RAIL EQUIPMENT REPAIR AND MANUFACTURING PLANT AT NIESKY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000500770034-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 26
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 13, 2003
• Sequence Number: 34
• Publication Date: June 18, 1952
• Content Type: REPORT

S L C. O R I I Y I h F o l M A I 1 01) --
SECRET
CENTRAL. INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE
ACQUIRED
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lL I`.TL1) PELOW)
SUPPLFMENT TO
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General
Reference is made to Enclosure (A), an overlay of AMS map
of Germany. Q-9, Spremberg (51? 331 N - 140 22' E), on
which pinpointed the location of this LOWA plant
in Niesky.
1. The Volkseigener Betrieb (state-owned plant) LOWA Niesky
was formerly known as Christoph and Unmack GmbH. Jr, was
subordinate to the Ministry for Machine Constructicn, headed
by Minister Ziller and reported directly to the Vehicle
Construction Division under supervisor Lang, both of whom
had their offices in East Berlin. Other rail equipment
manufacturing plants subordinate to the Vehicle Construction
Division were located at Goerlitz (510 10' N -- 15 00' E),
Bautzen (51? 11' N - 140 26 ' E), Babelsberg (520 249 N -
n? 06' E) and Wildau. Germany.
FORM NO
OCT 195i . 51-4F
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$. LOWA Niesky had three operational di?visiL,ts
(a) Structural Steel
This division built bridges, frames for buildings, cranes,
turntables, and also did repair work-
(b) Structural Wood
The structural wood division built prefabricated houses
and barracks,. (C(-_,nsurmer goods were sold in these
barracks:)
(c)
Railway Car Division
This division constructed railway cars (freight and
mail)., wheel and a.-o.le sets (European and Soviet gauge),
and three--axled wheel-trucks for railway crane cars.
It also repaired freight and passenger trains and
streetcars,
I do not know of any specific defense work done at LOWA
Niesky during World War II other than the construction of
wings for Junkers JU-352 aircraft, which were built in the
Structural Wood Division in the last mcn:?'.~s of the wary.
During World War II, 50% of th lant was destroyed-and 25%
was dismantled after the war..
from 1945-1950 sporadic reconstruction efforts were
made and production had been slight, After July 1950 the
plant was almost completely rebuilt to prewar status and
was further expanded and modernized, Just before I left I
heard that a new administration building wa;3 to be built
spear Point 39, Enclosure (B)7 but have no information as
to when construction was to begin, There were rumors of
a reorganization of the plant so that it would conform to the
new regulations prescribed by the German Democratic Republi4.'s
Ministry for Machine Construction- -but further details are
not known to me, I know of no further plans for expansion
nor of any project for moving the plant underground.
plant Operation
Structural Steel Division
This division required about 970 tons of steel per month.
The steel was brought from the Stahl -..tid Walzwerk Hettstedt
Plant (510 39 ' g - 110 30' g), the Stahl and Walzwerk
Thale Plant ( 51 45' N - 11 01' E) , and the Stahl and
Walzwerk Hennigsdorf Plant (52 381 N - 130 12' B). The
plant also recieved steel through the Deutsche Handels
Zentrale Stahl and Eisen; Berlin. The amount of steel
-'Fecieved from each plant varied monthly, Bridge construction
required about 400 tons per month, structural steel for
buildings about 265 tons, and bridge and building repairs
about 305 tons Two-thirds of the bridge sections were
sent to Berlin; the other third was c,).~ocated to the rebuilding
of railroad bridge sites, eg, the railroad-autobahn bridge
near Chemnitz and the river bridge near Frankfurt/Oder.
The latter project was to require about 2,850 tons of steel
and Niesky was to be the sole supplier. Structual steel
was sent to the Sportwettkampf'halle, Stalin Allee, Berlin.
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UR i'_1 ~l FOR.T?KA.TTOP1
Four overhead traveling cranes were bt,it for the IOWA Niee*plant
itself. Two overhead traveling cranes were built for the LOWA
Bautzen Railway Equipment Plant, D'.s`:ribution of all products
was effected by the Min_,st?ry for Machine Construction, Vehicle
Construction Division, Berlin_
4. Structural Wood Division,
Prefabricated hozzses and oases barracks were built in this
division. The houses were two-storied, 12 x 8 z 8 m, had
a gabled roof, tar-paper covered, The barracks were 125 x
16 z 4.5 in, had a low pitched roof, constructed of wood,
covered with tar-paper. Thirty-fcu r houses were manufactured
monthly and were shipped tc the USSR as reparation payments.
Your barracks were constructed e?ch month and transported to
the steel plants which were being built at Puerstenberg/Oder
(p? 09' M - 14? 41' E) and Calbe/Saal e (51? 54, N - ll0 46' R).
5,
RailwA7 Car Divisyion
At the time of my departure from Nleoicy, this division con-
structed the following tq , ?.pment monthly, and thereby real-
ized their established quotas
33 three-axled wheel -truelr:s for rails,Yay crane
under--carriages
332 railway box cars, having 20 tonal capacity
and two axles
840 European gauge wheel and axle sets
360 Soviet gauge wheel and axle acts which were
sent to LOWA Ooerlitz and LOW11. Bautzen.
