MEZ ZIDENICE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A001500850004-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 21, 2005
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: July 7, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2005/07/13 : CIA-RDP80-0081OA001500850004-8
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
S
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PLACE ACQUIRED
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This Document contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States, within the mean-
ing of Title 18, Sections 793 and 794, of the U.S. Code, as
amended. Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited.
REPORT NO.
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT NO.
REFERENCES
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7 July 1953
1. MEZ (Mo ^avske elektrotechili eke zavody .??- Moravian Eleetrotechnical Works)
Zidenic;s, National Enterprise, located at 51./53 Filipinskeho ul,, Brno--Zidenioe,
was an independent enterprise for the production of electrical equipment and
was sub rdirnate to the Main Administration of Electrical Engineering of the
Ministry of Heavy Engineering, In addition to the main factory in Brno -?Zideniice,
NEZ Z?'denioe owned two small production halls, which were in Bucovice Z4909N?-.
170~0E,~ and Slavkov u Brna 909N-1652EE. The main factory was built in 1921, and
1925 and until World War II was called Elektromotor Svet. One of the founders
of this plant was Rudolf RICHTER, who is now in the U. S. or Canada. After 1945
the plant was nationalized and was enlarged by the inclusion of a former military
depot in 1945 and of the former Smrcek Foundry . in 1946 and 1947 Use of this
installati-n, as a foundry was discontinued in September 1952. Additirns to the
main factory were built in 194?1949. the factory space was
fully utilized and no further enlargements were scheduled.
2. The plant produced electric motors,, dynamos, fire sirens, oil pumps for cooling
objects worked on tool machines, grinding machines, window venti.latt,rs, magnetic
brakes for elevators, electric motors for spinning machinery, and magnetic rail-
road switches.
a. Electric motors were produced for sea and river vessels. These motors, which
accounted for 15% of the total production of the plant, were exported to the
USSR through Metrans via Cerna pri Cope A826N- 2206EE. MEZ `ZTiderlice also
produced electric motors fn-r a and river vessels being built in Czechoslovakia
25X1 for the USSR
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 Paints and Lacquers United Factories for Paints and Lacquers,
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Uherske Hradiste L 904N-1727 , United
Factories for Paints and Lacquers, Prague
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ZJ-L, Po." A.ny 1#! ~,~ ~1 q^S ,~ v9,'a, ~! C'L ....~:~.3 }. ?r
Approved For ReISWO
Bearings ZPS Lisen, Lisen
12N-16 E7, Z Lr
Klasterec nad O.nr1. 5023N?-1309F a 4x.
started D oduction in
F12 98t7 whi-ch Roberta, Nachod L5025N--1610: * Gumokov, Hradec
Kralove 5025N-15500ptirnit. Odry 591+ON-
1750 s Matador, Bratislava (the only actory
in Czechoslovakia where hard rubber was
produced)
Wedge-shaped (Klinove)
belts and packing rings
"G. :f fern "
Measuring instruments Precision Mechanics, Stara Tura Z4-847N-1742?7;
Somet, Trnovany u Teplic /. G38N-?13508
Grinding materials United Factories for Production of Carborundum,
Nove Benatky nad Jizerou Z501.7N-l450.E7
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bearings 9 of Which en ce
b
ht
oug
abou , yearly with a total value of about 10,000,000 Kos.
The Z Zidenice plant had no spur track of its own, Although the
Zidenice railroad freight station was only 500 m. from the plant
it
,
was not used by the plant except for transportation of coal, which
was transloaded at the Zidenice freight station to tractor-hauled
wagons. All other materials for ..the plant were brought to the Brno
railroad freight station and from there transported to the plant by
trucks belonging to the CSAD (Ceskoslovenska automobilova, doprava
Czechoslovak Automobile Transportation). The MEZ Zidenice plant was
supplied with electricity by the Brno Utility Plant (Brneneke rozvodne
zavody), but MEZ Zidenice had a naphtha motor which produced
sufficient electricity for the needs of the plant when the regular
source of power failed. The plant made use of the city gas and water
systems Waste materials of the plant were collected by-the Waste
Collection (Sberne auroviny) National Enterprise.
