NOVEMBER 30, 2006

Annual Report
to Shareholders

DWS Strategic Municipal Income Trust

Contents

Click Here Performance Summary

Click Here Portfolio Management Review

Click Here Portfolio Summary

Click Here Investment Portfolio

Click Here Financial Statements

Click Here Financial Highlights

Click Here Notes to Financial Statements

Click Here Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Click Here Tax Information

Click Here Other Information

Click Here Dividend Repurchase Plan

Click Here Investment Management Agreement Approval

Click Here Trustees and Officers

Click Here Additional Information

Investments in funds involve risk. Certain investors' income may be subject to the federal Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT), and federal, state and local taxes may also apply. The fund invests in individual bonds whose yields and market values fluctuate, so that your investment may be worth more or less than its original cost. Bond investments are subject to interest-rate risk such that when interest rates rise, the prices of the bonds, and thus the value of the bond fund, can decline and the investor can lose principal value. Closed-end funds, unlike open-end funds, are not continuously offered. There is a one time public offering and once issued, shares of closed-end funds are sold in the open market through a stock exchange. Shares of closed-end funds frequently trade at a discount to net asset value. The price of the fund's shares is determined by a number of factors, several of which are beyond the control of the fund. Therefore, the fund cannot predict whether its shares will trade at, below or above net asset value.

DWS Scudder is part of Deutsche Asset Management, which is the marketing name in the US for the asset management activities of Deutsche Bank AG, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, Deutsche Asset Management, Inc., Deutsche Investment Management Americas Inc. and DWS Trust Company.

NOT FDIC/NCUA INSURED NO BANK GUARANTEE MAY LOSE VALUE NOT A DEPOSIT NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY

Performance Summary November 30, 2006

Performance is historical, assumes reinvestment of all dividend and capital gain distributions, and does not guarantee future results. Investment return and principal value fluctuate with changing market conditions so that, when sold, shares may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. Please visit www.cef.dws-scudder.com for the Fund's most recent month-end performance.

Fund specific data and performance are provided for informational purposes only and are not intended for trading purposes.

Returns and rankings based on net asset value during all periods shown reflect a custodian fee reduction. Without this fee reduction, returns and rankings would have been lower.

Average Annual Total Returns as of 11/30/06
DWS Strategic Municipal Income Trust	1-Year	3-Year	5-Year	10-Year
Based on Net Asset Value(a)	7.80%	7.79%	8.24%	7.32%
Based on Market Price(a)	-8.02%	6.01%	7.54%	6.92%
Lehman Brothers Municipal Bond Index+	6.12%	4.69%	5.40%	5.75%
Lipper Closed-End High Yield Municipal Debt Funds Category++	10.80%	8.91%	7.27%	5.94%

Sources: Lipper Inc. and Deutsche Investment Management Americas Inc.

Net Asset Value and Market Price
	As of 11/30/06	As of 11/30/05
Net Asset Value	$ 12.48	$ 12.29
Market Price	$ 12.26	$ 14.15

Prices and net asset value fluctuate and are not guaranteed.

^(a) Total return based on net asset value reflects changes in the Fund's net asset value during each period. Total return based on market value reflects changes in market value. Each figure assumes that dividend and capital gain distributions, if any, were reinvested. These figures will differ depending upon the level of any discount from or premium to net asset value at which the Fund's shares traded during the period.

⁺ The Lehman Brothers Municipal Bond Index is an unmanaged, unleveraged market-value-weighted measure of municipal bonds issued across the United States. Index issues have a credit rating of at least Baa and a maturity of at least two years. Index returns assume reinvestment of dividends and, unlike Fund returns, do not reflect any fees or expenses. It is not possible to invest directly into an index.

⁺⁺ The Lipper Closed-End High Yield Municipal Debt Funds category includes funds that invest at least 50% of their assets in lower-rated municipal debt issues. Lipper figures represent the average of the total returns at Net Asset Value reported by all of the closed-end funds designated by Lipper Inc. as falling into the Closed-End High Yield Municipal Debt Funds Category. Category returns assume reinvestment of all distributions. It is not possible to invest directly into a Lipper category.

Distribution Information
Twelve Months: Income Dividends (common shareholders) as of 11/30/06	$ .75
November Income Dividend (common shareholders)	$ .0550
Current Annualized Distribution Rate (Based on Net Asset Value) as of 11/30/06++	5.29%
Current Annualized Distribution Rate (Based on Market Price) as of 11/30/06++	5.38%
Tax Equivalent Distribution Rate (Based on Net Asset Value) as of 11/30/06++	8.14%
Tax Equivalent Distribution Rate (Based on Market Price) as of 11/30/06++	8.28%

⁺⁺ Current annualized distribution rate is the latest monthly dividend shown as an annualized percentage of net asset value/market price on November 30, 2006. Distribution rate simply measures the level of dividends and is not a complete measure of performance. Tax equivalent distribution rate is based on the Fund's distribution rate and a marginal income tax rate of 35%. Distribution rates are historical, not guaranteed and will fluctuate.

Lipper Rankings — Closed-End High Yield Municipal Debt Funds Category as of 11/30/06
Period	Rank		Number of Funds Tracked	Percentile Ranking (%)
1-Year	14	of	15	88
3-Year	11	of	15	69
5-Year	2	of	12	16
10-Year	1	of	12	8

Source: Lipper Inc. Rankings are historical and do not guarantee future results. Rankings are based on net asset value total return with distributions reinvested.

Portfolio Management Review

DWS Strategic Municipal Income Trust: A Team Approach to Investing

Deutsche Investment Management Americas Inc. ("DeIM" or the "Advisor"), which is part of Deutsche Asset Management, is the investment advisor for DWS Strategic Municipal Income Trust. DeIM and its predecessors have more than 80 years of experience managing mutual funds and DeIM provides a full range of investment advisory services to institutional and retail clients. DeIM is also responsible for selecting brokers and dealers and for negotiating brokerage commissions and dealer charges.

Deutsche Asset Management is a global asset management organization that offers a wide range of investing expertise and resources. This well-resourced global investment platform brings together a wide variety of experience and investment insight across industries, regions, asset classes and investing styles.

Portfolio Management Team

Philip G. Condon

Managing Director of Deutsche Asset Management and Lead Manager of the fund.

Joined Deutsche Asset Management in 1983 and the fund in 1998.

Over 29 years of investment industry experience.

BA, MBA, University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Rebecca Flinn

Vice President of Deutsche Asset Management and Portfolio Manager of the fund.

Joined Deutsche Asset Management in 1986 and the fund in 1998.

Over 19 years of investment industry experience.

BA, University of Redlands, California.

Philip G. Condon serves as lead portfolio manager of DWS Strategic Municipal Income Trust. Rebecca L. Flinn is a portfolio manager. In the following interview, the DWS municipal bond team discusses the fund's performance for the period and the market environment for municipal bonds.

Q: Will you describe the general market environment during the annual period ended November 30, 2006?

A: Municipal bonds delivered solid results over the period. The municipal bond market, as measured by the Lehman Brothers Municipal Bond Index, delivered a positive total return of 6.12% for the 12 months ended November 30, 2006.¹ The broad bond market, as measured by the Lehman Brothers Aggregate Bond Index, delivered a total return of 5.94% for the same period.²

¹ The Lehman Brothers Municipal Bond Index is an unmanaged, unleveraged, market-value-weighted measure of municipal bonds issued across the United States. Index issues have a credit rating of at least Baa and a maturity of at least two years.

² The Lehman Brothers Aggregate Bond Index is an unmanaged, unleveraged index representing domestic taxable investment-grade bonds, with index components for government and corporate securities, mortgage pass-through securities and asset-backed securities with average maturities of one year or more.

Index returns assume reinvestment of dividends and, unlike fund returns, do not reflect any fees or expenses. It is not possible to invest directly into an index.

For much of the period, the US Federal Reserve Board (the Fed) continued to gradually increase short-term interest rates as it attempted to move to a neutral monetary policy. Specifically, the federal funds rate (fed funds rate) — the overnight interbank lending rate and a benchmark for interest rates generally — was raised five times by 0.25%, to its current level of 5.25%. As a result, yields on shorter-term issues, which are most directly impacted by Fed rate changes, rose significantly. By contrast, yields on longer-term municipal bonds fell significantly. Since a bond's yield moves in the opposite direction of its price, this meant that long-term bonds generally provided the strongest performance.

The relationship between supply of, and demand for, municipal issues can be an important factor in the performance of this market. High demand or low supply can drive municipal bond prices higher, while low demand or high supply can have the reverse effect. Municipal supply nationally began to ease in late 2005, and remained lower for much of 2006, before beginning to uptick as rates fell. On the demand side, the municipal market has been increasingly driven by institutional investors using nontraditional strategies to benefit in a leveraged fashion from disparities between the tax-free and taxable markets. In addition, there has been strong interest from foreign buyers due to attractive features of the municipal market such as a relatively steep yield curve and low volatility compared to other available markets.³ The combination of lightening supply of, and strong institutional demand for, municipal issues contributed to their strong performance.

³ The yield curve is a graph with a left-to-right line that shows how high or low yields are, from the shortest to the longest maturities. Typically (and when the yield curve is characterized as "steep," this is especially true) the line rises from left to right as investors who are willing to tie up their money for a longer period are rewarded with higher yields.

The municipal bond yield curve flattened during the 12-month period. The two-year bond yield increased 21 basis points from 3.24% to 3.45% while the 30-year yield fell 64 basis points to 3.91% from 4.55%, resulting in a total flattening of 85 basis points. (See the graph below for municipal bond yield changes from the beginning to the end of the period.)

High-yield municipal bonds continued to outperform the broader municipal market over the annual period. Interest rates remain

Municipal Bond Yield Curve (as of 11/30/05 and 11/30/06)

Source: Municipal Market Data, AAA-rated universe

This chart is not intended to represent the yield of any DWS fund.

low by historical standards and investors continue to seek out higher-yielding, lower-quality investments. This increase in demand led high-yield securities to outperform higher-quality bonds in the period. In addition, the US economy continued to show signs of improvement for most of the period, strengthening the outlook for entities that issue high-yield bonds. As a result, the yield spread provided by high-yield bonds to compensate investors for assuming the incremental risk of these issues narrowed during the period, with a positive impact on prices.⁴

Q: How did DWS Strategic Municipal Income Trust perform for the 12-month period ended November 30, 2006?

