SAXOTHURINGIAN ZONE IN GERMANY AND POLAND - DIFFERENCES AND COMMON FEATURES

The classical correlation by kossmat (1927) of the Saxothuringian belt of Germany with the West Sudetes of Poland is re-evaluated with speci al reference to the crystalline massifs of Munchberg and the Gory Sowi e and the surrounding areas. Important common features are: Cambro-Ord ovician magmatism and sedimentation; Silurian to Devonian radiolarian cherts in the low grade to unmetamorphosed units; Early Devonian (and older?) pressure-dominated metamorphism followed by rapid uplift; the incorporation of high pressure and mantle rocks; and Early Carbonifero us mass flow deposits with 'Saxothuringian' clasts. Differing features in the West Sudetes are: tectonic contacts in and around the Gory Sow ie are mostly subvertical and mainly (semi-)brittle (in contrast with subhorizontal and ductile contracts in the Munchberg); the Gory Sowie has undergone late re-equilibration of the earlier tectonic fabrics; a n ophiolite juxtaposed with the Gory Sowie crystallized in (?) Devonia n time and became only statically metamorphosed, as opposed to the reg ionally metamorphosed Cambro-Ordovician mafic rocks of the Saxothuring ian belt; localized depocenters with Upper Devonian to Lower Permian c lastic rocks relating to north-west trending strike-slip faults instea d of the north-east trending cylindroidal foreland basin in the Saxoth uringian. It is possible that the West Sudetes originated as an easter ly continuation of the Saxothuringian belt, but then became involved, from the Late Devonian onwards, in a strike-slip system parallel with the margin of the East European Platform.