Nash month the fiailwwayr Car Division repaired:
32 atreot cars
13 railway box oars
1 four-axled mail oar
3 two-axiod care
6 two-aaxlod passenger cars
Five-six thousand tons of steel were used in the construction
of railway box ears every month. (The stool was %,eoeived
from the same plants mentioned in the Structural Steel
Division..) Axle forginga wore procured from Krupp-Grunion,
Magdeburg (520 10 ? If - 11? 401 1$ . Seventy-five per cent of
the wheels and tires were sent from Itottstedt and Poland$
I do not know from where the other twenty.-five par cent wore
obtained.. Other parts came from the places indtoatods
springs: from the Federnw?rk (Spring factory) at-
Zittau (500 54, X - 140 50 3) ;
loran type couplczr a: from LOWA Goerlitzj
buffers: from LOWA Baautaon;
'brass for journals (Rotgusc-Lagereehalen) a from
Leipzig;
bralco parts: from the Berliner Bromeenbau AG
(formerly ICunze-Knorr Au);.
paint-. from the faotorZ in i;iesl,rf, oint 28,
Enclosure (D)/, and Ch?mni E;
wood: primarily from 111h' ringia, by way of the DF3Z
Holz, (Deutsche FTandels entrdaa, a state-
operated orr^o.nization of the lumbor trade),
Berlin and Dresden. Most of the wood wab
quite preen. ~+
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I I I 6c-:Y -662 railway box
curB R an, ing in the plant area, waiving t -or springs. During
this times at least 25% ^f the taro had *o have one, two or
three additional planks put on the supe.tructure because
the wood had shrunk so much.. Wood was always in short
supply, and LOWA Niesky frequently had to borrow some from
other plants. F- I 7:.g;, for buckets
were being built. The buckets were 'co be sent. to LOWA
Goerlitz which was building bucket car-s (Kuehelwagen),
to transport tar-111ce mater=ial.
6. All kinds of material were in sh:r-, soppy' and new bottle-
necks arose almost daily, a "bottleneck 1~'et or articles
which were lacking was compiled. about three times a week.
There was no apprec:ahle increase in overall production
during the' time I was in ~;te31cy. There wore sporadic in-
creases in productivity resultinZ from tine /motion . studies,
but these increases were a.l-4..ys accompanied by increased
work'quotas--this phenomeme. is characteristic of the 'USSR
and. its satellite?t.
The plant used three steam, locomotives for .Z-,hi t-1ng railway
cars. Two of them were coal-fired steam t~cccnrtivea, three-
axled, and the other., a "z^o;xnd-house goat", was filled with
compressed steam, had no fire box and was two-ailed. ;Most
of the maohine tools were quite new, having been purchased
to replace those which had been dismantled. Some of the
machine tools had been purchased at the Leipzig Fair in
1950; delivery of any maohine shown at the Paiw' was prom-
ised within a year. The great majority of the machines
were well-built, meeting recognized atandardcr of material
In frame and bed. The machine tools were, emoo'bh-oparating,
with hand-finished tracks.
6. 'electric' current. except that produced In the plant, was
conducted from Weisswasser by means cf a high tans.on over-
head line. It was 10,000 V but wac tranel: ormed to 220 V
in the plant (Points 11 S and 19),, Water as pumped from
wells located in the boiler houce.3 (Points 21 and 56),
inside the plant area. Water pressure was consistently
high enouSh to meet all operational requirements.,
Site Layout
9. I have prepared a memory sketch lon e: or ure (,r)), 1.2500 scaler,
on which the following points are ahotrn:
Point 1 Road
10 m wide, cobblestone, with 41 m wido concrete
plate sidewalks on each eido, This road ran
south to Goerlitz and north to Klltten (510 21'
140 36' H).
Point 2 Dwellincs
Iiricl buildings, 24 x 12 r. Li m, two-storied,
gable roofs, covered with rod tileer
Point Fence
Wooden, 2,5 m high, topped with two strands of
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Entrance
Iron gat, . 1,1-, m wide, Identificat? on was checked
here when ..;,ployees c:- visit-.ors entered the plant
area, Enq_ lo~;yees leaving the of n t area were never
checked for identlf.icaticn., although spot-checks
were made to prevent state-owned property leaving
the plant. Plant Identification cards had the
employee's photograph; name, birthdate, section in
D arb ed w l re y l ti l In ri Lhe 1) .aut This fence
was in very gnod ccndicl' n - was impossible to
get throuth i' tl,.er th n a', +;be entrance gates?
Point 4 Main EnLranee
Iron gate, 32 wide. 3 rn h gh, wo wings opening
toward the plant: area- IL was used only ..Ruing
shift changes and for the en-r;; of .vehicles, Four
members of the German Democratic 'Re-public (DDR)
People's Polices were always
on guard, armed with pi L.cls.
which he worked, type of job, and his signature.
Thsy were enclosed in e. laminated plastic case,
were always carried, and were to be in the owner'Fs
possession only.
Point 6 Police Building
Brick, 24 xr 12 x 11 m, two-storied, ;able roof
covered with red tiles? Member of the People's
Police had their day room in this building. All
visitors to the plant were required to sign a
request? in triplicate., for admission, After
surrendering their peraonr~l identification, visitors
were escorted by one of three girls employed for
that purpose,
Point 7 Plant Roads
12' m wide, cobblestone, in good condition,
Point 8 Bicycle Stand
Wood building, 20 x 2.0 x 4 m, flat roof covered
with tar-paper. It was looked during working hours.
Point Shop Building
Brick, 220 x 45 m, Part of it raab dismantled after
World. 'Tar II, including the roof over Section 0.
It was divided into the following sections:
Section 6r - Da, Flcom
Wood truss roof covered with tar-paper. Political
meetings and discussions :ti~ere held here it was
also used as a lunch--room,
Section B - Off io as
Flat wood roof, covered wir,h tar-paper. This section
was divided into offices by wooden partitions and
was used by the Structural Steel Division,
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Section C - Work Slop
No roof. Steel trusses for the :'oofs of newly
constructed buildings, (Points ri4, ;5, 68, and 69).,
were riveted in this shop,
Section D - Garage
Two plant-owned automobiles ware parked here.
PoInnt10 Main Administration Buil.l.ine,
Brick: 34 x 30 x 13 rn, 1=w ... ,t,:, ed,. pitch roof
covered with red t t.leo. Thin b zild.ing contained
the offices of the plant d Ire -. o-or , technical dir-
ector, personnel section, SEJi t~i:inr director, plant
union chief, cultural direct t,"- , the design
section c?f the St,r. c t~~ra=- c _~, l I) -.1.sion
Point 11 Apprentice Work-shoo a.xid Bozokkee-ping Building
Brick, 160 x 50 in. This buil'.ttng was divided by'
brick walls into the fol.;owlrg, sections:
Section !,t ApprPntic:.