A: For the period, DWS Strategic Municipal Income Trust delivered a total return based on net asset value (NAV) of 7.80%. The fund posted a total return based on market value of -8.02%. Its average peer in the Lipper Closed-End High Yield Municipal Debt Funds category delivered 10.80% in the period (based on NAV).⁵ The fund's benchmark, the unmanaged, unleveraged Lehman Brothers Municipal Bond Index, returned 6.12%. (Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Please see pages 4 through 5 for more complete performance information.)

⁴ The yield spread is the difference between the yield of a municipal bond security and the yield of an AAA-rated municipal credit. A large spread indicates that investors require yields substantially above those of Treasuries in order to invest in high-yield bonds. This is generally indicative of a higher-risk environment. A smaller spread generally indicates a more positive environment, since investors are less concerned about risk and therefore willing to accept lower yields. A drop in the yield spread is a positive.

⁵ The Lipper Closed-End High Yield Municipal Debt Funds category includes funds that invest at least 50% of their assets in lower-rated municipal debt issues. Lipper figures represent the average of the total returns (based on net asset value) reported by all of the closed-end funds designated by Lipper Inc. as falling into the Closed-End High Yield Municipal Debt Funds category. For the one-, five- and 10-year periods, this category's average was 10.80% (15 funds), 7.27% (12 funds) and 5.94% (12 funds), respectively, as of 11/30/06. Category returns assume reinvestment of all distributions. It is not possible to invest directly into a Lipper category.

We believe the fund's return based on market value is primarily the result of reductions in the fund's dividend over the period. These reductions reflected increased borrowing costs related to the fund's preferred shares. The reduced dividend rate allowed us to keep distributions in balance with net earnings.

Q: How was the fund positioned, and how did this positioning contribute to its performance for the annual period?

A: Over the period we managed the fund to preserve its earnings capacity, and in this vein we continued to avoid excessive sales of bonds carrying high distribution yields. As a result, the fund's duration profile has shortened, with an increase in exposure to maturities under 10 years.⁶ The fund's conservative structure with respect to interest rates constrained returns to a degree given the significant decline in long-term rates over the year. We expect to move the fund to a more neutral duration going forward.

⁶ Duration is a measure of bond price volatility. Duration can be defined as the approximate percentage change in price for a 100-basis-point (one single percentage point) change in market interest rate levels. A duration of 1.25, for example, means that the price of a bond or bond portfolio should rise by approximately 1.25% for a one-percentage-point drop in interest rates, and that it should fall by 1.25% for a one-percentage-point rise in interest rates.

The flattening of the yield curve that has occurred has significantly reduced the income advantage provided by longer-term issues. In fact, at the end of the period, yields of 30-year AAA-rated municipal bonds were at their lowest levels in a generation. In this environment, among investment-grade bonds we are currently emphasizing maturities in the 10- to 15-year range that are priced to a call.

The fund's returns were somewhat constrained by our relative underweighting (relative to the benchmark) of lower-quality, higher-yielding bonds, which outperformed over the period. Our selection within airline-related issues helped performance, as we managed to avoid most of the direct impact of the Delta and Northwest bankruptcy filings. During the period we increased our exposure to longer-term issues related to senior living centers. Our holdings of hospital and senior living issues helped returns as these sectors benefited from spread tightening and refunding activity (which generally results in an improved credit profile for the affected issues). Ongoing refunding activity is the principal explanation for the increased representation of AAA-rated prerefunded bonds in the fund versus 12 months ago.

Overall, the yield advantage provided by high-yield issues has been at historical lows, and we did not feel that we could justify any significant tilt toward lower quality given the minimal incremental reward. We believe the fund is well-positioned given the current risk/reward profile of the high-yield market.

As noted earlier, institutional investors using nontraditional strategies have been driving a fundamental shift in the dynamics of the municipal market. As a result, we believe the municipal yield curve has not only flattened but can be expected to remain flatter than its history suggests is the norm. In addition, as the use of municipal bonds in hedging strategies increases, their returns are becoming more influenced by those of other markets. We are monitoring these trends closely and factoring them into our decisions with respect to yield curve exposure.

At the end of the period, the 10-year municipal bond was yielding nearly 80% of the comparable maturity Treasury bond before taking into account the impact of taxes, reflecting in our view a reasonably attractive valuation. Going forward, we will continue to manage the fund's credit profile opportunistically, adjusting our exposure to lower-quality issues up or down in view of the relative value they present. With credit spreads currently narrow by historical standards, we believe our somewhat defensive stance from a quality perspective has us well-positioned for the next high-yield market cycle. We will continue to take a prudent approach to investing in the municipal market, while seeking to maintain an attractive dividend.

The views expressed in this report reflect those of the portfolio managers only through the end of the period of the report as stated on the cover. The managers' views are subject to change at any time based on market and other conditions and should not be construed as a recommendation. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Portfolio Summary

Asset Allocation	11/30/06	11/30/05
Revenue Bonds	61%	71%
ETM/Prerefunded Bonds	33%	22%
General Obligation Bonds	4%	5%
Lease Obligations	2%	2%
	100%	100%

Quality	11/30/06	11/30/05
AAA	36%	36%
AA	5%	5%
A	10%	9%
BBB	17%	18%
BB	2%	1%
B	1%	1%
Below B	2%	2%
Not Rated	27%	28%
	100%	100%

Interest Rate Sensitivity	11/30/06	11/30/05
Average Maturity	4.7 years	6.0 years
Duration	4.0 years	4.7 years

Top Five State Allocations (% of Total Investment Portfolio)	11/30/06	11/30/05
Texas	15%	15%
New York	10%	10%
California	6%	7%
Illinois	6%	8%
Maryland	6%	5%

Asset allocation, quality, interest rate sensitivity and top five state allocations are subject to change. Duration shown does not account for the leverage position of the Fund.

The quality ratings represent the lower of Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's") or Standard & Poor's Corporation ("S&P") credit ratings. The ratings of Moody's and S&P represent their opinions as to the quality of the securities they rate. Ratings are relative and subjective and are not absolute standards of quality. The Fund's credit quality does not remove market risk.

For more complete details about the Fund's investment portfolio, see page 13. A quarterly Fact Sheet is available upon request. Please see the Additional Information section for contact information.

Following the Fund's fiscal first and third quarter-end, a complete portfolio holdings listing is filed with the SEC on Form N-Q. The form will be available on the SEC's Web site at www.sec.gov, and it also may be reviewed and copied at the SEC's Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. Information on the operation of the SEC's Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling (800) SEC-0330.

