CONFERENCE ON PHYSICS OF SOLID BODIES AND FUNDAMENTAL PHYSICS, DRESDEN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A004800750005-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 6, 2007
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: September 28, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2007/08/06: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA004800750005-5
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This material contains fiiforniation affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States within the mein-
I N FORMATION 'REPORT ing of the a transme Laws. Title 18, U.B.C. Sees. 793
and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in
any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited
by law.
SECRET/U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
COUNTRY East Germany / Satellites / USSR REPORT
SUBJECT Conference on, Physics of Solid Bodies DATE DISTR. 28 September 1954
and Fundamental Physics, Dresden
NO. -OF PAGES 5
DATE OF .INFO. REQUIREMENT NO. RD
PLACE ACQUIRED
This is UNEVALUATED
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE. REVERSE)
The East German Physics Association (Physikalieche Gesellschaft in der
Deutschen Demokratischen Republik) of Berlin NW 7, Unter den Linden 68-70;
held a conference on Physics of Solid Bodies and Fundamentals of Physics at
the HO-Elbe-Hotel, Dresden-Loschwitz, from 8 to 111pril 1954.
2. The conference invitation and program, issued by the East German Physics Assoc-
iation about a month before the- conference, contained the names of prospective
speakers and the titles of their papers; In`-'fact, only 33 out of the 44 sched-
uled papers were read; among the listed speakers who did not appear were
A. Smekal of Graz, R. Suhrmann of Brunswick, H. Koppe of Goettingen, W. Urich
of Tuebingen, Professor Rcgenfeld of Manchester and Dr., Martin Strauss, an
Englishman, formerly in Bt.,rlin but now in Jena.- There were, in addition,
six contributions by foreign delegates.
(1) Prof. Sergey Mikhaylovich Chanyshev with his wife, on Thursday
and Friday (8 and 9 April) only. They sat in silence because
he understands no German.
(2) It was expected that Cherkesov (fnu)3 would be present; he was
not, so far as is known.
(1) Prof. Leopold Infeld, from Warsaw, spoke on the morning of
Sunday, 11 April,on the relativity theory and dialectical mater-
ialism. This paper was widely held to be unrelieved rubbish.
SECRET/U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
STATE X ARMY X NAVY X AIR X F81 AEC
Approved For Release 2007/08/06: CIA-RDP80-00810A004800750005-5
3. The following foreign delegates were present:
 Approved For Release 2007/08/06: CIA-RDP80-00810A004800750005-5
4.
SECRET/U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
(2) Prof. Piekara (fnu), from Posen, spoke on barium titanateand its
dielectric properties.
(3) Sosnovski (fnu), from Posen, was present but did not speak.
C, Bulgaria:
Kaishev4 (a former pupil or collaborator, of=lvan Stranski;.the latter
is at present in West Berlin) spoke on the formation of mono=crystal
nuclei, spiral growth, etc.
d. Hungary :
(1)
Prof. Laszlo Janossy, from Budapest, spoke on fundamental physics.
The main object of this exercise appeared to be to use his excell-
ent German. No one attached very much importance to what he had
to say.
(2) Hoffman (fnu) and Endre Gaspar were present but did not speak.
(1) Prof. Bross (fnu) spoke on the characteristics of purest iron.
His assistant, Dr. Smirus (fnu), spoke-on the production of
purest iron. These two lectures showed that the Czechs had not
achieved anything new but were now trying to do what had already
been done in the UK and the USA.
(2) Klir (fnu), Ha.io (fnu) and Prof. Dr..Zdenko Matyas were present
but did not speak.
Many delegates agreed that, instead of about 40 contributions, there should
have been 20 good ones. Much of what was said. was only partly comprehensible
to most of the audience because of the degree of specialization. By and
large, the standard was lower than at the Physics Association's Berlin Confer-
ence in 1952. The best contributions were those of the Bulgarian Kaiehev,
Elschner (nurer 36 in the printed program and illustrated with an excellent
film), and .dichter (number 8 in the rogram); the worst contribution was
that of Brauer (number44 in the program, who h&4, ,read the same paper at least
five times before. The only spirited discussion was an argument which devel-
oped over items number 31, 32 and 33 in the program between Bier and his support-
ers and Moeglichand his.
