 On 1 December 1946, the "Deutsche Grenzpolizei" (German Border Police) was organized by the Soviet Military Administration in Germany ("Sowjetische Militäradministration in Deutschland", SMAD) as a paramilitary to defend the borders of the Soviet Zone.The initial 3,000 recruits of the "Grenzpolizei" were organized and trained from "Volkspolizei" resources, and by April 1948 numbered 10,000 personnel before rising to 18,000 in 1950.The "Grenzpolizei" were armed and organized like a police force, and were subordinate to the Main Administration of the Border Police and Alert Units of the German Administration of the Interior.