Investment Portfolio as of November 30, 2006

	Principal Amount ($)	Value ($)
Municipal Bonds and Notes 149.0%
Alabama 2.9%
Alabama, Sales & Special Tax Revenue, Public School and College Authority, Series C, 5.625%, 7/1/2013	1,000,000	1,063,990
Huntsville, AL, Hospital & Healthcare Revenue, Health Care Authority, Series A, 5.75%, 6/1/2031	1,500,000	1,614,270
Montgomery, AL, Medical Clinic Board, Health Care Facility Revenue, Jackson Hospital & Clinic, 5.25%, 3/1/2036	250,000	263,560
Sylacauga, AL, Health Care Authority Revenue, Coosa Valley Medical Center, Series A, 6.0%, 8/1/2035	1,000,000	1,045,240
		3,987,060
Arizona 1.4%
Arizona, Project Revenue, Health Facilities Authority, The New Foundation Project, 8.25%, 3/1/2019	1,900,000	1,909,671
California 9.2%
California, Special Assessment Revenue, Golden State Tobacco Securitization Corp.:
Series B, 5.625%, 6/1/2038	1,890,000	2,116,535
Series 2003-A-1, 6.75%, 6/1/2039	4,500,000	5,178,825
California, State Public Works Board, Lease Revenue, Department of Corrections, Series C, 5.5%, 6/1/2019	1,920,000	2,134,118
Sacramento County, CA, Sales & Special Tax Revenue, Bradshaw Road Project, 7.2%, 9/2/2015	1,050,000	1,057,970
Sacramento, CA, Project Revenue, City Financing Authority, Convention Center Hotel, Series A, 6.25%, 1/1/2030	2,000,000	2,087,140
		12,574,588
Colorado 5.6%
Colorado, Health Facilities Authority Revenue, Adventist Health Sunbelt, Series D, 5.25%, 11/15/2027	1,500,000	1,623,900
Colorado, Heatlh Facilities Authority Revenue, Christian Living Communities Project, Series A, 5.75%, 1/1/2037	1,000,000	1,053,050
Colorado, Hospital & Healthcare Revenue, Portercare Adventist Health Project, 6.5%, 11/15/2031	1,000,000	1,138,240
Colorado, Transportation/Tolls Revenue, Northwest Parkway Public Highway Authority, Series D, 7.125%, 6/15/2041	1,150,000	1,213,388
Denver, CO, Sales & Special Tax Revenue, Urban Renewal Authority, AMT, 7.75%, 9/1/2016	1,515,000	1,544,967
Mesa County, CO, Valley School District No. 051 Grand Junction, Series A, 5.0%, 12/1/2024 (a)	1,000,000	1,075,350
		7,648,895
Connecticut 2.8%
Greenwich, CT, Multi-Family Housing Revenue, 6.35%, 9/1/2027	2,000,000	2,086,140
Mashantucket, CT, Sports, Expo & Entertainment Revenue, Mashantucket Western Pequot Tribe:
Series B, 144A, Zero Coupon, 9/1/2017	2,000,000	1,180,940
Series B, 144A, Zero Coupon, 9/1/2018	1,000,000	560,310
		3,827,390
District of Columbia 0.8%
District of Columbia, General Obligation:
Series A, Prerefunded, 5.0%, 6/1/2018 (a)	340,000	350,655
Series A, 5.0%, 6/1/2018 (a)	660,000	678,434
		1,029,089
Florida 5.1%
Miami Beach, FL, Health Facilities Authority Hospital Revenue, Mount Sinai Medical Center, 144A, 6.75%, 11/15/2029	1,600,000	1,855,360
Nassau County, FL, ICF/MR-Intercare Facilities Mentally Retarded Revenue, GF/Amelia Island Properties Project, Series A, 9.75%, 1/1/2023	1,810,000	1,815,955
Orlando, FL, Greater Aviation Authority, Airport Facilities Revenue, Jet Blue Airways Corp., AMT, 6.5%, 11/15/2036	1,000,000	1,049,830
Orlando, FL, Special Assessment Revenue, Conroy Road Interchange Project, Series A, 5.8%, 5/1/2026	1,000,000	1,032,260
Pasco County, FL, School Board Certificates of Participation, 3.48%*, 8/1/2026 (a)	1,200,000	1,200,000
		6,953,405
Georgia 1.0%
Americus-Sumter County, GA, Hospital & Healthcare Revenue, Hospital Authority, South Georgia Methodist, Series A, 6.375%, 5/15/2029	1,250,000	1,295,225
Guam 0.8%
Guam, Government Waterworks Authority, Water & Wastewater System Revenue, 6.0%, 7/1/2025	1,000,000	1,105,430
Hawaii 1.0%
Hawaii, State General Obligation:
Series CU, Prerefunded, 5.75%, 10/1/2011 (a)	65,000	70,167
Series CU, 5.75%, 10/1/2011 (a)	1,185,000	1,278,331
		1,348,498
Illinois 9.3%
Chicago, IL, Core City General Obligation, Board of Education, Series A, 5.75%, 12/1/2017 (a)	1,380,000	1,519,035
Chicago, IL, Housing Authority Revenue, 5.0%, 7/1/2016 (a)	1,570,000	1,720,798
Illinois, Finance Authority Revenue, Three Crowns Park Plaza, Series A, 5.875%, 2/15/2038	1,000,000	1,055,550
Illinois, Hospital & Healthcare Revenue, 6.75%, 2/15/2016	2,180,000	2,407,003
Illinois, State General Obligation, Prerefunded, 6.0%, 1/1/2013 (a)	3,315,000	3,553,813
Illinois, Upper River Valley Development Authority, Solid Waste Disposal Revenue, Waste Recovery Project, AMT, 5.9%, 2/1/2014	1,475,000	1,503,585
University Park, IL, Sales & Special Tax Revenue, Governors Gateway Industrial Park, 8.5%, 12/1/2011	955,000	958,534
		12,718,318
Indiana 2.6%
Indiana, Senior Care Revenue, Health Facilities Finance Authority, Franciscan Eldercare Community Services, 5.875%, 5/15/2029	3,000,000	3,060,510
Indianapolis, IN, Local Public Improvement Bond Bank, Indianapolis Airport Authority, Series F, AMT, 5.0%, 1/1/2015 (a)	500,000	537,815
		3,598,325
Iowa 1.4%
Iowa, Cedar Rapids Iowa Revenue First Mortgage Cottage Grove, Series A, 5.875%, 7/1/2028	1,245,000	1,033,774
Lake City, IA, Senior Care Revenue, Health Care Facility, Opportunity Living Project, 144A, 6.45%, 5/1/2011	875,000	887,311
		1,921,085
Kansas 3.1%
Manhattan, KS, Senior Care Revenue, Meadowlark Hills Retirement, Series A, 6.5%, 5/15/2028	500,000	520,270
Overland Park, KS, Industrial Development Revenue, Series A, 7.375%, 1/1/2032	2,000,000	2,196,420
Wyandotte County, KS, Unified Government Special Obligation Revenue, Sales Tax, Series B, 5.0%, 12/1/2020	1,400,000	1,469,846
		4,186,536
Kentucky 0.8%
Kentucky, Economic Development Finance Authority, Health System Revenue, Norton Healthcare:
Series A, Prerefunded, 6.625%, 10/1/2028	790,000	881,300
Series A, 6.625%, 10/1/2028	210,000	234,350
		1,115,650
Louisiana 2.4%
Morehouse Parish, LA, Pollution Control Revenue, International Paper Co. Project, Series A, 5.25%, 11/15/2013	3,000,000	3,211,650
Maryland 9.2%
Anne Arundel County, MD, General Obligation, National Business Park Project, Prerefunded, 144A, 7.375%, 7/1/2028	991,000	1,133,347
Anne Arundel County, MD, Revenue Lease, Arundel Mills Project, Prerefunded, 7.1%, 7/1/2029	1,500,000	1,656,975
Maryland, Higher Education Revenue, Collegiate Housing Foundation:
Series A, Prerefunded, 5.75%, 6/1/2019	1,000,000	1,069,680
Series A, Prerefunded, 5.75%, 6/1/2031	1,000,000	1,069,680
Maryland, Hospital & Healthcare Revenue, University of Maryland Medical System, 6.75%, 7/1/2030	1,000,000	1,114,740
Maryland, Project Revenue, Economic Development Corp., Chesapeake Bay, Series B, 7.625%, 12/1/2022	4,000,000	4,457,000
Maryland, State Economic Development Corp. Revenue, Sr. Lien Project, Chesapeake Bay, Series B, 5.25%, 12/1/2031	2,000,000	2,049,260
		12,550,682
Massachusetts 7.8%
Massachusetts, Hospital & Healthcare Revenue, Health & Educational Facilities Authority, Civic Investments, Series A, 9.0%, 12/15/2015	1,900,000	2,332,554
Massachusetts, Hospital & Healthcare Revenue, Partners Healthcare System, Series C, 5.75%, 7/1/2032	1,000,000	1,089,520
Massachusetts, Industrial Development Revenue, Development Finance Agency, Series A, 7.1%, 7/1/2032	1,925,000	2,014,205
Massachusetts, Project Revenue, Health & Educational Facilities Authority, Jordan Hospital, Series E, 6.75%, 10/1/2033	1,790,000	2,001,721
Massachusetts, State General Obligation, Consolidated Loan:
Series B, Prerefunded, 5.0%, 4/1/2016 (a)	915,000	941,279
Series B, 5.0%, 4/1/2016 (a)	2,260,000	2,324,907
		10,704,186
Michigan 5.3%
Kalamazoo, MI, Industrial Development Revenue, Economic Development Corp., Series A, 7.5%, 5/15/2029	2,000,000	2,178,520
Kentwood, MI, Economic Development, Limited Obligation, Holland Home, Series A, 5.375%, 11/15/2036	1,000,000	1,068,350
Michigan, State Hospital Finance Authority Revenue, Henry Ford Health System, Series A, 5.0%, 11/15/2016	1,125,000	1,224,169
Saginaw, MI, Hospital & Healthcare Revenue, Hospital Finance Authority, Covenant Medical Center, Series F, 6.5%, 7/1/2030	1,000,000	1,094,010
Tawas City, MI, Hospital Finance Authority, St. Joseph Health Services:
Series A, ETM, 5.6%, 2/15/2013	310,000	322,598
Series A, ETM, 5.75%, 2/15/2023	1,300,000	1,358,370
		7,246,017
Missouri 0.8%
St. Louis, MO, Special Assessment Revenue, Scullin Redevelopment Area, Series A, 10.0%, 8/1/2010	980,000	1,091,945
Nebraska 0.0%
Nebraska, Single Family Housing Revenue, Investment Finance Authority, AMT, Series A, 6.7%, 9/1/2026	5,000	5,061
Nevada 1.5%
Las Vegas, NV, Transportation/Tolls Revenue, Las Vegas Monorail Project, 7.375%, 1/1/2030	2,000,000	2,085,560
Nevada, Single Family Housing Revenue, AMT, Series C, 6.5%, 4/1/2028	5,000	5,106
		2,090,666
New Hampshire 2.5%
New Hampshire, Health & Education Facilities Authority Revenue, Havenwood Heritage Heights, Series A, 5.4%, 1/1/2030	750,000	758,333
New Hampshire, Higher Education Revenue, Health & Educational Facilities Authority, New Hampshire College Issue, 7.4%, 1/1/2023	1,000,000	1,149,940
New Hampshire, Hospital & Healthcare Revenue, Rivermead at Peterborough Retirement Community, 5.75%, 7/1/2028	1,500,000	1,542,390
		3,450,663
New Jersey 4.0%
New Jersey, Economic Development Authority Revenue, Cigarette Tax, 5.75%, 6/15/2034	290,000	315,239
New Jersey, Economic Development Authority Revenue, Motor Vehicle Surplus Revenue:
Series A, 5.0%, 7/1/2022 (a)	1,430,000	1,544,085
Series A, 5.0%, 7/1/2023 (a)	1,770,000	1,890,148
New Jersey, Resource Recovery Revenue, Tobacco Settlement Financing Corp., 5.75%, 6/1/2032	1,615,000	1,719,313
		5,468,785
New Mexico 2.0%
Farmington, NM, Pollution Control Revenue, 5.8%, 4/1/2022	2,750,000	2,756,050
New York 14.7%
Nassau County, NY, Hospital & Healthcare Revenue, 6.0%, 8/1/2016 (a)	2,825,000	3,058,232
Nassau County, NY, Project Revenue, North Shore Healthcare Systems Project, Series B, 5.875%, 11/1/2011	575,000	607,160
New York, City Municipal Water Finance Authority, Water & Sewer Systems Revenue, Series F-2, 3.45%*, 6/15/2033	350,000	350,000
New York, Core City General Obligation, Series C, 7.0%, 2/1/2010	315,000	316,679
New York, Sales & Special Tax Revenue, Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Series A, Prerefunded, 5.125%, 4/1/2019 (a)	1,450,000	1,605,483
New York, Sales & Special Tax Revenue, Transitional Finance Authority, Series B, 6.0%, 11/15/2013	490,000	534,668
New York, State General Obligation Lease, Higher Education Revenue, Dormitory Authority, State University, Prerefunded, 5.125%, 5/15/2021 (a)	1,880,000	1,940,912
New York, Transitional Finance Authority, Series B, Prerefunded, 6.0%, 11/15/2013	1,510,000	1,647,652
New York, Transportation/Tolls Revenue, Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority Systems, ETM, Series Y, 6.0%, 1/1/2012	5,000,000	5,423,600
New York City, NY, Industrial Development Agency Revenue, Liberty-7, World Trade Center, Series A, 6.25%, 3/1/2015	2,000,000	2,135,900
New York City, NY, Industrial Development Agency, Special Facility Revenue, American Airlines, JFK International Airport, AMT, 8.0%, 8/1/2028	2,000,000	2,473,900
		20,094,186
North Carolina 1.8%
North Carolina, Electric Revenue, Municipal Power Agency:
Series C, 5.375%, 1/1/2017	1,000,000	1,071,640
Series B, 6.375%, 1/1/2013	1,300,000	1,404,780
		2,476,420
North Dakota 0.8%
Grand Forks, ND, Hospital & Healthcare Revenue, Altru Health Care System, 7.125%, 8/15/2024	1,000,000	1,112,150
Pennsylvania 5.2%
Montgomery County, PA, Industrial Development Authority Revenue, Whitemarsh Continuing Care, 6.25%, 2/1/2035	600,000	643,926
Montgomery County, PA, Senior Care Revenue, Higher Education & Health Authority, Philadelphia Geriatric Center, Series A, 7.25%, 12/1/2027	2,000,000	2,224,040
Pennsylvania, Hospital & Healthcare Revenue, Economic Development Financing Authority, UPMC Health System, Series A, 6.0%, 1/15/2031	750,000	819,135
Pennsylvania, St. Mary Hospital Authority, Health Systems Revenue, Catholic Health East, Series B, 5.5%, 11/15/2024	1,465,000	1,601,479
Philadelphia, Redevelopment Authority Revenue, First Lien Mortgage, Series A, 6.5%, 1/1/2029	629,000	650,015
Westmoreland County, PA, Senior Care Revenue, Industrial Development Authority, Health Care Facilities-Redstone, Series B, 8.125%, 11/15/2030	1,000,000	1,160,030
		7,098,625
Puerto Rico 1.6%
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Government Development Bank, Series C, AMT, 5.25%, 1/1/2015	2,000,000	2,176,240
Rhode Island 1.6%
Rhode Island, Special Assessment Revenue, Series A, 6.125%, 6/1/2032	2,000,000	2,153,340
South Carolina 7.0%
South Carolina, Hospital & Healthcare Revenue, Jobs Economic Development Authority, Bon Secours Health Systems, Inc., Series A, 5.625%, 11/15/2030	2,000,000	2,155,920
South Carolina, Jobs Economic Development Authority, Hospital Facilities Revenue, Palmetto Health Alliance:
Series C, Prerefunded, 7.0%, 8/1/2030	1,375,000	1,644,060
Series C, 7.0%, 8/1/2030	170,000	202,157
Series A, Prerefunded, 7.375%, 12/15/2021	1,000,000	1,157,080
South Carolina, Transportation Infrastructure Bank Revenue, Series A, Prerefunded, 5.375%, 10/1/2024 (a)	4,150,000	4,394,020
		9,553,237
South Dakota 1.6%
South Dakota, Hospital & Healthcare Revenue, Sioux Valley Hospital, Series E, 5.375%, 11/1/2024	2,000,000	2,116,500
Tennessee 2.6%
Clarksville, TN, Natural Gas Acquisition Corp., Gas Revenue:
5.0%, 12/15/2017	500,000	548,295
5.0%, 12/15/2018	540,000	594,184
Johnson City, TN, Hospital & Healthcare Revenue, Health & Educational Facilities Board Hospital, Series A, 7.5%, 7/1/2033	2,000,000	2,353,780
		3,496,259
Texas 22.3%
Abilene, TX, Senior Care Revenue, Health Facilities Development, Sears Methodist Retirement Facilities, Series A, 5.9%, 11/15/2025	2,500,000	2,555,475
Austin, TX, Project Revenue, Bergstrom Landhost Enterprises, Inc. Airport Hotel Project, Series A, 6.75%, 4/1/2027	1,990,000	1,518,052
Crowley, TX, School District General Obligation, 5.125%, 8/1/2025	4,000,000	4,104,640
Hidalgo County, TX, Hospital & Healthcare Revenue, Mission Hospital, Inc. Project, 6.75%, 8/15/2016	2,000,000	2,083,560
Houston, TX, General Obligation:
Series A, Prerefunded, 5.0%, 3/1/2016	1,365,000	1,389,898
5.0%, 3/1/2016	1,635,000	1,658,887
Houston, TX, School District General Obligation, Series A, 5.0%, 2/15/2024	2,000,000	2,062,040
Houston, TX, Transportation/Tolls Revenue, Special Facilities, Continental Airlines, Inc., AMT, Series E, 6.75%, 7/1/2029	2,000,000	2,158,980
Tarrant County, TX, Hospital & Healthcare Revenue, Health Facilities Development Corp., 6.7%, 11/15/2030	1,000,000	1,121,100
Texas, Industrial Development Revenue, Waste Disposal Authority, AMT, Series A, 6.1%, 8/1/2024	1,000,000	1,084,670
Texas, Lower Colorado River Authority Revenue, Series B, 6.0%, 5/15/2013 (a)	5,000,000	5,329,300
Travis County, TX, Health Facilities Development Corp., Retirement Facility Revenue, Querencia Barton Creek Project, 5.65%, 11/15/2035	1,250,000	1,290,750
Travis County, TX, Hospital & Healthcare Revenue, Ascension Health Credit, Series A, 6.0%, 11/15/2012 (a)	3,860,000	4,134,446
		30,491,798
Virgin Islands 2.4%
Virgin Islands, Sales & Special Tax Revenue, Public Finance Authority, Series A, 6.375%, 10/1/2019	3,000,000	3,300,810
Virginia 1.6%
Fairfax County, VA, Hospital & Healthcare Revenue, Economic Development Authority, Greenspring Retirement Community, Series A, 7.25%, 10/1/2019	2,000,000	2,222,240
West Virginia 1.6%
West Virginia, Hospital & Healthcare Revenue, Hospital Finance Authority, Charleston Medical Center, Series A, 6.75%, 9/1/2022	390,000	431,726
West Virginia, Hospital Finance Authority, Charleston Medical Center, Prerefunded, 6.75%, 9/1/2022	1,610,000	1,800,801
		2,232,527
Wisconsin 0.9%
Wisconsin, Hospital & Healthcare Revenue, Health & Education Facilities Authority, Aurora Health Care, Inc., 6.875%, 4/15/2030	1,000,000	1,159,400