8. MEZ Zidenice had no research institute of its own, but depended
upon the re.searoh facilities of MEZ Vyvoj (Development) National
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.
,
MEZ Vyvoj was the research institute for the major
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9 ? MEZ Zidenice,n including the production halls at Siavkov u Brna and
Bucovice, employed about 1,500 employees, of whom a` .bout 350 were
office-workers. About 65% of the employees were men and 35% women;
the proportion of men to women was about the same in the work shops
as in the offices. A few of the workers were highly skilled, And
a few were completely untrained, but the majority had some training
sufficient that they could do their jobs adequately. 25X1,
25X1 of the total number of employees about 300 were
25X1 UOR MUM NA.-Party members of these about 120 were convinced
-_& !LEA ___ n V14 we aocated in nrno-? u8ovj.oe at Svf
tavska
ul 3
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-4. As at all the major plants in Czechoslovakia, there was an apprentice
training program at MEZ Zidenice. This was called the Center of
Working Youth (Stredisko pracuJeci,.ho. dorostu -- SPD). There were
about 80 male and 10 female apprentices who lived in quarters within
the plant area and had their own mess. The living conditions in the
quarters were very good, and the apprentices got four meals and 'a hai.lf
liter of milk daily. A special training workshop for the apprentices
was located at Grohova ul. 43 in Brno. They received theoretical and
practical training for various kinds of work in the factory. In
addition, they received political and gymnastic instruction.
(Fnu) KALOUSEK was head of the SPD at MEZ Zidenice, and Adolf
NAVRATIL, a zealous Communist Party member, was the political
instructor.
5. In 1950-1951 MEZ Zidenice built a few apartment houses for its
personnel in Brno-Tabor and rebuilt two old apartment houses on
Francouzska ul. in Brno. The plant published a monthly magazine
called "Elektromotor MEZ" which contained articles concerning various
Party, personnel, and production affairs. Vlastimil VRANA, a
Communist activist, was the editor.
.r"118: A. Rough Sketch of MEZ Zidenice Plant Layout
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 Rough Sketch of MEZ Zidenice Plant Layout.
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Annex. A (Cont'd) SECRET
Legend :
No. of
Point Stories
Building
Material
1. three brick
2a. two brick
Use
administrative offices
ground floor: tool machines
second floor: assembly hail
basement: storage of oil and combustibles
2b. one wood naphtha motor for power production
3. three brick ground floor: tool stockroom and grinding
room
second floor: ZG 50 dynamo winding shop.
third floor: stockroom for office
supplies
basement: paint and lacquer stocks
4. one wood stocks of castings
5. one brick garage
6a. one brick shipping office
b. one brick stocks of motors and semi-finished products
c. one brick paint spraying room for finished products
7a. two brick ground floor: storage room for products
not yet sprayed
second floor; lavatories and locker rooms
b. one brick assembly hall
8. one brick tool machine production hall
9a, one brick sheet-metal cutting room.
b. one brick presses
10. one brick purchase department and storage rooms
11. one brick kitchen and mess
12a. one brick tool room
b. one brick forge
13a. one wood machine maintenance shop
b. one wood storage room for iron and sheet metal
14. two brick ground floor: Hollerith cards
second floor: dispensary
15. one wood fire station with fire engine
16a. two brick ground floor: shipping room'for finished
products
second floor: drafting rooms
b. two brick ground floor: laboratories
second floor: drafting rooms
17. two brick ground floor: carpentry shop
second floor: school rooms for apprentices
18. one wood lumber stores
I. Main gate with lodge, including one room for the plant guards and one
room for the storage of weapons for the plant militia.
II. Rear gate with lodge.
III. Gate not in use.
IV. Gate not in use.
Gate for use only in case of fire.
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