Two-storied; pitch rboi cover. c: d. +.*1fih red tiles.
Contained class-rooms * or appr4o1t1ceo..
Section B - Apprentice Work-2.,-,n j:_
Brick, 12 m high, 1 oad-bcar.?inr, .aY 1 ).. and steel
truss roof. The roof wia cov ed with glass and
had a triangular steel .frame skylight. This shop
contained all types of steel and wood.-working
machinery for appi enticf, instre.c tion.
Section C - Apprentice Work-shoe
Sloping wood roof covered with tar--paper. This
section contained steel and woo4--corking mach-
inery.
Section D -- Bookkeeping Section
Two-storied building, sloping wooden roof, covered
with tar-paper; contained offices only
Section E - Transformer .souse
Brick, 5 x 4 x 4 m, flat wood roof covered with
tar-paper. Two German oil-filled transformers,
which reduced current from 10,000 V to 220 V,
were located in this section,
Point 12 Plant Union School and Plant Public Address System
You e
Brick building, 24 x 12 r. 12 m,. tcso-storied, pitch
roof covered with red tiles. The class rooms 'mere
used by the plant pinion (Bet;rieb Gewerkachaft) for
Information and education courses , Plant employees
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were given the privilege of attending these courses
for two weeks, free of charge. During the two-week
courses, the employees learned of the history of the
Communist Party of the USSR, the lives of Engels,
Marx, Lenin and Stalin, the trend from capitalism
through socialism to communiF-m,. Collective agree-
ments, world events, etc. Those attending received
full pay, calculated at an average rate. Plant
production norms were not allowed to interfere wit'?.
the workers' education. After completion of such a
course, an entry to that eft 7_ was made on the
employee's record. The public address system was
used to summon employees to .'r? administration -
building. It was also used to ransm1t German or
Russian (never "Western") m - 1:- _:r political speeches
during; the breakf art and 1 un. r, per lodEj 0900 to
0915 and 1200 to 1230 re~pec= :.- e1.y. For every five
minutely of music there way ten ni-inutes of political
indoctrination.
Point 13 Administration Building
Wood, low pitch roof, wood cc?ve-red with tar-paper.
This building was produced 1t tip- plant v s Structural
Wood Division and contained tL- offices of the
administrative director and ht.= aasierants.
Point 14 Railroad Turntable
25 m in diameter, hand-dr, 3.ver. (by two men) by
means of a gear mechanism.
Point 15 Quard House
Wooden shed, 4 x It x 3 in, fiat roof, wood covered
with tar-paper. A plant ernp1oyee was stationed
here to direct visitors to another entrance, (Point
5).
Paint 16 Warehouse
Brink building, 25 x 12 x 4.5 m w wood truss covered
with tar-paper. Small Items used in structural
steal construction, eg, rivets, bolts, welding
electrodes, etco were stored here.
Point 17 Storage Area
160 x 20 in, covered with structural steel shapes.
This area was equipped with a gantry crane, 20 m
wide, 5 m high, 7.5 ton capac it:y.
Point 18 Storage Area
Point 19 Transformer House
Brick building, 5 x 4 x 4 in, flat roof,, wood
covered with tar-paper. Contained two Qerman, oil-
filled transformers, which reduced current from
10,000 V to 220 V.
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Point 20 Structural Steel Preparati3n_aIrdAssembly Building
Brick, steel frame, "L"-=Na'pe'.,, c'.h side 160 m
long, 15 m high, steel truso ,z..rder roof with
triangular steel frame skylisire, It was divided
into two sections by fo-' r Z-t e7. girder columns-.
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Section A -? Structural S tee1._Pa.?epa.ration Section
100 x 60 m, skylight running s: -west. This
section contained the following.;
2 uyniversal power shears (Universal. scheren),
which could cut sheet ar.d steel shapes up
to 12 mm thick:.
4 drill pressca, with powec feed, (Sauelen-
bohrmasch1nen), which could drill holes up
to 50 mm in dia.me*cr.
2 radial drill pres r (A G.Blzgerbo%ir.?maschinen),
which could drill h:les .ip to 60 mm in
diameter.
2 planers (Hobs"lmas-_hiTn n; 8 m bed length,
2 circular sawn (Ka.:l.*1 w.~. t+:~ec n)
4 profile flame c.ut:ting (A-utogen-
schabionen I~renn? hnei.
i is h'Lri?:'Ln ,: .fimi
laT'
to "Oxygr'aph"
de-r:i c ,
c-o.' -. steel s
heets
by means of a
1 hand-operated
n ok;~... *.v1
sheet f.a
rxe .;..;acne.
r. ol.l (Blechri
cht-
walze).,
2
metal-straight
ening t-ah1es
(Richtplatte
n).
1
overhead trave
ling .-ratze,
5 ton capacit
y.
several portab
le elec.:,
w,eldliig machines,
Section B ?- Assesnb1Sectic?n
160 x 60 in, skylight r :=r..ning N-S. This section
contained the following:
2 overhead traveling crane;;., one of 7.5-ton
and the other of 5--ton cepacityo
25 portable electric welding machines.
A three inch steel pipe broiight compressed air from
the boiler house, (Point 21)., to this section. One-
inch pipe, laid in channels in the concrete floor,
distributed this air to outlets spaced at ten meter
intervals along the walls. Electric lines were
also laid in these channels. This section was the
assembly shop for the Structural Steel Division of
LOWA Nieskcy. Parts of bridges; turntables, cranes,
and steel frames for buildings were assembled here
for subsequent transport to the construction site.
Point 21 Boiler House
Brick building, 60 x 40 x 15 m.,? steel frame con-
struction, with a steel truss girder roof and a
triangular steel skylight. The wooden roof was
covered with tax?-paper, It contained two vertical
boilers, which supplied Steen for heating buildings
in the Structural Steel Division area, and two
air-compressors, which supplied ai_r, of about 5-7
atmospheresfor use in the assembly section,
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(Point 20 B). The boiler?o were lignite-fired, but
their capacity etmd fuel consumption is unknown to
me. I also do nh'% tcuov the source of the fuel.
ftel shortages were 'never emperieneed,
Point- 22 Smokestack
Brick, 45 m high, and 5 m
Point 23
Point 24
Coal Dt_A
Coal was hand-loaded lnt:M the boilers which. were 60
x20m.
