SKODA WORKS IN PRAGUE-SMICHOV

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A004100700006-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 19, 2010
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: May 25, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
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.B. 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.
SECRET/CONTROL, OFFICIALS ONLY
COUNTRY Czechoslovakia
SUBJECT Skoda Works in Prague-Smichov
REPORT
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
REFERENCES
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
25 May 1954
1. The Skoda Works (Skodovy zavodx), National Enterprise, Prague XVI-Smichov,
Na Zlichove,is located between Krizova Street and the Bustehradska Railroad,
which runs from Prague to Hostivice and Kladnn. A cobblestone lane leads
across the factory into Krizova Street.'.. Fencing consists of a wooden
fence in the north and south, a wire fence in the east, and a brick wall,
along Krizova Street, in the west.
2. The plant is about 500 meters long, from north to south, and about 150 meters
across at the widest point, near the middle. The main gate is on the north,
with a brick guardroom:, 5 x 5 meters. Another gate, used by employ-
ees, is. on the south, with a guardroom- adjoining a production hail. In the
south a spur branches off the Bustehradska RR tracks and runs through the
plant, along the cobblestone road. In the north, close to the connecting road,
is the largest of the production halls. It is of irregular s1ape, approximate-
ly 150 x 60 meters, known as Mechanika I, where spare parts for diesel engines
are made. An engine-testing shop is attached to the hall. Partly under the
testing chop is an oil tank with the pipes and,main outlet on a small lawn. In
the northern part of the hall, which is about 30 meters high, is the engine
assembly shop and a small separate shop used as the shipping department
finished engines. A four-story building adjoins the Mechanika I hall on the
west. It is 40 x 12 meters and contains management offices and various
adaninistrative departments (wages, construction, etc.). On the other side of
the road,-opposite Mechanika I, are the dining room and the canteen in a one-
story building, 15 x_6 meters. Slightly east of the canteen is the fuel and
oxygen-bombs store>E'oom in a wooden hut, 10 x 8 meters. Below the guardroom
in the north another road branches off the cobblestone road, turn irgaa along
Mechaaika I and then continuing parallel with the main connecting up to
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about the middle of the plant. On the western side of this second road is the
boiler house, 9 x 9 meters, with a chimney 12 meters high. About 30 meters
south of the boiler house is a four-story building, 20 x 7 meters, situated
close to the wall. On the ground floor is the storeroom for printed propa-
ganda material, on the second floor the security department, on the third
floor the drawing office, and on the fourth floor the music hail. Eight
meters south of this building is a wooden cooling tower 7 x 7 meters, for
condensing steam. Ten meters south of Mechanika I is a production hall,
called Slevarna (Foundry). The actual foundry, however, occupies only half
of the hall, which is 100 x 50 meters. At the eastern end of the foundry are
the two chimneys of the furnaces, 12 meters high. In the northwest half of the
production hall is the molding shop, about 30 meters wide; the rest of the
space is occupied by offices, mainly of the personnel department. At the
northern and of the hall is the castings cleaning shop-and in the middle of
the western wall the switch room. In the foundry ,'cv'linder blocks for diesel
engines are being cast. Twelve meters south of the foundry is a building,
15 x 6 meters, containing the dentist's and medical rooms and the fire station.
Attached to it is a wooden hut where radiators are stored. South of the
building is the assembly hall, 60 x 15 meters, where four. and six-cylinder
diesel engines are assembled. To the south is a five-story building formerly
called Asap, 40 x 15 meters, with a flat roof. It is now called Mechanika II.
On tht ground and second floors are the spare parts and the crankshafts
workshops. On the third floor are offices, on the fourth floor the apprentices'
workshops,-and on the fifth floor classrooms in the southern end, and a store-
room for patterns in the north. In the southeastern part is a smaller produc-
tion hall which belongs to Mechanika II, where cast-iron spare parts are made.
Size of this hall is 30 x 8 meters. Cloakrooms and bathrooms are attached to
this hall. The guardroom in the south is located clos;to this hall.
3. The total number of employees is about 1,000, of whom 700 are in production;
200 are women working mainly on turret lathes or drilling machines. Of the
remaining 500 employees, 200 are unskilled workers transferred from unproduc-
tive jobs. The plant works three shifts, except in the assembly workshops
where only one shift a day is worked.
4. Machinery and tools consist of the following:
150 small lathes of older type
60 turret lathes, TOS type, of Czech manufacture
5 large lathes, Niles type
2 Skoda Sur lathes
5 horizontal milling machines (foreign makes)
5 lathes, Fischer type (copying lathe)
80 small drilling machinast;o_T Czech manufacture
30 new large drilling machines, 09 tyDe
20 small vertical milling machines
7 vertical revolving lathes (bar ouse5 drawing boards
5. In the material-testing shop there are four hardness-testing apparatus,
3rinell type (ballbearing system) and 12 grinding machines (Czechoslovak
Kamenicek and TOS types) for precision grinding.
