ~ eaoh PD.1!9, , 
• 

-"' • • I 

.. 

REF ID:A6537 • ~IX" .. \• 

- 3 -

. .... !Ol SB@! 

osnm(JlllH)/I 19 • 

The ArlV oall-signs table (BEERESRUFZEICHENTJ.FEL) is a book of' o.bout 

150 pages, with ,:red covers, and is kept to1J9tber with the Searet Dooments b,y the 

German Liaison Otfioer o:t the HQ of' a Bn, RejJt, eta. 

i'bis book is used by the entire German .AnV .. 

c. ~OF FREOOEHlIBS ("BES!l.'DIMEN der WEILEN" FOR THE \9T ST.~IONS 

II RIJPPS11 OF /1. RECXlE UNIT ITALIAN) 

:ew• s note: amne al.so tor other 1.Ulits • 

. A tn dqs bef'ore the begirming of' ea.ch month, the German Lio.is:>n 

Officer at urlit HJ reoeiws~ together with the oa.11-sign nmbers ("RUFZEICHENGRUKDZABLEN"), also the frequanoy mlllbers ("WELLENGRUNDZAHLEN"), f'or the W'l' sets which 

a.re in the unit. 

The Liaison Of'f'ioer-lmeps amJilg his Secret Doc1111Bnts the Frequency 

Index ( ''WEiiLENVERZEICIDtIS") for each tn>e of set• 

E.g. "b" set 1 2100 

2 3.500 

3 l,800 

4 4800 

5 2600 

6 3100 

7 4900 

8 2400 

9 2500 

10 • 

11 

12 

13 

14 

• 

• 

33 

• 

lt200 

3700 

A.ssume the Frequenay numbers ( "m.IENGRtJNDZABCml") tor "b 11 set are 8-12 

f'or 1;he current manth. The :f'J'eque:noy applioable'is then caloW.ated with the aid of 

the tallowing: 

1 ) !l.'he day of' the mnth,. say .2 Dao 

2) The frequenoy :numbers ( "W.ELIB?GRONDZABLEN") 

12, i,e. tive treque:naies). 

3) ~ha :f"requeno;y index ( "m.LENVER2BICHNIS't) • 

ExamJ>le: for the .5th da.v' of' tbe month: 

5 + 8 = 13 

5 + 9. 14 

5+101115 

5 + 11 = 1-6 

5 + 12 = 17 

The f!,'equemie s tor the 5th of Dao are therefore 4200, 3700, etQ. 

This :ls arrived at b,y, a.ddpJg the figure ot the a..,. ot the month (.5) to the trequenc,y - number ("WILLENGRIJNDZAHL")r the result giving the mnber (figure) in the frequenoy 

index ("m.LENVERZBICH!([S") against which the f'requam;y f'or the "b" sat oan be res.a:, 

In the Reoae Bn the freq\,\On:Jy index ( "WELmNVERZEICHNisn) issued oontainod 33 trequeno1es, listod f'rom 1 to 33,. If' tba figure obtained b,y addition of 

tho d8'Y' of' the month to the fttequalJCY' number exoeedod the total nmber ot f'l'equanoios 

listed (33 in this oase), thon the number ,of f'reqUBJ1Cl.8S listed was deduoted fl'Oll1 the 

former sm ( dq + :f'l"equemy number) and tho re Bul. ting figure waa used f'or read:S.ng oft ' 

frequenaiea in tba freqm:noy in&Dc ("WELLBNVERZEICBNIS''). 

!X!J!>le.: f'tr tbe 28th day of the months I 

28 + B = 36 36 - 33 = 3 

28 + 9 = 37 37 - 33 = ~ 28 + 10 = 38 38 .. 33 = 5 

28 + 11 = 39 39 - 33 ~ 6 

28 + 12 = l+O i..o - 33 = 7 

Thia system is used by the entint German WEHRMACBT .. 

48"00 

ltBOO 

2600 

3100 

1'-900 
REF ID:A65377 • 

DISTRIBUTlliN 

COBY Nos 

liD at s, G-2, .AFHQ•••••·~·· 1 

G-2 lSie;s 111n) , AFHQ •••••••• 2 - Z.. 

G-2 FP'f) .A"FHQt ••••••••• : ••• 5 

GSI s), AAI •••••••••• ~-··• 6 

GSI B, HEF••••••••••••••••• 7 

'MI B, UK••••••••••••••••••• 8 -10 

File••••••••·••••••••••••••11 -13 

.. .....