Dwellings
Brick buildings, 24 x 12 xe 1? in, rwo=storied gable
roofs covered with red thlea.
Point 25 Gas Works
Brick building, 50 x 20 s 5 m, pitch roof, good
covered with tar-paper. Th!~ 5 was -the municipal gee
works plant and had no aff Illation with the LOHA
Hiesky Plant. I never enter e5. Chin building. I
have no information about prod .otion and distribution.
.Point=26 Gasometer
Steel ccnatruction, 20 is in diamter, the gasometer
was 10 m high when not full and about IT m high
when full.
Point 27 Hence
1.2 m high picket fence.
.Point 28 Paint Factory
Brick building, 40 x 20 x 5 m, pitch roof, wood
covered with tar-paper. This factory produced
painti and lacquers and had no affiliation with the
LOWA X leaky Plant, although the plant did buy some
paint from this factory. I have no infor atlon about
production or other distribution.
.point 29 Road
10 m wide and eobblactoned up to the ward house
(point 155, from there on it was a dirt road.
.Point 0 Railroad
Your tracks, normal $utropean gauge. About 100 m
went of the area shown it became a dingle track
rall7oad. They ran in a 4 m deep out. 'All of the
tracks on the ,ketch, with the exception of the
email mtgo system (Point 51), and a Russian gauge
track (Point 69 R), were Fibropean Sauget.
Paine Ovepaen
Wood conctrectlano .n-m-Ac3 g, 2 m wUm for the use
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of plant employees only. A member of the People's
Police, was always posted b.t the bottom of the
stairs on the north side of the overpass.
During 9?rift dh&nxe..j99 there wer.sF.,two
-19 ua-rds armed with pintola, posted at'this point,-
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Point 32 Office Buildtnpc
Wooden, 26 x 16 x 10 m, two-atori._r'., vhicch had a
pitch roof covered with alate ~ mh.. a bi: ldir was
divided into two sections
Section A
Section A contained the offices of the plant doctor,
plant. dentist, first aid section, and the medical
etorotoom.
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Section B
The production planning office for the three divisions
of the plant were. located in thia section as were
the offices engaged in scheduling, this studies,
work fulfillment, norms, ate. The entire second floor
was also occupied by the production planninS offioe.
Point 33 VeilChinR House
Wooden building, 5 z 3.5 x 2.5 m, flat pgoden roof,
tar-paper covered. - newly built railway cars were
weighed here,, They were them moved to the paint' chop
(Point 68 A), to have the tare weight and other inter
nation painted on them. F_ I
Point 3 4 Assembly Building
Brick, 120 z 50 x 15 a, one story, round crescent-
arohed wood roof covered with tar-paper. Window
rraffiea, door?, prefabricated walls, etoo were
assembled hero prior to shipment.
Point Shipping Building
Brick, 80 x 50 $ 15 m, ono story, low pitch roof.,
wooden truss, wood covered with tar-paper9 The
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articles completed in the assembly building (Point
34), were crated in this building, ready for ship--
ment. Paper work on these articles was also done
here.
Point 36 Loading Ramp
80 x 8 x 1.5 n, wooden conatructiono
Point 37 Design and Police Offices
Brick building, 40 x 35 x 12 in, two-storied, pitch
roof *covered with red tiles. Contained the design
offices of the Structural Wood and the Railroad Car
Divisions? The offices of the security and criminal
investigation police were also located here.
Point 38 Telephone Exchange
Brick building, 80 x 14 x 6 in, one story, pitch roof
covered with red tiles. Contained the telephone
exchange for the entire plant, as well as offices of
the Structural Wood Division. Two telephone oper-
ators worked 8 hours per shift. The exchange was
open 24 hours a day; telephone service was csatis-
factory.
Point 39 Plant Maintenance
?Wooden building, 40 x 1.4 x 4.5 in, one story, lore
pitch roof, wood covered with tar-paper. This
building contained the offices of the plant main-
tenance group.
Point 40 Guard gouse
Wooden building, 8 x 6 x 3.5 in, flat wooden roof
covered with tar-paper. A plant guard controlled
the vehicles which entered and left the plant area.
Pour People's Police members, armed with pistols,
were always on guard.
Point 41 Plant Entrance
Wooden gate, double wings,.
Point 42 Plant Gasoline Pump
An underground tank, (capacity unknown), held the
gasoline (source unknetvn), Cfaooline was dispersed
only upon presentation of a chit from the garage.
Point 43 Vehicle Lift
Hydraulic, used to raise passenger cars for greasing.
Point 44 Garage and Repair Shop
Brick building, 45 x 12 xc 10 m, one story, pitch
roof, steel trues girder construction, covered with
wood and tar-paper. The plant had four German l--
ton-trucks, three lid 3-ton trucks, and two German
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- 12 -
trucks, all Jn poor
very poor
owned eight passenger cars cwhich iwere in The plant also
.ondition.
Point 4 Dr9ing Chambers
Brick building, 70 x 40 x 3.5 m, pitch roof, wood
covered with tar-paper. The S chambers were divided
by brick w811so Wood brought here on dollies, was
dried by hot air piped to the building from t}.e
- boiler house (Point 56).
Point 46 Dam Room
Wooden buil.dii1 ? 100 x 40 - 6 m, one story, low
pitch wood truss root, wood covered with to -pac,r'-'.
Used by the Structural Wood Division workers for
washing and changing "tl_nir clothes.
Point 4 Assembly Building
Wooden, 100 x 40 x 6 in, one story, low pitch wood
truss roof, wood covered with tar-paper. Windows
and doors were assembled here.
Point 48 Wood Shaping Building
Wooden, 100 x 40 x 6 in, one story, low pitch wood
truss root,wwood covered with tar-paper. Fourteen
different ood shaping machines were located in this
building.