	% of Net Assets	Value ($)
Total Investment Portfolio (Cost $185,935,747)+	149.0	203,478,602
Other Assets and Liabilities, Net	2.3	3,026,682
Preferred Shares, at Redemption Value	(51.3)	(70,000,000)
Net Assets Applicable to Common Shareholders	100.0	136,505,284

* Variable rate demand notes are securities whose interest rates are reset periodically at market levels. These securities are often payable on demand and are shown at their current rates as of November 30, 2006.

⁺ The cost for federal income tax purposes was $185,256,117. At November 30, 2006, net unrealized appreciation for all securities based on tax cost was $18,222,485. This consisted of aggregate gross unrealized appreciation for all securities in which there was an excess of value over tax cost of $18,706,804 and aggregate gross unrealized depreciation for all securities in which there was an excess of tax cost over value of $484,319.

(a) Bond is insured by one of these companies:

Insurance Coverage	As a % of Total Investment Portfolio
Ambac Financial Group	3.0
Financial Guaranty Insurance Company	2.7
Financial Security Assurance Inc.	5.7
MBIA Corp.	7.8

144A: Security exempt from registration under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933. These securities may be resold in transactions exempt from registration, normally to qualified institutional buyers.

AMT: Subject to alternative minimum tax.

ETM: Bonds bearing the description ETM (escrow to maturity) are collateralized usually by US Treasury securities which are held in escrow and used to repay principal and pay interest on bonds so designated.

Prerefunded: Bonds which are prerefunded are collateralized usually by US Treasury securities which are held in escrow and are used to repay principal and pay interest on tax-exempt issues and to retire the bonds in full at the earliest refunding date.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

Financial Statements

Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of November 30, 2006
Assets
Investments in securities, at value (cost $185,935,747)	$ 203,478,602
Cash	10,043
Receivable for investments sold	150,000
Interest receivable	3,342,661
Total assets	206,981,306
Liabilities
Payable for investments purchased	261,715
Dividends payable	13,848
Accrued management fee	105,189
Other accrued expenses and payables	95,270
Total liabilities	476,022
Preferred shares, at redemption value	70,000,000
Net assets applicable to common shareholders	$ 136,505,284
Net Assets
Net assets applicable to common shareholders consist of: Undistributed net investment income	329,031
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments	17,542,855
Accumulated net realized gain (loss)	(2,672,696)
Paid-in capital	121,306,094
Net assets applicable to common shareholders	$ 136,505,284
Net Asset Value
Net Asset Value per common share ($136,505,284 ÷ 10,936,008 outstanding shares of beneficial interest, $.01 par value, unlimited number of shares authorized)	$ 12.48

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

Statement of Operations for the year ended November 30, 2006
Investment Income
Income: Interest	$ 11,835,305
Expenses: Management fee	1,226,314
Services to shareholders	29,382
Custodian fees	17,353
Auditing	53,023
Legal	11,832
Trustees' fees and expenses	16,265
Reports to shareholders	51,978
Auction service fee	178,120
Stock exchange listing fees	31,131
Other	84,409
Total expenses before expense reductions	1,699,807
Expense reductions	(16,049)
Total expenses after expense reductions	1,683,758
Net investment income	10,151,547
Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investment Transactions
Net realized gain (loss) from investments	89,512
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) during the period on investments	2,414,327
Net gain (loss) on investment transactions	2,503,839
Dividends on preferred shares	(2,399,019)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations	$ 10,256,367

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

Statement of Changes in Net Assets
	Years Ended November 30,
Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets	2006	2005
Operations: Net investment income	$ 10,151,547	$ 10,279,156
Net realized gain (loss) on investment transactions	89,512	258,506
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investment transactions during the period	2,414,327	1,219,295
Dividends on preferred shares	(2,399,019)	(1,631,764)
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations	10,256,367	10,125,193
Distributions to common shareholders from: Net investment income	(8,195,230)	(9,790,616)
Fund share transactions: Net proceeds from shares issued to common shareholders in reinvestment of distributions	331,414	753,305
Net increase (decrease) in net assets from Fund share transactions	331,414	753,305
Increase (decrease) in net assets	2,392,551	1,087,882
Net assets at beginning of period	134,112,733	133,024,851
Net assets at end of period (including undistributed net investment income of $329,031 and $950,781, respectively)	$ 136,505,284	$ 134,112,733
Other Information
Common shares outstanding at beginning of period	10,910,224	10,850,831
Shares issued to common shareholders in reinvestment of distributions	25,784	59,393
Common shares outstanding at end of period	10,936,008	10,910,224

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

Financial Highlights

Years Ended November 30,	2006	2005	2004	2003	2002
Selected Per Share Data
Net asset value, beginning of period	$ 12.29	$ 12.26	$ 12.23	$ 11.84	$ 11.83
Income (loss) from investment operations: Net investment incomea	.93	.95	.98	.99	1.01
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investment transactions	.23	.13	.03	.34	(.13)
Dividends on preferred shares (common share equivalent): From net investment income	(.22)	(.15)	(.08)	(.07)	(.09)
Total from investment operations	.94	.93	.93	1.26	.79
Less distributions from: Net investment income to common shareholders	(.75)	(.90)	(.90)	(.87)	(.78)
Net asset value, end of period	$ 12.48	$ 12.29	$ 12.26	$ 12.23	$ 11.84
Market value, end of period	$12.26	$ 14.15	$ 12.38	$ 12.62	$ 11.78
Total Return
Based on net asset value (%)c	7.80b	7.59	7.98	10.85	7.00
Based on market value (%)c	(8.02)	22.68	5.58	15.16	4.86

