EXCON - RFD 5216-J, TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE, VIENNA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79-01203A000200400010-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 10, 2000
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: July 9, 1952
• Content Type: DISP

COPY
AIR P
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FROM: AMEiBASSY, VIENNA
.T1
_~ V U, 11
To: THE DEPARTMENT CF STATE, WASHINGTON
REFt Embassy's Despatch No. 1525, March 24, 1952
SUBJECTS EXCON - R D 5216]', Technische Hochschule, Vienna
my 9, 1952
The Embassy invites the Department's attention to the fact
that action on OIT Cases No. 2682305 and No. 2682342 on
RPD 5216-J are held up pending further review by OIT, Washing-
ton. Additional information has now been furnished by the
Technissche Hoehachule, Vienna, which may assist in processing
the two eases in question.
The following letter was submitted to the Embassy on June
23, 1952 by Dr. Hans Hohn., head of the Institute for Inorganic
Chemistry at the Technieche Hotrhechule, Vienna VI (French Sector):
"I received news through the Austrian Legation
in Washington that the responsible gentlemen in CIT
and the Security Committee will not accept the re-
sponsibility for the shipment of the above-mentioned
spectrographic equipment to Vienna. Therefore, the
export license has still not been granted by Mr.
Frederick Strauss, director of the West-European
D-ision?
"I now ask that you forward the following ex-
planation of the affair to Mr. Frederick Strauss:
"1) The proposal voiced by these officials,
who perhaps are not entirely familiar with the situa-
tion, to erect the spectrographic installation in
Gras or Leoben instead of Vienna is impossible to
carry out. It would require an entire relocation
of my institute to these cities since the spectro-
graphic equipment will be used in conjunction with
my entire research program.
State Dept. declassification & release instructions on file
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"2) I would like to call your attention to
the fact that ny institute is neither situated in
the Russian Zone nin the International Zone. I
shall assume the responsibility to see that this
spectrographic installation is erected in institute
and that it remains under my direct control. I would
like to call your attention tb the fact that a complete,
modern American structural analysis installation from
Philips was recently installed in the institute through
American aid. Other institutes of the Vienna Hochsehule
have recently received scientific equipment from the
United States which is at least as highly developed as
the spectrograph which has been ordered.
"This will also serve to testify for the fact that
since the end of the war the institutes of the Hoch
schule have never been controlled or in any manner
influenced or inspected by a foreign element,
"3) In regard to the installation of the spectro-
graphic equipment in my institute, I hereby declare
that it shall be installed in an entirely closed room
to which, outside of myself, only the following assist-
and c) Dr. 0. Schlager. I have known the persons -,
named for years as being oriented toward the West. Not
one of the named has ever had a connection with an
Eastern country or has striven to attain such. It is
to my own interest that no other person outside of the
named will have access to the precision equipment, due
to the possibility of damage to the apparatus, If it
becomes necessary to enlarge the circle of scientists
working with this precision equipment at the Institute,
then permission will be requested from the proper
American office in Vienna. I should like to add that
other professors or personnel of the Technische Hoch-
echule in Vienna will not have either the right or the
opportunity to enter the room of the spectrographic
installation without mg permission.
"4) 1 have been employed as consultant for the
Central Office for ERP affairs for years and an known
by a number of gentlemen of the Mission, both personnally
and through deeds. It is obvious that persons such as
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Is who occupy a position of trust with the ERP Organi-
zation, cannot in any manner be affiliated with a
group or political interest which is unfriendly toward
the interests of the United States. I am including a
statement from the Director of the ERP central office,
Minister Dr. Teucher. I am ready to obtain a character
reference from any other public figure, as far as I am
well known to them; for example, from the Minister of
Education. I am willing to assume the full responsi-
bility to see that it shall be impossible to divulge
any information about the scientific and technical
details of the equipment. I further declare that I
will assume the full responsibility in the event of a
political emergency to see that the installation is at
once rendered useless through the destruction of key
parts or through similar action. I am entirely willing
to have the spherical grid, the most important part of
the apparatus, remain as property of the American Embassy
or NEC and to borrow the part on condition that we turn
it over to one of these organizations in case of politi-
cal difficulties. This type of grid can only be manu-
factured by a few highly specialized firms and a spec-
ttograph without a grid would be useless and entirely
worthless. If a country is in a position to manufacture
such a grid, then it is certainly able to produce the
entire apparatus. However, I would like to state that
the difficult method of production and the necessary
machinery which it would require to manufacture this
type of grid could not be calculated from the finished
grid, alone .
"5) In conclusion, I would like to again reiterate
that by shipping the badly needed spectrographic equip-
ment to my institute, damage to the interests of the
United States can be contemplated a) due to the per-
sonnel of the instutute, and b) due to the simple pro-
cedure for rendering the equipment useless,
"signed: Dr. Hare Hohn"
In conjunction with the foreegoing, the following is the
text of a letter presented to the Embassy on dune 23, 1952 by
Dr. Taucher, head of the ERP Central Offices
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m?s sw ^er
"The undersigned states that Dr. Hans Hohn has
been active for Years as a consultant for chemical
ProJecta of the Central Office for ERP Affairs. He
has the full trust of the undersigned. His observa-
tion and advice have always proven to be worthwhile
am accurate. Therefore, Professor Hohnts letter of
June 19, 1952 to Mr. Olson in regard to case nos.
2682305 and 2683342 for spectrographic equipment can
be accepted with full assurance of its accuracy.
"sincerely,
(signed) Dr. Taucher"
For the gh Commissioner.-
/a
Ben H. Thibodeaux
Counselor of Embassy for Economic Affairs
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