Point 4 Wood Cuttin& Buildiq .
Wooden, 100 x 40 x 6 m, one story, low pitch wood
truce roof, wood covered with tar-paper. Contained
12 different wood-working machines.
Point 50 Lumber Cutting Building
Brick, 50 x 40 x 6 in, one otory, lo.d pitch roof
wood truce covered with wood and tar-paper. Con-
tained four gang-Barren
Point 1 Small Gauge Railroad
'fcraneportation facility for bringing lumber and
hand-driven odolli o. Turntables building alsot hand-
operated.
Point 2 Lumber Yard
Lumber and wood used in railway car construction
and repair were stored. I can not estimate the
on hand,. Moot of it hundreds of
wood there
came
exact amount cubic moters,of but
from Thuringia by way of the DEZ Holz, -Berlin,
Point St ors, a Shed
An area 150 ss 30 m, covered by a flat wooden roof
6 m a::ove the ground, open on all aides. Hard and
rare moods were stored.
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13
Point 54 Pre-fabric ated Wall- Ccnatr ction BAilding
Brick, 160 x 50 x 6 m, one story, low pitch roof,
wood truss, covered with wood and tar-paper.
Divided into three &3ectionso
Section A - Offices
Section B - Day Room
Section C - Pre-fabry.cated Wall Conat_=izction
Contained two wood-shaving machines, a machine which
mixed the wood-shavings and cement mixture, a press
to oaf, _?eso the and about 1.50 fos?m -:)x r;t,:
each of which held 10 ferns. teach fabx-scat: d wail
section was about 0.5 -'. 1.5 m, and. about 5 one
thick. These Sections, were used in the construc:,,io u
of prefabricated houses; 750 of the wall sections
were produced. in one B.-hour shift. ' Drying time in
the -form boxes was 12 hours? After being taken
out of the forms the wall sections were allowed to
dry for another 36 hours inside the building
Distribution was affected by the DH`' Stein vnd
rrde (Stone and Earth) local. office, The major -
itv of these wall sections were sent to Fueroten-
berg and Calbe (Sov Zone), Germany.
Point 55 Propane Gas Stem.
Located in a brick b allding, 18 is 12 x 8 rap pitch
roof covered with red tiles. The propane g4 s was
contained in. a tank taken from a :railway tank oar.
The as was brought by railway tank car from
Sehlauroth (510 06m N - 150 020 3) roar Qoerli.ta.
Propane gao stored here, was piped to the forge
(Point 62 D). Prior to my arrival at the plant,
propane as had been brought to the forge in port-
able tanks by truck. 1 1.
Point 56 Thcarmal uleet:x 1.e
Brick building, 80 xc 35 x 12 =q, one c-toxry, lots
pitch roof, steel 91.1-der t-vue:s, aoavt)red with W-;Od
and tar-pap*r, his plant cont:,i.ned two vertical
S:a.-:SSk i.TY INFOFmMAT .ON
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--14-
D
coal-fired boilers and two Siemens-Halske gener-
ators, which produced an average of 12,000 kwh
per month. (I do not know what the coal con-
sumption wasp,) The alternating current produced
was 220 V., The thermal electric power plant also
contained two air compressors which produced air
of 5-7 atmospheres. The steam was also used to
heat the buildings of the Structural Wood and
Railway Car Divisions., The steam pipes were partly
underground; the electric cables were all under-
ground
Point 57 Smokestack
Brick, 45 m high, 5 m in diameter at the base.
Point 58 Coal Dump
100 x 35 in, usually about 2 m high. (Loaded by
hand.)
Point 59 Spare Parts Shed
Wooden construction, 40 x 15 x 6 :u, no sides, flat
wooden truss roof, covered with wood and tar-paper.
This shed contained railroad brake shoes, brake rods,
air cylinders, couplings, buffers, etc.
Point 60 Steel Stamping and Cutting Building
Brick, 50 x 20 x 6 in, low pitched roof, steel
truss, covered with wood and tar-paper, This
building contained the following:
1 power shear (Tafelnohere), which could out
steel up to 18 mm thick, The knife width
was 2.5 in, It wan Czech-made, bought at
the Leipzig Fair in 1950.
2 circular saws.
4 power hacksaws (Buegelsaegen).
6 punch presses (Ausklinknaschinen or
Stanzmaschinen).
Point 61
Various oi'ee and shapes of steel beams, plates
and rods were stored here. The yard- was equipped
with a gantry crane, 18 m wide, b m above the
ground, 150 m rail length, and, had a 7.5-con
capacity. It could be equipped with a magnet to
move steel shape..
Point 62 Railway-Car Building (and Fire Department)
Brick building, 248 x 50 x 8 m, one story, low
pitch roof, steel truss, covered with wood and
tar-paper. This building was divided into five
cectionae
Section A - Offices of the Railway Car Building
Division
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Section B _ Plant Fire Departmen_
The equipment included one Inose truck, one pumper,
and an ambulance, The fire trucks were acquired
from the Horch Company at Zwickau (500 44, N - 12
30' E) in 1950, and the ambulance was procured from
the same company in 1951. The permanent fire detail
was composed of 18 men; a volunteer corps composed
of 52 men could be raised among the plant workers
in an emergency. The permanent fire detail drilled
every day and was quite efficient. There was a
24-hour -fire watch through-out the plant. The
alarm signal was a siren which formerly had been
used for air raids, according to older workers at
the plant. "Surprise" fire drills were sometimes
held at night and the department heads had to report
5X1
Our time o arr va
d ooted to the "Land" Fire Depart-
e
p
was noted an r
ment Section (Landes Feuerwehrleitang) in Dresden.
Fire departments from the nearest towns, Niesky
and Weisswasser, were included in our plant emer-
gency detail?
Section C - Steel Cuttin Section and Apprentice
Welding 0
This section contained:
4 pflame cutting machines, similar to
profile
Oxygraphs" .
12 stationary electric welding sets
Section D - Forte
construction
done for here. entire
The z? equipment included the
shops was as work
following:
1 150-ton crank press (Iturbelprea?o) with one
crank.
