Late Palaeozoic and Caenozoic Continental Sedimentation and Magmatism in the southern part of the G.D.R. [antikvár]

A. hagional jptroductioa 1. Main features of the geotectonic history of the south part of the G.D.H.___ by Hans-Jiirgec PAECH, fotsdam The geological character of the area of the G.D.fi. is determined by the occurrence both of elevated basement blocks and the interjacent molasse and platform depressions in a complicated pattern (Fig. A.1). i'ocusing the topic of the present contribution to the basement structure the most important units are: Lusatian Block (1), Erzgebirge .^nticlinorium (2), Granu-lite Kassif (3), Thüringen-Voetlandian Líate Uts. (4), Hartz Block (5), i'lechtingen ülock (6; etc. The recent contours of the mentioned areas are controlled by downwarping structures of the Upper Palaeozoic molasse stage (generally HE—SW trending) and by the Meso-Cenozoic fault pattern dominated by the F«—SK trend. To the north of the exposed area the basement is down-faulted along NW—SE trending ruptures. Thus the basement surface attains depths of 7 km in the central part of the Northgerman-Polish Basin. The deformation structure of the basement in the area of the G.D.B. particularly is of Variscan origin. Corresponding fold trend is determined by arc-shaped orientation bending from SW—NE to NVi—SE as part of the Variscan arc sensu E. SUESa (Fig. A.1). According KOSSMAT (192?) the arc shows a zonal structure which allows a subdivision in general nowadays still accepted into Moldanubian (beyond the area of the G.D.B.)» Saxothuringian (inclusively the Mid-German Ridge), Rhenohercyn-ian and Subvariscan (after STILLE 1951) zones (see mOBUS 1968) Considerable bearing to the geotectonic arrangement and history of the Variscan geosyncline has the relation to the subjacent Precambrian rock sequences. Only in the Moldanubian zone and Mid-German Crystalline ridge the boundary between Proterozoic and Phanerozoic deposits is characterized by an unconformity providing evidence of main folding. In other regions an indication of Baicalian main deformation is lacking.