ECONOMIC - CHEMICAL INDUSTRY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000600140100-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 13, 2011
• Sequence Number: 100
• Publication Date: December 4, 1949
• Content Type: REPORT

0 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/06/14: CIA-RDP80-00809A000600140100-5
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COUNTRY
SUBJECT
Germ= Desrocratic Republic
Economic - Chemical industry
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REPORT
CD NO.
DATE OF
INFORMATION May 150
DATE DIST. A0 nsc 1950
NO. OF PAGES 3
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
RSPOHT OD THE.g2IWR CH MICAL FACTOR!, 30Vi$T ZOME MMYANT
The basic material used in the Erkner Chemical Factory, which is or-
5aniaationally a part of the "Carbon Products" Federation of People-Owned
enterprises, is the tar of all types which is obtained as a by-product of
the gasworks in the Soviet Zone of Occupation. The first stage of process-
ing yields the following principal products: benzene, crude benzene, and
carbolic oils. These are further processed in the Benzene Department and
the'Carbolic Department. The prescribFd daily output (minim-) is 96,000
liters of benzene and 72,000 liters of'carbolic oil.
A. Benzene Department
In the benzene scrubbing installation purified benzene of Grades I, V,
and IV is obtained, by adding sulfuric acid to the crude benzene: These are
then pumped to the so-called "old" and "new" - distillation units for further
processing. The old distillation unit has fine distillation installations
(stills), with a capacity of 20,000 liters each. The new distillation unit
has three stilly, each with a capacity of 100,000 liters. The following
Z roducts are'obtained, depending on temperature and the cbeaicals added
sted in order of production value):
1. First-run benzene for manufacture of explosives.
2. Unrefined toluol, which is further processed in th3 Pyridine Depart-
ment to purified or pure toluol and is used for the manufacture of explosives
and saccharin. One of the chief consumers is the Explosives Factory in Schoe-
nebeck on the E1*. Deliveries to this factory are. made regularly.
3. Ninety'percent benzene, pure benzene, and heavy benzene, n.hich are used
excl' iTd 'as fuel for the Soviet troops: Shipments are made daily by tank car
or tank truck.
1. The sulfuric acid used in the benzene scrubbing unit, which is drawn off
after distillation, is used as follows, depending on the degree of saturation:
I
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a. With a resin saturation of less than 10 percent, it is used an
pyridine acid, f which the pure pyridine for phaaaaaceuticals, e.g., sleep-
ing tablets, is made. The price at the plant is 45 Deutsche marks per kilo-
gram.
b. With a saturation of over 10 perceAt, the sulfuric acid is
treated with cresol. Theproduct is acid resin, which is used, e*ong other
things, as an additive for liquid tars, asphalts, etc. Pure naphthalene is
also obtained as an intermediate product.
5. Cumaron resin, used in the production of buns, the manufacture of
film, and the optA.csl industry.
B. Carbollc
Xylol and phenol are by-products of the distillation of carbolic oil.
Xylol is used in the manufacture of dyes, phenol in the productiotk of med-
ical products. io further information fs given 7
Oka a standard shift, the workers work from 0600 to 1630 hours. The ma-
chinery and plant supervision services work in three shifte: 0600-1400, 1400-
2200, and 2200-0600 hours. In the Benzene Department the shift consists of one
man in the benzene scruabing unit, one man in the new distillation unit, one
man in the old distillation unit, one man in the Pyridine Department, one man
to do preliminary work, and one section foreman.
There is no special production at night, but only supervisory service.
Since 1 January 1950 there have no longer been Soviet supervisory officers
in the plant.
The chief personnel of the plant are as follows:
Plant Management
let Director: Dr Kru acher
2d Director: Boehm
let Technical Director: Roder
2d Technical Director: Wagner
Administration
Head of Personnel Office: Ernst Neumann
Read of Payroll Office: Knittel (also shop s+evard)
Head of Plant Security Office: Wilde
Head of Shipping Office: Mrs Kru char
Head of Plant Trade Union Management: Lerche (secretary, kiss Riakus)
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Activities in Plant, Trade Union Maas nt: X401 a" XbItt*1
Activities in Free Germe:n Trade Union: Mueller
office Yorkers Vith special asaigeOrbts (supe vision, etc.): 06ebelt,
goede, Bradt, Barko' eski, Moeller, Rom, Gleffe, BornesSnn, Eimer
let Laboratory Assistant: Schneider
Chief of gstiemates: woinarck
Head of Planning: Oarlipp
Deputy: Kl+rinert
Head of Work Norms Unit: Altechaffel
Director, Apprentice Unit: Trillack
geUetstl ant
Director: Engr Priebus
let Foreman, Benzene Department: Knueppel
let Foreman, Tar Distillation Department: Roder
2d Foreman, Tar Distillation Department: Schulz
Carbolic Department
Director: Dr Guenther
Director, Boiler House Department: Engr Heimann
Director, Repair Department: Engr Scheidecker
lot Foreman, Machine Shop: Rahn
2d Foreman, Machine Shop: Bugge
let Foreman, Boiler House: Reichwegen
Foreman, Repair Department: Loh
Chief Electrician: Eckert
Transportation Chiefs Goersdorf
Yard Water: Zavadski
Foreman in Charge of Tank Cars: Ostweld
At present, the other white-collar workers in the administrative and tech-
nica.l offices number about 80. The total number of employees (laborers and of-
fice workers) is about 480 to 530.
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