2 forging presses, horizontal ram (Sohmiede-
masohinen).
3 eccentric presses (gxienter reauen).
1 drop hammer (Schmiedehamnlor) - fifty-ton,
steam-driven.
4 forging ovens (Schmiedeoefon) - propane gas
heated.
i electrical flash welder (Stumpf schviei?s-
maechinen-Anlage).
Section 2 - Tool and Ji Construction
This ceotion contained the following:
1 drill press, with power fend which could
drill holes up to 45 am in diameter.
radial drill press which could drill holes
;tp to 40 cm in diameter.
2 surface plates (A.nreiasplatten).
5 portable electro-welding sets.
2 portable oxy-acetylene w,,tiding sets.
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1 overhead traveling crane;, 2~5-ton. capacity,
electrically driven, and operated from the
floor.
Various tools and jigs used in the construction of
railway care and wheel and axle set: were built here.
Point 63 Store
Brick building, 25 x 12 x 6 m, pitch roof covered
with red tiles. Food., clothing, tobacco, soap,
beer, mineral water, etc were sold here.
Point 64 Workshop
Brick building, 160 x 150 x 14 m, low pitch roof,
steel truss, covered with wood and tar-paper. The
workshop was divided into the following sections:
Section A - Large Part Preparation
This section had two square monitors, running length-
wise. The lengthwise and crosswise steel beams of
the railway car undercarriages were drilled here.
Stiffening beams and axle bearing cradles were also
drilled, All holes were drilled acccrding to patterns.
The equipment at the ,y-,v kshop included.
1 universal power shear, which could out sheet
steel up to 12 mm thick.. This shear was
Hungarian and had been bought at the Leip-
zig Fair in 1950,
8 drill presses, with power teed, These presses
could drill holes up to 60 nun in diameter.
4 radial drill presses which could drill holes
up to 55 mm in diameter.
1 overhead traveling crane, 5-ton capacity.
Section B - Undercarriage Construction
The undercarriages of the railway cars were built
here in timed-interval serial production. The
shapes prepared in Section 64 A were assembled here.
Train couplings, brakes and brake equipment, axle
bearing housings, wheel and axle sets, and buffers
were attached to the undercarriage, Section B
contained:
2 rivet squeezers, air-operated (Nietbuegel-
maschinen).
4 electrical rivet heaters (Nietwraez?mer).
2 locating jigs (Binlegeheftachablonon); jigs
for locating and tack-welding undercarriage
in one operation,
2 welding Jigs (Schwenlcbare-Aussohweissaehab-
lonen); rotating jigs used for welding under-
carriages.
25 portable electrical. welding sets,
1 overhead traveling crane, 5-ton capacity.
Section C - S ra in She and Railway Car Roof
over ng op
Various parts of railway cars were sprayed here in
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four booths, equipped with exhausters. The roof
coverings of the railway box cars, consisted of a
canvas-like blanket impregnated with a tarry material,
water- and temperature-change-resistant. They were
referred to as "Bitumen -Decken. " The material was
warmed before it was applied; upon cooling it shrank,
giving a tight fit,
Section D - Paint Shop
Repaired streetcars were sprayed in two booths.
Section R - Machine Shop
All machine tool operations needed in railway car
construction were pcrtormed here. The machine shop
contained the following equipment:
8 engine lathes (Spitzendrehbaenke); 500-2500
mm spindle length, 150-500 mm spindle height.
2- five mm capacity planers.
4 shapers (Shapings); 250-500 mm capacity.
2 vertical shapers (Stossmaoohinen).,
3 milling machines, one vertical, two hori-
zontal (Fraecmasohinen).
2 circular grinders (Rundsohleifmasahiner.).
4 threading machine-, single spindle. (Gewinde-
automaton) which cut external threads only,
by means of thread dies,
2 bench grinders (Schmirgelsoheiben).
Point 65 Railway Car Repair Shop
Brick building, 150 x 80 x 14 m, low pitch roof with
a square monitor, steel truss covered with wood and
tar-paper.
Section A - Freight, Passenger and Mail Car Repair
Wood needed for repairs was out in the Structural
Wood Division. Steel sections or parts were made
in the workshop, (Point 64), 13 freight oars, one
4-ailed maail oar, three 2-axled mail oars, and six
2-ailed passenger care were repaired here every
month on the average.
Section B -. Batterp Recharging Section
36 batteries for electric hand-trucks and passenger
care and trucks could be recharged at one time.
There were 48 German hand-trucks in the plant.
Point 66 Slidins Platform Installation (Schiebebuehnenanlage)
lleotrioally driven.
Point..67 Maintenance Repair Shop
Brick building, 50 x 20 x 8 m, low pitch roof, wood
trixss covered with wood and tar-paper, All plant
equipment which needed repair was brought-to this
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shop. The shop contained:
1 engine lathe - 1500 mm spindle length, 250
mm spindle height.
1 drill press, with power feed which could
drill holes up to 35 mm in diameter.
1 sheet metal shear (Blechschere). This shear
was hand-operated and could out sheet Tcetal
up to 5 mm thick, 500 mm wide.
1 hand-operated sheet metal roll (Blechbie-
gewaize).
2 portable electric welding sets.
4 portable oay-acetylene welding sets.
4 bench drill presses (Tischbohrmaschinen)
which could drill holes up to 10 mm in
diameter,
A brick building, structural steel frame, 300 x
160 x 15 m, low pitch, steel truss roof,
covered with wood and tar-paper, Two square
monitors were on the roof. This building was
divided into the following sections:
Section A - PaintShop
Two spraying booths, each of which could hold two
,freight cars. This section was equipped with
exhaust fans.
Section B - Three-ailed Wheel-trucks Construction
o2
The wheel-trucks were built of steel plate 20, 25,
and 3 -trucks were built per
month t the plant (June 1951)?.