Years Ended November 30, (continued)	2006	2005	2004	2003	2002
Ratios to Average Net Assets and Supplemental Data
Net assets, end of period ($ millions)	137	134	133	132	127
Ratio of expenses before custodian fee reductions (%) (based on net assets of common shares)	1.26	1.31	1.25	1.28	1.32
Ratio of expenses after custodian fee reductions (%) (based on net assets of common shares)	1.25	1.31	1.25	1.28	1.32
Ratio of expenses before custodian fee reductions (%) (based on net assets of common and preferred shares)	.83	.86	.82	.83	.86
Ratio of expenses after custodian fee reductions (%) (based on net assets of common and preferred shares)	.82	.86	.82	.83	.86
Ratio of net investment income (loss) (%) (based on net assets of common shares)	7.55	7.60	8.03	8.26	8.49
Ratio of net investment income (loss) (%) (based on net assets of common and preferred shares)	4.97	5.01	5.25	5.36	5.48
Portfolio turnover rate (%)	41	19	15	14	7
Preferred shares information at end of period: Aggregate amount outstanding ($ millions)	70	70	70	70	70
Asset coverage per share ($)d	73,752	72,900	72,500	72,200	70,500
Liquidation and market value per share ($)	25,000	25,000	25,000	25,000	25,000
a Based on average common shares outstanding during the period. b Total return would have been lower had certain fees not been reduced. c Total return based on net asset value reflects changes in the Fund's net asset value during each period. Total return based on market value reflects changes in market value. Each figure assumes that dividend and capital gain distributions, if any, were reinvested. These figures will differ depending upon the level of any discount from or premium to net asset value at which the Fund's shares traded during the period. d Asset coverage per share equals net assets of common shares plus the redemption value of the preferred shares divided by the total number of preferred shares outstanding at the end of the period.

Notes to Financial Statements

A. Significant Accounting Policies

DWS Strategic Municipal Income Trust (formerly Scudder Strategic Municipal Income Trust) (the ``Fund'') is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the ``1940 Act''), as a closed-end, diversified management investment company organized as a Massachusetts business trust.

The Fund's financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America which require the use of management estimates. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The policies described below are followed consistently by the Fund in the preparation of its financial statements.

Security Valuation. Investments are stated at value determined as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange on each day the exchange is open for trading. Debt securities are valued by independent pricing services approved by the Trustees of the Fund, whose valuations are intended to reflect the mean between the bid and asked prices. If the pricing services are unable to provide valuations, the securities are valued at the mean of the most recent bid and asked quotations or evaluated price obtained from a broker-dealer. Such services may use various pricing techniques which take into account appropriate factors such as yield, quality, coupon rate, maturity, type of issue, trading characteristics and other data, as well as broker quotes.

Money market instruments purchased with an original or remaining maturity of sixty days or less, maturing at par, are valued at amortized cost.

Securities and other assets for which market quotations are not readily available or for which the above valuation procedures are deemed not to reflect fair value are valued in a manner that is intended to reflect their fair value as determined in accordance with procedures approved by the Trustees.

In September 2006, FASB released Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 157, "Fair Value Measurements" ("FAS 157"). FAS 157 defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value and expands disclosures about fair value measurements. FAS 157 is effective for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007. As of November 30, 2006, management does not believe the adoption of FAS 157 will impact the amounts reported in the financial statements, however, additional disclosures will be required about the inputs used to develop the measurements of fair value and the effect of certain of the measurements reported in the statement of operations for a fiscal period.

Federal Income Taxes. The Fund's policy is to comply with the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended, which are applicable to regulated investment companies, and to distribute all of its taxable and tax-exempt income to its shareholders. Accordingly, the Fund paid no federal income taxes and no federal income tax provision was required.

At November 30, 2006, the Fund had a net tax basis capital loss carryforward of approximately $3,352,000, which may be applied against any realized net taxable capital gains of each succeeding year until fully utilized or until November 30, 2010 ($2,000), November 30, 2011 ($3,165,000) and November 30, 2012 ($185,000), the respective expiration dates, whichever occurs first.

During the year ended November 30, 2006, the Fund utilized approximately $183,000 of its prior year capital loss carryforward.

In July 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Interpretation No. 48, "Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes — an interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109" (the "Interpretation"). The Interpretation establishes for the Fund a minimum threshold for financial statement recognition of the benefit of positions taken in filing tax returns (including whether the Fund is taxable in certain jurisdictions), and requires certain expanded tax disclosures. The Interpretation is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2006. Management has begun to evaluate the application of the Interpretation to the Fund and is not in a position at this time to estimate the significance of its impact, if any, on the Fund's financial statements.

Distribution of Income and Gains. Net investment income of the Fund, if any, is declared and distributed to shareholders monthly. Net realized gains from investment transactions, in excess of available capital loss carryforwards, would be taxable to the Fund if not distributed, and, therefore, will be distributed to shareholders at least annually.

The timing and characterization of certain income and capital gains distributions are determined annually in accordance with federal tax regulations which may differ from accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. These differences primarily relate to certain securities sold at a loss and accretion of market discount on debt securities. As a result, net investment income (loss) and net realized gain (loss) on investment transactions for a reporting period may differ significantly from distributions during such period. Accordingly, the Fund may periodically make reclassifications among certain of its capital accounts without impacting the net asset value of the Fund.

At November 30, 2006, the Fund's components of distributable earnings (accumulated losses) on a tax-basis were as follows:

Undistributed tax-exempt income	$ 366,860
Capital loss carryforwards	$ (3,352,000)
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investments	$ 18,222,485

In addition, the tax character of distributions paid to shareholders by the Fund are summarized as follows:

	Years Ended November 30,
	2006	2005
Distributions from tax-exempt income	$ 10,594,249	$ 11,422,380

Preferred Shares. The Fund has issued and outstanding 2,800 Series T municipal auction rate cumulative preferred shares, at a liquidation value of $25,000 per share. The preferred shares are senior to and have certain class specific preferences over the common shares. The dividend rate is set through an auction process, and the dividends are generally paid every 7 days. The auction agent will pay each broker-dealer a service charge from funds provided by the Fund ("Auction Service Fee"). The 1940 Act requires that the preferred shareholders of the Fund, voting as a separate class, have the right to: a) elect at least two trustees at all times, and b) elect a majority of the trustees at any time when dividends on the preferred shares are unpaid for two full years. Unless otherwise required by law or under the terms of the preferred shares designation statement, each preferred share is entitled to one vote and preferred shareholders will vote together with common shareholders as a single class and have the same voting rights.

Contingencies. In the normal course of business, the Fund may enter into contracts with service providers that contain general indemnification clauses. The Fund's maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown as this would involve future claims that may be made against the Fund that have not yet been made. However, based on experience, the Fund expects the risk of loss to be remote.

Other. Investment transactions are accounted for on a trade date plus one basis for daily net asset value calculations. However, for financial reporting purposes, investment transactions are reported on trade date. Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis. Realized gains and losses from investment transactions are recorded on an identified cost basis. All premiums and discounts are amortized/accreted for financial reporting purposes, with the exception of securities in default of principal.

B. Purchases and Sales of Securities

During the year ended November 30, 2006, purchases and sales of investment securities (excluding short-term investments) aggregated $83,112,327 and $86,305,148, respectively.

C. Related Parties

Management Agreement. Under the Investment Management Agreement with Deutsche Investment Management Americas Inc. ("DeIM" or the "Advisor"), an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Deutsche Bank AG, the Advisor directs the investments of the Fund in accordance with its investment objectives, policies and restrictions. The Advisor determines the securities, instruments and other contracts relating to investments to be purchased, sold or entered into by the Fund. In addition to portfolio management services, the Advisor provides certain administrative services in accordance with the Management Agreement. The Fund pays a monthly investment management fee of 1/12 of the annual rate of 0.60% of the Fund's average weekly net assets, computed and accrued daily and payable monthly.

Service Provider Fees. State Street Bank and Trust Company is the named transfer agent. However, pursuant to a sub-transfer agency agreement between State Street Bank and Trust Company and DWS Scudder Investments Service Company ("DWS-SISC"), an affiliate of the Advisor, DWS-SISC is the transfer agent, dividend-paying and shareholder service agent for the Fund. Pursuant to a sub-transfer agency agreement between DWS-SISC and DST Systems, Inc. ("DST"), DWS-SISC has delegated certain transfer agent and dividend-paying agent functions to DST. DWS-SISC compensates DST out of the shareholder servicing fee it receives from the Fund. For the year ended November 30, 2006, the amount charged to the Fund by DWS-SISC aggregated $24,079, of which $6,820 is unpaid.

Typesetting and Filing Service Fees. Under an agreement with DeIM, DeIM is compensated for providing typesetting and certain regulatory filing services to the Fund. For the year ended November 30, 2006, the amount charged to the Fund by DeIM included in the Statement of Operations under "reports to shareholders" aggregated $8,880, all of which $4,440 is unpaid.

Trustees' Fees and Expenses. The Fund paid each Trustee not affiliated with the Advisor retainer fees plus specified amounts for various committee services and for the Board Chairperson.

Other Related Parties. Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, an affiliate of the Advisor, is the auction agent with respect to the Preferred Shares. The auction agent will pay each broker dealer a service charge from funds provided by the Fund ("Auction Service Fee"). The Auction Service Fee charged to the Fund for the year ended November 30, 2006 aggregated $178,120, of which $976 is unpaid.

In addition, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, charges an Administration fee for Preferred Shares. The amount charged to the Fund for the year ended November 30, 2006 aggregated $5,540, all of which has been paid.

D. Expense Reductions

For the year ended November 30, 2006, the Advisor agreed to reimburse the Fund $3,156, which represents a portion of the fee savings expected to be realized by the Advisor related to the outsourcing by the Advisor of certain administrative services to an unaffiliated service provider.

In addition, the Fund has entered into an arrangement with its custodian and transfer agent whereby credits realized as a result of uninvested cash balances are used to reduce a portion of the Fund's custodian expenses. During the year ended November 30, 2006, the Fund's custodian fees were reduced by $234 and $12,659, respectively, for custody and transfer agent credits earned.