6. The foundry has two Siemens-Martin furnaces.
7. In the pattern shop there are five tufting lathes and four circular saws.
8. In the foundry there are two cranes, Granich type, capacity 10,000 kg. In
Mechanika I are five cranes, Granich type,'10-15,000 kg. capacity. Castings
.:;.:are transported from the foundry to Mechanika I by a Granich crane of 10,000
kg. capacity. One Granich crane is used for crushing old castings and
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rejects. Another Granich crane is in the assembly hall.,of 10,000 kg. capacity.
In the southern part of Mechanika I ere-four small and two large automatic saws,
and one Granich crane.
9. A mbii '~s fiot done on assembly lines but on special benches or on the
floor in the assembly hall.
10. In Mechanika II, in the northern part, is one vertical lathe (carrousel),
4 small turret lathes, one capstan lathe. In the crankshaft shop are two
vertical milling machines and one automatic balance-control machine. In the
southern part of Mechanika II are five lathes, two drilling machines, and two
small lathes. On the first floor of Mechanika II are 12 medium-size lathes,
five grinding machines, Kamenicek type, and four drilling machines. In the
second part of Mechanika II are four small lathes and two drilling machines,
TOS type. In the apprentices' workshop there are 12 lathes of Czechoslovakian
make, three of them of the Miles type, workshop.f~,,o`:one grinding machine (TOS) , one
shaping machine, one capstan lathe, one horizontal and one vertical milling
machine,and one saw.
11. In kiechanika I are four large planing machines and three large shaping
machines.
12. Electric per comes from the Prague power system. Since 1952 there have
been frequent power cuts without previous warning, and work had to be suspended
for a whole shift. For this reason night shifts were introduced in some
smaller factories in the neighborhood.
13. Steel rods are delivered by rail from the Poldina Hut foundries while cast iron
is produced at the plant.
14. Production and destination of finished products;
a. Diesel engines (two, four.#and six-cylinder) for power plants and sugar
factories are exported to Egypt and South America, mainly to the Argentine.
30 diesel engines are produced monthly.
b. Mobile power plants have six-cylinder engines and are fitted on four-wheel
undercarriages. The undercarriage is also produced in the Skoda Works. A
generator produced at Skoda.Pilsenl is attached to the motor. All these
power units bear Russian inscriptions and are sent to._.the USSR.
c. Production of a Soviet-type diesel engine for tanks was introduced in the
summer of 1952 and was supervised by a number of Soviet engineers. All
young employees due for national service were immediately assigned to
tank units (sic).
15. The Five-Year-Plan was never fulfilled above 100%; this was caused partly by
inferior material and partly by irregular and delayed deliveries. Very often
work had to be suspended in some production branches.- Cast iron is of very
poor quality.
16. Average wages of skilled workers are 850 Kcs. (gr6it) monthly. Deductions of
of unmarried workers amount to 180 Kcs.
17. The management is in the hail f technical experts, with the exception of the
general manager, Broul (fnu), a former workman. Production of Soviet-type
diesel engines is supervised by Sovio~;',engineers. The workshop foremen are
also technical experts.
18. Working morale.is not very good and the average rate of absenteeism is 20%.
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19. Factory Guards: Three members of the factory guards are on duty at the north
gate, armed with 6.35 caliber pistols. Theys,~are relieved after every shift.
At the south gate three women are on guard; they also carry 6.35 caliber
pistols. Members of the factory militia are exempt from work. Only in the
event of an emergency are they required to help in the workshops. Even off
duty they carry pistols for reasons of personal wafety.
Legend to Sketch
1. Krizova Street.
2. Cobblestone ,road.
3. Fence and wall.
4. Main entrance to the plant.
5. Guardroom.
6. Bustehradska RR and the factory siding.
7. Southern entrance and guardroom.
8. Mechanika I.
9. Engine-testing hall.
10. Oil tank.
11. Outlet with cover and suction pipes.
12. Factory management offices.
13. Engine assembly hall.
14. Shipping department for finished engines.
15. Canteen and mess.
16. Fuel and oxygen-bombs storage.
17. Boiler house.
18. Offices.
19. Cooling tower.
20. Foundry.
21. Molding shop.
22. Switch room.
23. Personnel department.
24. Castings-cleaning shop.
25. Medical room.
26. Storage, a wooden hut.
27. Fire department.
28. Assembly hall.
29. Mechanika II.
30. Production hail.
31. Cloakrooms and lavatories.
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