Upon completion, the w ae -trucks were sent to a
railway car factory in Dessau, (Waggonfabrl.k SAO
Dessau), which built underoarriages for railway
cranes. The Dessau plant received Soviet gauge
wheel and axle sets for these undercarriages-, from
a plant (name and location unknown), in Czecho-
slovakia. The undercarriages were sent to the
MIAs Company, Leipzig, where the cranes were built
on them. The shwa contained the following equip-
ment:
2 Rrofile flame cutting machines, similar to
Oxygraphen.
4 cutting torches
1 drill press., with power feed
2 locating jigs
1 welding jig
1 inspection Jig (Messpr-dfstand) which was a
device for proving measurements of these
wheel-trucks.
1 overhead traveling crane, 5-ton capacity.
These three-axled wheel-trucks had been made at
LOWA Gotha (510 25' N - 120 36' E) and LOWA Babels-
berg, but were unsatisfactory and therefore LOWA
Niesky was given the assignment to construct them
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(on 1 Jan 51). Production was to begin on 1 Mar 51,
but we were already producing them during the last
half of February.
Section C - Box Car Superstructure Construction
The box care that were constructed were of steel
ribs, wooden sides and flooring. It contained the
following:
2 Jigs, for box-car door welding.
2 Jigs, for box-car roof construction.
25 portable electric welding machines.
I overhead traveling crane, 5-ton capacity.
25X1
iti June 1951 the plant was producing
3 new ox-ears per month. ?
Suction D - Freight, Passenger and Mail Car Repair
This section had no permanent machines, other than an
overhead traveling crane, 5-ton capacity, Tools
were brought in as required.
Point 62 Machine Shoo
A brick building, structural steel frame, low pitch
roof, steel truss, covered with wood and tar-paper,
One square monitor located on the roof. This build-
ing was divided Into the following sections:
Section A - Air Brake Assembly Shop
brake parts came from the borlinor Bromsmnbau AG--
formerly Kunzb-Knorr Bromse AG. The brake parts
were assembled hero, and mounted and tooted on the
care in building 65 A, 68 0, and 68 D. The shop
contained neither machines nor a crane.
Section B - rlumbina 1ihop
Pipes for the air brake equipment were ou`f;, thread-
ed by hand, and assembled in this shoe It con-
tained only work benches and hand tools. There
was no crane.
Section 0 - Sheet-metal Shop
-Parts needed in the railway oar construction and
repair shops were made hero. It oontaineds
2 shoot metal rolls (B}leohrichtwalo?n). (Ono
hand-operated and one power-operated.)
2 sheet metal folding presses (Blaohbiege-
masehinen). (One hand-operated and ono
power-operated.)
2 hand-operated shoat metal brakes (Bl'oh-
abkantmaaohinon).
:2. shoat metal shears (Bleahscheren).
4 portable oxy-acetylene weld n maohines.
1 overhead traveling Crane, 2-ton capacity,
floor-operated.
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Section D - Street Car Repair Shop
During the time I was in Niesky, 32 trailer (non-
powered) street care of the Berliner Verkehrs-
gesellechaft were repaired per month, both under-
carriage and superstructure. During this time,
only nine street cars with motors were repaired.
Section B - Wheel and AX'.e-set Shop (Radsatz-
e gang
This chop was engaged in the construction of new
railroad wheel and axle sets (except for loco-
motives), for the German railroad system and
also for the Soviet Union.. Those sets built for
the latter were sent to Goerlitz and Bautzen,
where reparation passenger oars were being built.
Axle spindles were turned and burnished. Wheel
tires were also turned. This shop contained:
10 vertical boring mills (KarrusseldrehbaenJce),
which had been made by the Hiles Company,
Chemnitz. Wheels and wheel tires were
turned on these.
6 cranes, rotating arm. Powered by com-
pressed air, they could lift 750 kg and
were used for lowering and lifting wheels
and tires.
1 .drill press, with Sow feed. This Press
could drill holes up to 65 mm in diameter.
2 circular saws.
1 center locating machine (Zentriermaschine).
This machine was used to center axles,
which were received atrough forgings.
~~amm o
rough Sohruppen). 2.5a a bad ( length, 300
zum spindle height.
1 lathe (Ablaengebank), which was used to
determine the exact length of axles. No
turning was done on it.
4 fine turning axle lathes (Aohsendrehbaenke
zum Sohlichten), 2.5 m bed length, 300 mm
spindle height.
1 magna-flux device (Durohflutungsgoraeb).
Wet process.
1 retaining ring rolling machine (8prengring-
Rinwalzmasohino). This machine was used to
insert retaining ring holding tire to wheel.
.q electrical overhead traveltng cranes, 2.5-ton
capacity.
2 wheel mounting and dismounting presses
(Radeatzpreseen). The axles were pressed
into the standing wheels by this machinne.
They were hydraulic-powered and could exert
250 tons pressure. When a wheel was press-
ed onto an axle, a graph was made of the
procedure, and was sent along with the Wheel
and axle set. These graphs had to chow a
pressure of 145-65 tons on sets for the Ger-
man railway system, and 55-75 tone for those
destined for the USSR.
SNORNT
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2 wheel tire heating ovens (Bandagewaermeoefen).
Profane-gas heated--the tires were heated to
300 C. before being put or. the wheels. They
were allowed to cool naturally inside the
building,
4 wheel lathes (Radsatzdrehbaenke). Complete
wheel and axle sets were turned here in order
to give the required profile to the tire.
2 burnishers (Praegepolierbaenke). Axle spin-
dles were burnished in these by means of
steel rollers.
Point 70
Rough axles, tires and wheels were tested by the firm
delivering them and were accompanied by-inspection
papers. Niesky did not subject them to a drop test.
The finished axles were subjected to a magna-flux teat.
The complete sets were inspected by the German rail-
road inspector or the Soviet inspector. These-men
inspected the sets, checked the papers, and stamped
the wheels and axles with steel dies. This was
the only shop section which had no pits under its
railroad tracks.
Material Dump
Wheels and forgings for wheel and axle sets were
stored here. An overhead traveling crane, 5-ton
capacity, was used.