E. Line of Credit

The Fund and several other affiliated funds (the ``Participants'') share in a $750 million revolving credit facility administered by JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. for temporary or emergency purposes. The Participants are charged an annual commitment fee which is allocated, based upon net assets, among each of the Participants. Interest is calculated at the Federal Funds Rate plus 0.5 percent. The Fund may borrow up to a maximum of 33 percent of its net assets under the agreement.

F. Regulatory Matters and Litigation

Regulatory Settlements. On December 21, 2006, Deutsche Asset Management ("DeAM") settled proceedings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and the New York Attorney General on behalf of Deutsche Asset Management, Inc. ("DeAM, Inc.") and Deutsche Investment Management Americas Inc. ("DeIM"), the investment advisors to many of the DWS Scudder funds, regarding allegations of improper trading at DeAM and at the legacy Scudder and Kemper organizations prior to their acquisition by DeAM in April 2002. These regulators alleged that although the prospectuses for certain open-end funds ("funds") in the regulators' view indicated that the funds did not permit market timing, DeAM, Inc. and DeIM breached their fiduciary duty to those funds in that their efforts to limit trading activity in the funds were not effective at certain times. The regulators also alleged that DeAM, Inc. and DeIM breached their fiduciary duty to certain funds by entering into certain market timing arrangements with investors. These trading arrangements originated in businesses that existed prior to the currently constituted DeAM organization, which came together as a result of various mergers of the legacy Scudder, Kemper and Deutsche fund groups, and all of the arrangements were terminated prior to the start of the regulatory investigations that began in the summer of 2003. No current DeAM employee approved these trading arrangements. Under the terms of the settlements, DeAM, Inc. and DeIM neither admit nor deny any wrongdoing.

The terms of the SEC settlement, which identified improper trading in the legacy Deutsche and Kemper mutual funds only, provide for payment of disgorgement in the amount of $17.2 million. The terms of the settlement with the New York Attorney General provide for payment of disgorgement in the amount of $102.3 million, which is inclusive of the amount payable under the SEC settlement, plus a civil penalty in the amount of $20 million. The total amount payable by DeAM, approximately $122.3 million, would be distributed in accordance with a distribution plan to be developed by a distribution consultant. The funds' investment advisors do not believe these amounts will have a material adverse financial impact on them or materially affect their ability to perform under their investment management agreements with the DWS funds. The above-described amounts are not material to Deutsche Bank, and have already been reserved.

Among the terms of the settled orders, DeAM is subject to certain undertakings regarding the conduct of its business in the future, including: formation of a Code of Ethics Oversight Committee to oversee all matters relating to issues arising under the advisors' Code of Ethics; establishment of an Internal Compliance Controls Committee having overall compliance oversight responsibility of the advisors; engagement of an Independent Compliance Consultant to conduct a comprehensive review of the advisors' supervisory compliance and other policies and procedures designed to prevent and detect breaches of fiduciary duty, breaches of the Code of Ethics and federal securities law violations by the advisors and their employees; and commencing in 2008, the advisors shall undergo a compliance review by an independent third party.

In addition, DeAM is subject to certain further undertakings relating to the governance of the mutual funds, including that: at least 75% of the members of the Boards of Trustees/Directors overseeing the DWS Funds continue to be independent of DeAM; the Chairmen of the DWS Funds' Boards of Trustees/Directors continue to be independent of DeAM; DeAM maintain existing management fee reductions for certain funds for a period of five years and not increase management fees for certain funds during this period; the funds retain a senior officer (or independent consultants) responsible for assisting in the review of fee arrangements and monitoring compliance by the funds and the investment advisors with securities laws, fiduciary duties, codes of ethics and other compliance policies, the expense of which shall be borne by DeAM; and periodic account statements, fund prospectuses and the mutual funds' web site contain additional disclosure and/or tools that assist investors in understanding the fees and costs associated with an investment in the funds and the impact of fees and expenses on fund returns.

DeAM has also settled proceedings with the Illinois Secretary of State regarding market timing matters. The terms of the Illinois settlement provide for investor education contributions totaling approximately $4 million and a payment in the amount of $2 million to the Securities Audit and Enforcement Fund.

On September 28, 2006, the SEC and the National Association of Securities Dealers ("NASD") announced final agreements in which Deutsche Investment Management Americas Inc. ("DeIM"), Deutsche Asset Management, Inc. ("DeAM, Inc.") and Scudder Distributors, Inc. ("SDI") (now known as DWS Scudder Distributors, Inc.) settled administrative proceedings regarding disclosure of brokerage allocation practices in connection with sales of the Scudder Funds' (now known as the DWS Scudder Funds) shares during 2001-2003. The agreements with the SEC and NASD are reflected in orders which state, among other things, that DeIM and DeAM, Inc. failed to disclose potential conflicts of interest to the fund Boards and to shareholders relating to SDI's use of certain funds' brokerage commissions to reduce revenue sharing costs to broker-dealer firms with whom it had arrangements to market and distribute Scudder Fund shares. These directed brokerage practices were discontinued in October 2003.

Under the terms of the settlements, in which DeIM, DeAM, Inc. and SDI neither admitted nor denied any of the regulators' findings, DeIM, DeAM, Inc. and SDI agreed to pay disgorgement, prejudgment interest and civil penalties in the total amount of $19.3 million. The portion of the settlements distributed to the funds was approximately $17.8 million and was paid to the funds as prescribed by the settlement orders based upon the amount of brokerage commissions from each fund used to satisfy revenue sharing agreements with broker-dealers who sold fund shares. Based on the prescribed settlement order, the Fund was not entitled to a portion of the settlement.

As part of the settlements, DeIM, DeAM, Inc. and SDI also agreed to implement certain measures and undertakings relating to revenue sharing payments including making additional disclosures in the fund Prospectuses or Statements of Additional Information, adopting or modifying relevant policies and procedures and providing regular reporting to the fund Boards.

Private Litigation Matters. The matters alleged in the regulatory settlements described above also serve as the general basis of a number of private class action lawsuits involving the DWS funds. These lawsuits name as defendants various persons, including certain DWS funds, the funds' investment advisors and their affiliates, and certain individuals, including in some cases fund Trustees/Directors, officers, and other parties. Each DWS fund's investment advisor has agreed to indemnify the applicable DWS funds in connection with these lawsuits, or other lawsuits or regulatory actions that may be filed making similar allegations.

Based on currently available information, the funds' investment advisors believe the likelihood that the pending lawsuits will have a material adverse financial impact on a DWS fund is remote and such actions are not likely to materially affect their ability to perform under their investment management agreements with the DWS funds.

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Board of Trustees and Shareholders of DWS Strategic Municipal Income Trust:

We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities of DWS Strategic Municipal Income Trust (formerly Scudder Strategic Municipal Income Trust) (the "Fund"), including the investment portfolio, as of November 30, 2006, and the related statement of operations for the year then ended, the statement of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended. These financial statements and financial highlights are the responsibility of the Fund's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and financial highlights based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements and financial highlights are free of material misstatement. We were not engaged to perform an audit of the Fund's internal control over financial reporting. Our audits included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Fund's internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements and financial highlights, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of November 30, 2006, by correspondence with the custodian and brokers or by other appropriate auditing procedures where replies from brokers were not received. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the financial statements and financial highlights referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of DWS Strategic Municipal Income Trust at November 30, 2006, the results of its operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

Boston, Massachusetts January 24, 2007

Tax Information (Unaudited)

Of the dividends paid from net investment income for the taxable year ended November 30, 2006, 100% are designated as exempt interest dividends for federal income tax purposes.

Please consult a tax advisor if you have questions about federal or state income tax laws, or on how to prepare your tax returns. If you have specific questions about your account, please call (800) 294-4366.

Other Information

On July 18, 2006, the Board of Trustees appointed Michael Clark as President of the fund.

On November 13, 2006, the Board of Trustees appointed Paul K. Freeman as Chairman of the Board, effective January 1, 2007.

Certifications

The fund's chief executive officer has certified to the New York Stock Exchange that, as of August 10, 2006, he was not aware of any violation by the fund of applicable NYSE corporate governance listing standards. The fund's reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission on Forms N-CSR and N-Q contain certifications by the fund's chief executive officer and chief financial officer that relate to the fund's disclosure in such reports and that are required by rule 30a-2(a) under the 1940 Act.

Dividend Repurchase Plan

A. Participation

We invite you to review the description of the Dividend Reinvestment Plan (the ``Plan'') which is available to you as a shareholder of DWS Strategic Municipal Income Trust (the ``Fund''). If you wish to participate and your shares are held in your own name, simply contact DWS Scudder Investments Service Company, whose address and phone number are provided in Paragraph E, for the appropriate form. If your shares are held in the name of a brokerage firm, bank, or other nominee, you must instruct that nominee to re-register your shares in your name so that you may participate in the Plan, unless your nominee has made the Plan available on shares held by them. Shareholders who so elect will be deemed to have appointed UMB Bank, N.A. ("United Missouri Bank" or "UMB") as their agent and as agent for the Fund under the Plan.

B. Dividend Investment Account

The Fund's transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent or its delegate (the ``Transfer Agent'') will establish a Dividend Investment Account (the ``Account'') for each shareholder participating in the Plan. The Transfer Agent will credit to the Account of each participant funds it receives from the following sources: (a) cash dividends and capital gains distributions paid on shares of beneficial interest (the ``Shares'') of the Fund registered in the participant's name on the books of the Fund; and (b) cash dividends and capital gains distributions paid on Shares registered in the name of the Transfer Agent but credited to the participant's Account. Sources described in clauses (a) and (b) of the preceding sentence are hereinafter called ``Distributions.''

C. Investment of Distribution Funds Held in Each Account

If on the record date for a Distribution (the ``Record Date''), Shares are trading at a discount from net asset value per Share (according to the evaluation most recently made on Shares of the Fund), funds credited to a participant's Account will be used to purchase Shares (the ``Purchase''). UMB will attempt, commencing five days prior to the Payment Date and ending at the close of business on the Payment Date (``Payment Date'' as used herein shall mean the last business day of the month in which such Record Date occurs), to acquire Shares in the open market. If and to the extent that UMB is unable to acquire sufficient Shares to satisfy the Distribution by the close of business on the Payment Date, the Fund will issue to UMB Shares valued at net asset value per Share (according to the evaluation most recently made on Shares of the Fund) in the aggregate amount of the remaining value of the Distribution. If, on the Record Date, Shares are trading at a premium over net asset value per Share, the Fund will issue on the Payment Date, Shares valued at net asset value per Share on the Record Date to the Transfer Agent in the aggregate amount of the funds credited to the participants' accounts.

