MINING IN THE TRUTNOV DISTRICT: JAN SVERMA COAL MINES/URANIUM PRODUCTION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000500170161-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 6, 2000
• Sequence Number: 161
• Publication Date: August 25, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2001/07/31 : CIA-RDP80-00809A000500170161-2
U.S. Officials Only
CONFIDENTIAL
SZCURITY INFORMATION
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT 25X1A
COUNTRY Czechoslovakia
SUBJECT Mining in the Trutnov District: Jan 6verma Coal Mines/
Uranium Production
PLACE ACQUIRED
(BY SOURCE)
DATE ACQUIRED
(BY SOURCE)
Lccatio.
"Northeast :,f Trutnov a sizeable new mining and industrial center is under de-
vf1op?aent. The district is located right on the Czech-Polish frontier. Prior
to World War II it was known already for several coal mines. These coal mince
have recently been greatly expanded. In addition excavation of uranium has
started.
Coal P^or3.uct1ca
3. "The :.c?sl mines art concentrated in a nationi ent rpri a called JAN BVEBMA.
TM+o ,',s!ts (.T'z1.ie and Marie) qre in operation in aclef. A completely new
pit wt.E opened up in nearby ernf Voda:
,. I1, is saie, that the coal from the reran Voda pit is of very
high quality ant thus suitable for coke production. As there are
no iastF.Ilatioas there yet for coke production this coal ia_pen
from the pit to the central Czechoslovakian cokeries. The Cerna
voda coal Tne is being constantly deepened. It is said that if
proof is fc)-and that the coal throughout is of the some good
quality a cokery will be constructed there.
b) The coal from the ^racler deal mines is also rated high grade.' It
is transported from lacle-t to the Usti Nad Labem area for further
chemical processing.
Management
"The entire JAN SVERMA enterprise is under one director (fnu) Lunger,'Mho isl
35. When he was appointed to thiapost in 1951 for early 1952 the miners were
surprised. L-age: has not thFUasig~t~e~~iulaa0onlythe coal mining business;
lliL:l, L_J
Intell
-
This report 1s for the ire within the USA of .++_
Agenc'es indicated ubove. It is not to be transmitted overseas without the concurrence of the
originr.ting othce tnrough the Assistant Director of the Office of Collection and t isseminution, CIA.
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CONFIDENTIAL
SECURITY INFORMATION
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he usa'd.t) be a horse butcher. As a very trustworthy Communist he spent about a
ha?i:f year on a special 'manager's' course and is now in charge of coal mines em-
plcying between 1,500 to 2,000 i.c_suas. His aeputy, another Communist, (fnu)
Kozen~q',, is responsible for the technical aide of the production. Kozeny might
better' be called a 'formal' Communist. Another trustworthy Communist,(Pnu)
Idncerle, watches over the discipline of the coal miners, He tae the ObaLr'raf
oorZavodni Bada and is of Ukrainian descent. He came to the area from Carpatho-
Ruthenia after World War II.
5. "The coal miners employed in the JAN $VERMA enterprise include two groups of
very y:jang 'workers :
a) Abo t 6o inmates of the compulsory labor camp established in Zacler
Castle. The inmates of this camp are completely isolated from the
other miners. Even during work they are separated from the free miners.
b)I Young people attending the special coal miners' school established by the JAN
SVERMA management.
For Release 2001/07/31 : CIA-RDP80-00809A000500170161-2
6. "A miner's course at this vocational school lasts two years. Approximately 80
boys, some of them as young as 14 years, attend this course. They spend more
time underground n practical training than in school. Two days a week the young
miners are trained in theory. The other four days they must work as helpers in
the pits.
7. "In return for their training and maintenance the boys are obliged to stay in the
coal mines for at least five years. Even after this period it is quite impossible
for them to change over to another trade.zs they have to go through a labor exchange
office. Only under very special circumstances is a transfer, to another profession
approved.