5. Preconvention housing and social arrangements were very bad. There was nothing
remotely resembling the banquet which took place during the 1952 conference in
Berlin. In the hotels there were no single rooms available for any of the
German participants. Hotel accommodations varied; in at least one hotel there-
was no heating in the bedrooms. The foreign visitors were better provided for,
however.
6. The foreign visitors were frequently shadowed by SEDrmembers wearing their Party
badges. On one occasion the Poles wanted to go shopping in Dresden and an SED
man went with them, presumably to ensure that they were never alone with any of
the German population.
7. It was suggested in several conversations among the delegates that the reason
for holding the conference in Dresden was to prevent the visits to the Western
Sector which would have occurred if it had been held in Berlin.
SECRET/U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
Approved For Release 2007/08/06: CIA-RDP80-00810A004800750005-5
 Approved For Release 2007/08/06: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA004800750005-5
SECRET/U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
Cherkesov is the Soviet Control Commission liaison ,officer to various
institutes of the East German Academy of Sciences.
Comment:
Professor Rotislav Atanasov Kaishev, member-correspondent of the Bulgarian
Academy of Science and Assistant Director of the Physics Institute at the
Academy. (All Sofia newspapers, 22 August 1953.)
SECRET/U.S. OFFICIALS-ONLY
Dr. Martin Strauss is now at the Friedrich-Schiller University of Jena,
where he is working in the Institute of Theoretical Physics.
2. Prof.:,geyMikhaylc ,.ch Chanyshev came.,from. Tomsk University, where he
ygf Physics,and lectured in thermodynamics,
was Deari of the Facult'
lattice theory.
professot the Humboldt University, East Berlin, where he lectures on
statistichysics and the history of physis. He is at present a guest
Approved For Release 2007/08/06: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA004800750005-5
 SECRET/U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
4-
APPENDIX
The following is an English translation of an article: from the East German
newspaper Vorw_ ts. on 12 April 1954.
Conference of Physics Association in Dresden appeals to all Physicists
"Dresden. The most prominent physicists of a number of European. countries addressed
an appeal to the physicists of the entire world t6 prevent the misuse of science
and to enforce the banning of atomic weapons. The appeal, which was adopted at
the and of the four day conference of the Physics Association of East Germany in
Dresden, ran as follows:
Approved For Release 2007/08/06: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA004800750005-5
tWe physicists know that the use of the hydrogen bomb in war would mean the end
of civilization. Accordingly, we raise our voices-for the protection of all
those things which human work and science have created, which we love and to
which we cleave. I o'
We appeal to all physicists to..foel themselves responsible for the uses to
which the results of their work are put. We call upon them to enlighten all
mankind about the consequences of the misuse of science and to unite with
all peace-loving people in the world in demanding; the prohibition of atomic
weapons.
Professor Belov, Moscow, member of the USSR Academy of Sciences
Frau Professor Iveronova, Moscow, member of the USSR Academy of Sciences
National Prizewinner Professor Rudolf Seeliger, Greifswald, member of the
East German Academy of Sciences
National Prizewinner Professor Friedrich Moeglich, Berlin
National Prizewinner Professor Dr. Romps, Berlin, member of the East,
German Academy of Sciences
Professor Dr. Paul Kinze, University of Rostock
Professor Dr. Wilhelm Schuetz, University of Jena
Professor Dr. Leopold Infeld, Warsaw, member of the Polish Academy of
Sciences, Vice-President of the World Peace Council
Professor Dr. Laszlo Janossy, Budapest, member of the Hungarian Academy
of Sciences
Professor Dr. Zdenko Matyas, Prague
Professor Dr. Kaishev, Sofia, member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Professor Dr. Novak, Bucharest, member of the Rumanian Academy of Sciences
and numerous other well-known physicists."'
SECRET/U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
Approved For Release 2007/08/06: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA004800750005-5
 Approved For Release 2007/08/06: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA004800750005-5
Approved For Release 2007/08/06: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA004800750005-5