Point 71, Tool Makings Shop
Brick building, 25 x 15 x 6 m, flat wooden roof,
covered with tar-paper. Tools used in the wheel
and axle construction shop were made here. This
shop contained:
2 brazing and forging furnaces (Sohmiedeoaten).
Propane-gas hoated.' Used in forging cutting
tools and for brazing tungsten carbide tips
on cutting tools.
1 shaper.
4 precision tool grinders (Werkzeug-8pezial-
Maesohloifmasohinen).
Point 1. Looker and Toilet Room
Brick building, 25 x 15 x 6 m, flat wooden roof,
covered with tar-paper.
Point 13, Warehouse and Offices
Brick building, 150 x 40 x S m, pitch roof, wooden
truse, - covered with wood and tar-paper. This
building was divided into two sections:
Section A - Warehouse
All kinds of material used in railway oars build-
ing were stored here.
Section B - Warehouse Office
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- 22 .-
Point 74 Open Area
Point 75 Dirt Road
Leading to Moholz (510 201 N - 140 47'_E). This
road was about 8 m wide.
Point 76 Iron and Steel Yards
Material used in railway car building. It was
hand-loaded onto dollies.
Point 77 Woods
Coniferous trees.
Personnel
10. There were 4368 workers at LOWA Niesky in June 1951 employed
as follows:
Structural Steel Division
Number of
Employees
Physical
Location
/described in
Site Layou7
Design department
36
:l0
Main office
8
9B
Storage area
18
Stool preparation
198
20A
Plant assembly
303
9C, 20B
Site assembly
240
total
860
Structural Wood Division
Main office
10
46
Storage area
132
552, 3
Wood preparation
324
45b4 ,49 50
Plant assembly
523
34, 35, 47
Site assembly
100
Prefabricated walls
1'5.
540
Railway Car Division
Design department
24
62
Main office
12
A
Storage area
Steel stamping & cutting
45
66
61, 76
Machine shop
69
64E
Forge
72
62D
Tool and dig construction
54
623
Undercarriage construction
215
E
Superstructure construction
31?
68c
Upholstery
24
Paint chop
72
, 68A
68A
D
Wheel and axle construction
216
6
Repair shops
15-0-
65A,68D,69D
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- 23 -
ZL_0WA Niesky Employees--(Continued) .7
General Employees
Number of Phy
Employees Loc
sica
atio
l
n
(ie, those not connected with
ff eacr
a
in
any particular division)
Site
Layo
ug
Plant administration
28
10
Bookkeeping
84
11D
Personnel
8
10
Administrative director
123
13,
73A, B
Plant maintenance
8
39
Plant maintenance shop
71
67
Apprentice training
48
11A,
B
Apprentices
Quality control
582
64D,
B
total
952
Total Personnel
4368
About 65 per cent of the 4368 employees were skilled workers.
(This high percentage is slightly misleading--the greater per-
centage of the pi nt'e skilled personnel were employed in the
Structural Wood Division.) Regular apprentice training periods
were of three yeareduration, but apprentices could shorten this
time by over-fulfilling their work quotas. There was no short-
age of personnel at the plant. Employees from 82 communities
in the vicinity of Nieslcy (and up to a distance of 65 km away),
worked at LOWA Hiesky.
11. The plant normally operated six days a week, 24 hours a day.
Sometimes, when some particular work was urgently needed,
Sunday work was scheduled. Most office employees worked from
0700-1630 houroj other shifts were: from 0600-1400, 1400-
2200, and 2200-0600 hours.
security Measures
12, The LOWA Iiieolcy plant was guarded by a detail of 32 mombers
of the German Democratic Republic Peoples: Police (Volks-
polizei). They wore blue uniforms, were armed with pistols,
and were commanded by a lieutenant, who was responsible to
a colonel of the Vopo, stationed in $iesky. The' guards were
stationed at the entrances, (Pointe 4, 5, 15, 31, 40, and 141).
The plant also had representatives of the Security Detachment
(Sioherheitedienet; the SD) and the Criminal Police (Kriminel-
polizei)4' The representatives were not responsible to the
plant administration but to the services to which they were
attached, They had access to everything in the plant, and
without previous announoement, visited the Plant or Technical
Directors.
13. The Cultural Director (Kulturdirektor), whose primary duties
were information and education, was also responsible for
fire prevention in the plant. (See Point 62 for further
details.) Fire hydrants were located throughout the plant,
both inside and outside of buildings. Carbon tetrachloride
extinguishers (Minimax system) were placed in all the build-
ings. Plant employees never engaged in military, air raid,
chemical, or biological warfare drills.
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14. A continual effort to inculcate all employees with a fear of
sabotage was made by the security sections. They harped
on the destructive intentions of the Americans, who were
said to be particularly interested in damaging state-owned
plants. I believe that precautions taken to guard the propane
gas tank, (Point 55), was an example of this exaggerated fear.
Another example is funished in the case of the failure of some
newly-purchased vertical boring mills. Ten of these machines
were ree-elve4 from the Niles Company, Chemnitz, between 15 Aug
50-15 Mar 51. In April 51,, five of the boring mills were out
of commission because of shaft failure, For fourteen days,
two men from the Sicherheitsdienst, eight men from the Krimi-
nalpolizei, and two men from the Ministry for r achine Con-
struction in Berlin, investigated the ostensible case of
sabotage. They interrogated the machine operators, the oilers,
the shop foremen, the shop director and the technical director.
The suspects were all exonerated because it was found that
the shafts had seized because of material failure or poor
workmanship by the Niles Company. Three of the shafts were
found to have cracks in them. The oiling system had been at
fault in the other two--the copper tubes were bent too
sharply, reducing the flow of lubricating oil to the shaft.
The Niles Company repaired the latter at their expense,-and
the other three at the plant's expense. Morale, and plant
operation was greatly influenced by these security groups and
their system of plant supervision and spying.
ENCLOSURE: (A) Overlay of GSQS 4416 Map-Spremberg, Germany
3howing Location of LOWA Niesky
ENCLOSURE: (B) Site Layout of LOWA Nieeky
25X1 ENCLOSURE: (C)
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