8. "For thlir_labor in the coal mines the young trainees receive extra
monthly! Note : Prior to currency reform of 0 May payment of 00 Ka
are paid out as 3 Y 5_37. Of this amount only 150 g I[o
pocket money. The rest is put in an obligatory savings account. The
trainees may cash money from these accounts only with the special approval of the
school management.
9. "Four holiurs weekly of theory are used for political indoctrination. Membership in
the Communist Youth organization CSM is compulsory for all boys in the school. They
also must subscribe to,the daily paper of this organization.
10. The head of the school and, boarding house is (fnu) Kantur, who is about 30 and a
member of the CP. He might be considered a 'formal' Communist as his political
lectures are quite mild.
11. "After finishing this school the trainees are sent to work as regular miners. Thp
only difference between younger and older coal miners is that miners under 18 years
are granted 24 days yearly vacation. Miners over 18 receive only 18 days yearly.
No other special privileges are awarded the young miners.
25X1X wages
comes. The rest earne3between 4,000 and 6-DU darn in-
5,000 Kc monthly. To this wage a special
free coal allowance was added, amounting to 2,100 kg of coal. At the end of 1952 a
new ordinance was issued according to which only one member of a family working in
a mine may receive the coal allowance in natura; a second member receives the equiva-
lent in pay. The payment equivalent iss calci ted at the offic_al coal price, al-
though the free market price lo t least twice as high.
CONFIDE'"1'IAL/US OFFICIALS ONLY/SECURI?TY flFFOR2!ATION
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:13. in 19.1)2 bn enthe norms of coal miuera' production
vt'ere ra.-ised. According to the report for 1952 the JAS! 8111 MA enteryriee could only ful-
f113. its production plan by &A. The oituation further deteriorated in early 1953. In
the tryst quartvar of 1953, only 70% of the yearly plan could be achieved. In proportion
with this decrease the wages were lowered. Many of the cool miners, especially the young
ones, tried to resist this reduction. In the winter, of 1952-53 some of then wore s=o-
maned before the public proaecutor in Trettaov wbo stated that further resistance would.
be punished by prison. Certain yvuug coal miners were transferred from the district of
Txutnoe? to the M Ontrmna coal basin in order to break up the solidarity between friendly
groups.
lrsu:ivar. Production
14. The valiu of the cxtire Trutnov district was nar'redly increased in flarch 1952 vhen a
.peci a3 .=cloC? =ca-". co=minsicu Iyom the Juchymov vrerniun basin discovered traces of
uxuui.c near Be ko'r and Verne. rice (Gepan nenee: Potechendorf and Wernersdorf).
Richer deposits were discovered near Bcbkov (where prior to World War II a small coal
pit had been in operation and where after the war a state-owned 'estate load been or-
gagined). Approximately 44)0 workerr are laboring now in the uranium pits situated on
the western outskirts of Be ov. The whole district,, which protrudes like a wedge into
Polish tel-aitory, in now completely isolated. One may enter only with special permission.
In Yernhr?o'rice the uranium excavation has not yet started. Around 200 technicians and
workers are still cloyed in prospecting activitien.~ The whole uranium production in
the Trutnov district come; under, the central uranium excavation board +n Jachymov.
no Information on the value of thin uranium. According to rwaoura the
uraraium? in the Bec'kor ore is one of the highest grade a17. Czechoslovakia.
15. "Although the whole district of Trn:nov touches on-flie Polish territory in the north and
east, there in no contact n^. all between the two countries in this area. Strong frontier
guard %mite, especially on the Polish side,, watch the border. They sand out regular
p~,~~~ and man observation towers. There are observation towers on the bills opposite
Lawn? Yoda and in the woody Troni Hori (Rabengebierge). The railway conne.tion between
Poland and Cnechoeloeakia in rarely used. From the Czech side once or-at the utmont-
twice c week a goods train passes into Polish territory. No passenger traffic is in
existence. There are no tourist border crosses oltbough there is excell9nt skiing
terrain right beyond She berg line."
L`OdQFrIUFPt:'':~-../US OYFIGIAU3 QN3.Y/SECURITY 11WOMATION
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