D. Voluntary Cash Contributions

A participant may from time to time make voluntary cash contributions to his Account by sending to Transfer Agent a check or money order, payable to Transfer Agent, in a minimum amount of $100 with appropriate accompanying instructions. (No more than $500 may be contributed per month.) Transfer Agent will inform UMB of the total funds available for the purchase of Shares and UMB will use the funds to purchase additional Shares for the participant's Account the earlier of: (a) when it next purchases Shares as a result of a Distribution or (b) on or shortly after the first day of each month and in no event more than 30 days after such date except when temporary curtailment or suspension of purchases is necessary to comply with applicable provisions of federal securities laws. Cash contributions received more than fifteen calendar days or less than five calendar days prior to a Payment Date will be returned uninvested. Interest will not be paid on any uninvested cash contributions. Participants making voluntary cash investments will be charged a $.75 service fee for each such investment and will be responsible for their pro rata share of brokerage commissions.

E. Additional Information

Address all notices, correspondence, questions, or other communication regarding the Plan, or if you would like a copy of the Plan, to:

DWS Scudder Investments Service Company
P.O. Box 219066
Kansas City, Missouri 64121-9066
1-800-294-4366

F. Adjustment of Purchase Price

The Fund will increase the price at which Shares may be issued under the Plan to 95% of the fair market value of the shares on the Record Date if the net asset value per Share of the Shares on the Record Date is less than 95% of the fair market value of the Shares on the Record Date.

G. Determination of Purchase Price

The cost of Shares and fractional Shares acquired for each participant's Account in connection with a Purchase shall be determined by the average cost per Share, including brokerage commissions as described in Paragraph H hereof, of the Shares acquired by UMB in connection with that Purchase. Shareholders will receive a confirmation showing the average cost and number of Shares acquired as soon as practicable after the Transfer Agent has received or UMB has purchased Shares. The Transfer Agent may mingle the cash in a participant's account with similar funds of other participants of the Fund for whom UMB acts as agent under the Plan.

H. Brokerage Charges

There will be no brokerage charges with respect to Shares issued directly by the Fund as a result of Distributions. However, each participant will pay a pro rata share of brokerage commissions incurred with respect to UMB's open market purchases in connection with the reinvestment of Distributions. Brokerage charges for purchasing small amounts of Shares for individual Accounts through the Plan can be expected to be less than the usual brokerage charges for such transactions, as UMB will be purchasing Shares for all participants in blocks and prorating the lower commission thus attainable.

I. Service Charges

There is no service charge by the Transfer Agent or UMB to shareholders who participate in the Plan other than service charges specified in Paragraphs D and M hereof. However, the Fund reserves the right to amend the Plan in the future to include a service charge.

J. Transfer of Shares Held by Agent

The Transfer Agent will maintain the participant's Account, hold the additional Shares acquired through the Plan in safekeeping and furnish the participant with written confirmation of all transactions in the Account. Shares in the Account are transferable upon proper written instructions to the Transfer Agent. Upon request to the Transfer Agent, a certificate for any or all full Shares in a participant's Account will be sent to the participant.

K. Shares Not Held in Shareholder's Name

Beneficial owners of Shares which are held in the name of a broker or nominee will not be automatically included in the Plan and will receive all distributions in cash. Such shareholders should contact the broker or nominee in whose name their Shares are held to determine whether and how they may participate in the Plan.

L. Amendments

Experience under the Plan may indicate that changes are desirable. Accordingly, the Fund reserves the right to amend or terminate the Plan, including provisions with respect to any Distribution paid, subsequent to notice thereof sent to participants in the Plan at least ninety days before the record date for such Distribution, except when such amendment is necessary or appropriate to comply with applicable law or the rules or policies of the Securities and Exchange Commission or any other regulatory authority, in which case such amendment shall be effective as soon as practicable. The amendment shall be deemed to be accepted by each participant unless, prior to the effective date thereof, the Transfer Agent receives notice of the termination of such participant's account under the Plan in accordance with the terms hereof. The Plan may be terminated by the Fund.

M. Withdrawal from Plan

Shareholders may withdraw from the Plan at any time by giving the Transfer Agent a written notice. If the proceeds are $100,000 or less and the proceeds are to be payable to the shareholder of record and mailed to the address of record, a signature guarantee normally will not be required for notices by individual account owners (including joint account owners), otherwise a signature guarantee will be required. In addition, if the certificate is to be sent to anyone other than the registered owner(s) at the address of record, a signature guarantee will be required on the notice. A notice of withdrawal will be effective for the next Distribution following receipt of the notice by the Transfer Agent provided the notice is received by the Transfer Agent at least ten days prior to the Record Date for the Distribution. When a participant withdraws from the Plan, or when the Plan is terminated in accordance with Paragraph L hereof, the participant will receive a certificate for full Shares in the Account, plus a check for any fractional Shares based on market price; or if a Participant so desires, the Transfer Agent will notify UMB to sell his Shares in the Plan and send the proceeds to the participant, less brokerage commissions and a $2.50 service fee.

N. Tax Implications

Shareholders will receive tax information annually for personal records and to assist in preparation of their Federal income tax returns. If Shares are purchased at a discount, the amount of the discount is considered taxable income and is added to the cost basis of the purchased shares.

Investment Management Agreement Approval

The Board of Trustees, including the Independent Trustees, approved the renewal of your Fund's investment management agreement (the "Agreement") with Deutsche Investment Management Americas Inc. ("DeIM" or the "Advisor") in September 2006. As part of its review process, the Board requested and evaluated all information it deemed reasonably necessary to evaluate the Agreement. Over the course of several months, the Contract Review Committee, in coordination with the Fixed-Income Oversight Committee and the Operations Committee of the Board, reviewed comprehensive materials received from the Advisor, independent third parties and independent counsel. These materials included an analysis of the Fund's performance, fees and expenses, and profitability compiled by an independent fee consultant. The Board also received extensive information throughout the year regarding performance and operating results of the Fund. Based on their evaluation of the information provided, the Committees presented their findings and recommendations to the Independent Trustees as a group. The Independent Trustees then reviewed the Committees' findings and recommendations and presented their recommendations to the full Board. Throughout their consideration of the Agreement, the Independent Trustees were advised by their independent legal counsel and by an independent fee consultant.

In connection with the contract review process, the various Committees and the Board considered the factors discussed below, among others. The Board also considered that the Advisor and its predecessors have managed the Fund since its inception, and the Board believes that a long-term relationship with a capable, conscientious Advisor is in the best interests of the Fund. The Board considered, generally, that shareholders invested in the Fund, or approved the investment management agreement for the Fund, knowing that the Advisor managed the Fund and knowing the investment management fee schedule. In connection with recent and ongoing efforts by Deutsche Bank to restructure its US mutual fund business, which resulted in turnover of senior management and other personnel of the Advisor, the Board considered Deutsche Bank's commitment that it will devote to the Advisor and its affiliates all attention and resources that are necessary to provide the Fund with top-quality investment management and shareholder, administrative and product distribution services.

Nature, Quality and Extent of Services. The Board considered the nature, extent and quality of services provided under the Agreement, including portfolio management services and administrative services. The Board considered the experience and skills of senior management and investment personnel, the resources made available to such personnel, the ability of the Advisor to attract and retain high-quality personnel and the organizational depth and stability of the Advisor. The Board reviewed the Fund's performance over short-term and long-term periods and compared those returns to various agreed-upon performance measures, including market indices and a peer universe compiled by Lipper Inc. ("Lipper"). The Board considered whether investment results were consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies. The Board also noted that it has put a process into place of identifying "Focus Funds" (e.g., funds performing poorly relative to their peer group), and receives more frequent reporting and information from the Advisor regarding such funds, along with the Advisor's remedial plans to address underperformance. The Board believes this process is an effective manner of addressing poorly performing funds at this time.

On the basis of this evaluation and the ongoing review of investment results by the Fixed-Income Oversight Committee, the Board concluded that the nature, quality and extent of services provided by the Advisor historically have been and continue to be satisfactory. The Board noted the short-term relative underperformance of the Fund, and took into account the factors contributing to such performance, steps being taken by the Advisor to improve performance and the Fund's favorable longer-term performance.

Fees and Expenses. The Board considered the Fund's management fee rate, operating expenses and total expense ratio, and compared management fees to a peer group and total expenses to a broader peer universe based on information and data supplied by Lipper. The information provided to the Board showed that the Fund's management fee rate was at the 1^st percentile of the peer group, and that the total expense ratio was at the 63^rd percentile of the peer universe. The Board also considered the Fund's management fee rate as compared to fees charged by the Advisor and certain of its affiliates for comparable funds and for similarly managed institutional accounts. With respect to institutional accounts, the Board noted that (i) both the mix of services provided and the level of responsibility required under the Agreement were significantly greater as compared to the Advisor's obligations for similarly managed institutional accounts; and (ii) the management fees of institutional accounts are less relevant to the Board's consideration because they reflect significantly different competitive forces from those in the fund marketplace. With respect to other comparable DWS Funds, the Board considered differences in fund and fee structures among the DWS Funds.

On the basis of the information provided, the Board concluded that management fees were reasonable and appropriate in light of the nature, quality and extent of services provided by the Advisor. The Board noted that although the Fund's total expense ratio was above the median of the peer universe, the total expense ratio was within an acceptable range of the peer universe and consistent with reasonable expectations in light of the nature, quality and extent of services provided by the Advisor.

Profitability. The Board reviewed detailed information regarding revenues received by the Advisor under the Agreement. The Board considered the estimated costs and pre-tax profits realized by the Advisor from advising the DWS Funds, as well as estimates of the pre-tax profits attributable to managing the Fund in particular. The Board also received information regarding the estimated enterprise-wide profitability of the DWS Scudder organization with respect to all fund services in totality and by fund. The Board reviewed DeIM's methodology in allocating its costs to the management of the Fund. Although the Board noted the inherently subjective nature of any allocation methodology, the Board received an attestation report from an accounting firm affirming that the allocation methods were consistently applied and were based upon practices commonly used in the investment management industry. Based on the information provided, the Board concluded that the pre-tax profits realized by DeIM in connection with the management of the Fund were not unreasonable.

Economies of Scale. The Board considered whether there are economies of scale with respect to the management of the Fund and whether the Fund benefits from any economies of scale. The Board considered whether the management fee rate under the Agreement is reasonable in relation to the asset size of the Fund. The Board concluded that the management fee rate reflects an appropriate level of sharing of any economies of scale.

