ZAFT CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH AND ITS APPLICATION IN INDUSTRY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A005100210006-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 20, 2007
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: October 26, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

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Approved For Release 2007/07/20: CIA-RDP80-0081OA005100210006-9
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scientists and researchers was held under the sponsorship of the Central Office
for Research and Technology (Zentralamt fuer Forschung and Technik) (ZAFT) of the
East German~State Planning Commission. The main speeches were delivered by Walter
Ulbricht and by Professor Dr. Werner Lange, Director of ZAFT. The theme of the
speeches and of the subsequent discussions was the intensification of cooperation
between the fields of research and techellogy and the peoples'-owwad industries.
The meeting was under the chairmanship of Erwin Kerber, Deputy Di:,--rotor of the
State Planning Commission.
r. Hans Ertel, oer1resident,of the East German Academy of Science,
,,.t one of the aso why research was not up to par in East Germany was
cientists and researchers felt that there was no room for individual
researc in a planned economy. He declared that this was not the case, that
scientists must be made to understand that individual research is encouraged and
fostered in East Germany. As examples of this encouragement he $pointed to the
recently founded chemical, physical and geological associations (Gesellschaften)
which were charged with the vital function of coordinating the work of the theoreti-
cal researcher with that of the practical worker. Ertel stated further that while
no researcher could engage in projects which did not contribute to the advance of
East German production, there was plenty of room in the East German economy for
all manner of individual projects.
3. Dr. Johann Nelles, National Prize Holder and Director of the Buna Works, spoke on
the role of the "technical intelligentsia"din peoples'-owned enterprises. He
stated that the distribution of academically trained personnel was very uneven in
East Germanfindustry. While the chemical industry had a great number of such per-
sonnel, he complained that the power industry aad very few. He charged that the
reason for this was that academically trained scientists and technicians were looked
down upon in this industry and stated that this attitude could well be one of the
reasons why this industry is in such a critical state. He also complained that many
persons with academic training were inadequately utilized in the peoples' owned
industries. He demanded that such persons be given the opportunity of participating
in research and-development work in add tion _to_performing th ' ned tasks. Only
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Nelles stated further that East German research and development was suffering
by being cut off from foreign scientific literature. He praised the efforts
cf the Academy of Sciences, of the Chamber of Technology and of other East
German organizations wh"ch were doing their best to open the doors tc foreign
developments. He expressed a desire that these efforts be continued, although
he felt that it might be still. more profitable if the efforts of the various
bodies were centralized and centrally directed. In closing, Nelles stated that
utany aoademioally trained factory directors were lose, to research and development
becna.use they w l r e # t h . p a p e r work and with such matters as the intro-
duction of Scv:,ot' (n . r Nethoden), the directing of contests to im-
prove ualit and of pDi .action (Wettbewerbe), personnel problems of
a more political nature (Kaderpoitik), eta. He st ted that all of these maters
were extremely impor',,,nt but suggested that factory directors with academic train-
ing be assigned technlaally qualified assistants or deputies who could take over
some of th=s work load thus leaving the director some free time to devote his
talents and experierAe to the irork of rosearoh and development.
Dr. Schroeder (fnu), who introduced himself as a constructor of gear-cutting
mach'nes, stated that he spo}:e as representative of the
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He stated that such a plan ruld absolutely not work. He demanded further that
developmental and construction bureaus not be set up as integral marts of factories.
This would subordinate research, he stated, to the particular interests of the
individual factory. He demanded, however, that the bureaus be closely connected
Jith the factories so that researchers could benefit from the practical experience
or these units. Schroeder had a further complaint to make concerning the situation
in the patent office and he demanded that more patent engineers be employed forth-
wi t?h . lie stated that in the field of mach ne and tool construction the-e were
between 5,00f and 6,000 constructors and for this large group he e were only three
T,atent engineers available. This situation lc:d to an impossible bottleme0k, he
a ',a ted.
dacha nes ins field be begun in ones construction 1cureau; and einished in another.
's. Werner ' ! ,al we - en certain times of
:>chroeder closed his remarks with an earnest plea that the East German government
reverse itself on its recent decision to limit drastical~y attendance at foreign
industrial fairs, exhibits and conferences. He declared that he was st.rcngly
opposed to such a limitation, stating that if a colleague could be trusted there
was no reason why he could not be allowed to attend , foreign affair having to do
with his narticultir field of interest. Thi a remarl. was greeted by applause from
the participants of the meeting.
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