Other Benefits to DeIM and Its Affiliates. The Board also considered the character and amount of other incidental benefits received by DeIM and its affiliates, including any fees received by the Advisor for administrative services provided to the Fund. The Board also considered benefits to DeIM related to brokerage and soft-dollar allocations, which pertain primarily to funds investing in equity securities. The Board considered that the Advisor has recently proposed and the Board is evaluating a change in the Advisor's policies to permit the allocation of brokerage to acquire research services from third-party service providers. The Advisor had voluntarily discontinued this practice in 2004. The Board concluded that management fees were reasonable in light of these fallout benefits.

Regulatory Matters. The Board also considered information regarding pending regulatory actions against the Advisor and its affiliates related to allegations of market timing, revenue sharing, directed brokerage and other matters. The Board considered that the Advisor informed the Board that it expects to pay approximately $134 million in connection with final settlement agreements with various federal and state regulators regarding allegations of market timing in the DWS Funds. The Board also considered that the Advisor agreed to pay approximately $19 million in connection with a final settlement agreement with the Securities and Exchange Commission regarding allegations of directed brokerage. The Board considered the Advisor's representation that such regulatory actions will not materially impact its ability to perform under the Agreement or materially impact the Fund and that no current DeAM employee approved the trading arrangements. The Board also noted the private lawsuits brought against the DWS Funds in connection with the above allegations and considered the Advisor's commitment to indemnify the DWS Funds against any liability arising from these lawsuits.

Based on all of the information considered and the conclusions reached, the Board (including a majority of the Independent Trustees) determined that the terms of the Agreement continue to be fair and reasonable and that the continuation of the Agreement is in the best interests of the Fund. No single factor was determinative in the Board's analysis.

Trustees and Officers

The following table presents certain information regarding the Board Members and Officers of the fund as of November 30, 2006. Each individual's year of birth is set forth in parentheses after his or her name. Unless otherwise noted, (i) each individual has engaged in the principal occupation(s) noted in the table for at least the most recent five years, although not necessarily in the same capacity; and (ii) the address of each individual is c/o Deutsche Asset Management, 222 South Riverside Plaza, Chicago, Illinois 60606. Each Board Member's term of office extends until the next shareholders' meeting called for the purpose of electing such Board Members and until the election and qualification of a successor, or until such Board Member sooner dies, retires, resigns or is removed as provided in the governing documents of the fund.

Independent Board Members
Name, Year of Birth, Position(s) Held with the Fund and Length of Time Served1	Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years and Other Directorships Held	Number of Funds in Fund Complex Overseen
Shirley D. Peterson (1941) Chairperson, 2004-present Board Member, 1995-present	Retired; formerly, President, Hood College (1995-2000); prior thereto, Partner, Steptoe & Johnson (law firm); Commissioner, Internal Revenue Service; Assistant Attorney General (Tax), US Department of Justice. Directorships: Federal Mogul Corp. (supplier of automotive components and subsystems); AK Steel (steel production); Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (April 2004-present); Champion Enterprises, Inc. (manufactured home building); Wolverine World Wide, Inc. (designer, manufacturer and marketer of footwear) (April 2005-present); Trustee, Bryn Mawr College. Former Directorship: Bethlehem Steel Corp.	68
Paul K. Freeman2 (1950) Board Member, 2002-present	President, Cook Street Holdings (consulting); Consultant, World Bank/Inter-American Development Bank; formerly, Project Leader, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (1998-2001); Chief Executive Officer, The Eric Group, Inc. (environmental insurance) (1986-1998)	68
John W. Ballantine (1946) Board Member, 1999-present	Retired; formerly, Executive Vice President and Chief Risk Management Officer, First Chicago NBD Corporation/The First National Bank of Chicago (1996-1998); Executive Vice President and Head of International Banking (1995-1996). Directorships: Healthways, Inc. (provider of disease and care management services); Portland General Electric (utility company). Former Directorships: First Oak Brook Bancshares, Inc. and Oak Brook Bank	68
Donald L. Dunaway (1937) Board Member, 1980-present	Retired; formerly, Executive Vice President, A.O. Smith Corporation (diversified manufacturer) (1963-1994)	68
James R. Edgar (1946) Board Member, 1999-present	Distinguished Fellow, University of Illinois, Institute of Government and Public Affairs (1999-present); formerly, Governor, State of Illinois (1991-1999). Directorships: Kemper Insurance Companies; John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. (processor/packager/marketer of nuts, snacks and candy products); Horizon Group Properties, Inc.; Youbet.com (online wagering platform); Alberto-Culver Company (manufactures, distributes and markets health and beauty care products)	68
Robert B. Hoffman (1936) Board Member, 1981-present	Retired; formerly, Chairman, Harnischfeger Industries, Inc. (machinery for the mining and paper industries) (1999-2000); prior thereto, Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer, Monsanto Company (agricultural, pharmaceutical and nutritional/food products) (1994-1999). Directorships: RCP Advisors, LLC (a private equity investment advisory firm)	68
William McClayton (1944) Board Member, 2004-present	Managing Director of Finance and Administration, Diamond Management & Technology Consultants, Inc. (global management consulting firm) (2001-present); formerly, Partner, Arthur Andersen LLP (accounting) (1986-2001). Formerly: Trustee, Ravinia Festival; Board of Managers, YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago	68
Robert H. Wadsworth (1940) Board Member, 2004-present	President, Robert H. Wadsworth & Associates, Inc. (consulting firm) (1983 to present). Formerly, Trustee of New York Board DWS Funds; President and Trustee, Trust for Investment Managers (registered investment company) (1999-2002). President, Investment Company Administration, L.L.C. (1992*-2001); President, Treasurer and Director, First Fund Distributors, Inc. (June 1990-January 2002); Vice President, Professionally Managed Portfolios (May 1991-January 2002) and Advisors Series Trust (October 1996-January 2002) (registered investment companies) *Inception date of the corporation which was the predecessor to the L.L.C.	71

Officers3
Name, Year of Birth, Position(s) Held with the Fund and Length of Time Served1	Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years and Other Directorships Held	Number of Funds in Fund Complex Overseen
Michael G. Clark5 (1965) President, 2006-present	Managing Director4, Deutsche Asset Management (2006-present); President of DWS family of funds; formerly, Director of Fund Board Relations (2004-2006) and Director of Product Development (2000-2004), Merrill Lynch Investment Managers; Senior Vice President Operations, Merrill Lynch Asset Management (1999-2000)	n/a
Philip J. Collora (1945) Vice President and Assistant Secretary, 1986-present	Director4, Deutsche Asset Management	n/a
Paul H. Schubert5 (1963) Chief Financial Officer, 2004-present Treasurer, 2005-present	Managing Director4, Deutsche Asset Management (since July 2004); formerly, Executive Director, Head of Mutual Fund Services and Treasurer for UBS Family of Funds (1998-2004); Vice President and Director of Mutual Fund Finance at UBS Global Asset Management (1994-1998)	n/a
John Millette6 (1962) Secretary, 2001-present	Director4, Deutsche Asset Management	n/a
Patricia DeFilippis5 (1963) Assistant Secretary, 2005-present	Vice President, Deutsche Asset Management (since June 2005); formerly, Counsel, New York Life Investment Management LLC (2003-2005); legal associate, Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC (1998-2003)	n/a
Elisa D. Metzger5, (1962) Assistant Secretary 2005-present	Director4, Deutsche Asset Management (since September 2005); formerly, Counsel, Morrison and Foerster LLP (1999-2005)	n/a
Caroline Pearson6 (1962) Assistant Secretary, 1998-present	Managing Director4, Deutsche Asset Management	n/a
Scott M. McHugh6 (1971) Assistant Treasurer, 2005-present	Director4, Deutsche Asset Management	n/a
Kathleen Sullivan D'Eramo6 (1957) Assistant Treasurer, 2003-present	Director4, Deutsche Asset Management	n/a
John Robbins5 (1966) Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer, 2005-present	Managing Director4, Deutsche Asset Management (since 2005); formerly, Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer for GE Asset Management (1999-2005)	n/a
Robert Kloby5 (1962) Chief Compliance Officer, 2006-present	Managing Director4, Deutsche Asset Management (2004-present); formerly, Chief Compliance Officer/Chief Risk Officer, Robeco USA (2000-2004); Vice President, The Prudential Insurance Company of America (1988-2000); E.F. Hutton and Company (1984-1988)	n/a

¹ Length of time served represents the date that each Board Member was first elected to the common board of Board Members which oversees a number of investment companies, including the fund, managed by the Advisor. For the Officers of the fund, the length of time served represents the date that each officer was first elected to serve as an officer of any fund overseen by the aforementioned common board of Board Members.

² Appointed Chairman of the Board, effective January 1, 2007.

³ As a result of their respective positions held with the Advisor, these individuals are considered "interested persons" of the Advisor within the meaning of the 1940 Act. Interested persons receive no compensation from the fund.

⁴ Executive title, not a board directorship.

⁵ Address: 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154.

⁶ Address: Two International Place, Boston, Massachusetts 02110.

Additional Information

Automated Information Lines	DWS Scudder Closed-End Fund Info Line (800) 349-4281
Web Sites	www.dws-scudder.com or visit our Direct Link: www.cef.dws-scudder.com Obtain quarterly fact sheets, financial reports, press releases and webcasts when available. www.cef.dws-scudder/alerts. Register online to receive email alerts on your DWS funds.
Written Correspondence	Deutsche Investment Management Americas Inc. 222 South Riverside Plaza Chicago, IL 60606
Proxy Voting	A description of the fund's policies and procedures for voting proxies for portfolio securities and information about how the fund voted proxies related to its portfolio securities during the 12-month period ended June 30 is available on our Web site — www.dws-scudder.com (click on "proxy voting"at the bottom of the page) — or on the SEC's Web site — www.sec.gov. To obtain a written copy of the fund's policies and procedures without charge, upon request, call us toll free at 1-800-621-1048.
Legal Counsel	Vedder, Price, Kaufman & Kammholz, P.C. 222 North LaSalle Street Chicago, IL 60601
Dividend Reinvestment Plan Agent	UMB Bank P.O. Box 410064 Kansas City, MO 64141-0064
Shareholder Service Agent	DWS Scudder Investments Service Company P.O. Box 219066 Kansas City, MO 64121-9066 (800) 294-4366
Custodian and Transfer Agent	State Street Bank and Trust Company 225 Franklin Street Boston, MA 02110
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm	Ernst & Young LLP 200 Clarendon Street Boston, MA 02116
NYSE Symbol	KSM

CUSIP Number	Common Shares	23338T 101
	Preferred Shares	23338T 200

Notes

Notes

Notes

Notes

Notes

Notes