DEVELOPMENT OF MYCO-WOOD IN EAST GERMANY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A006100380003-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 9, 2008
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: March 21, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2008/07/09: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006100380003-3
COUNTRY
SUBJECT
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE OF
Iti1n
East Germany
Development of MycoWood in East
Germany
AND 704; OF'THE D. S. CODE. AS AMENDED. as TNANSRISSIVN UN NI.% -
ATION *F~+ CONTENTS TO OR RECEIPT BY AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON
IS PROM D IT LAW THE REPRODUCTION OF THIS PORN 15 PROHIBITED.
DATE DISTR. 21 March 1955
25X1
NO. OF PAGES 2
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
1. S ee 1 s deve~sll~rt cot for the Baking of se?ealled ayoo-'nod
has been carried out in Lash Germany. Zyco-.woaQ is ortinary eon, u"x1`
beech, the structure of which is weakened mycologically with the aid
of fungi. The fungi grow at the expense of certain pentoses and hexoses
within the wood and change its structure so that it beeMes mend
Myco-wood can be used fad purposes where soft wood is req
for which - ordinary t(M X$ not serviceable. The rch
project has been carried b7 ,alter Luthardt, head of Depart*eftt
Myco-Wood in VEB Schief bem in Steinach, Thuringia. Tice proJeet was
sponsored by the Central Office for Research and Technology (Zentralamt
fuer Forschung and Technik - ZAFT) of the East German State Planning
Commission which has madefunds amounting to between 200,000 and 100,000
DME available since 1949? The project has been under the supervision of
Dr. Heinrich Haerdtel, head of the ZAFT Department for Agricultural Sciences.
In 1954, ZAFT considerably decreased the funds for Luthardt because Haerdtel
became an adversary of the project, mainly caused by his lack of confidence
in Luthardt's abilities and the extended period during which the project
had been in progress. Haerdtel furthermore cut off all funds for
Luthardt's project in 1955?
2. Luthardt thereupon complained to the Central Committee of the SED. On
14 January 19554the Central Committee called the following persons for
a conference on the matter:
a. Dr. Alfred Ba,.zmbach, head of ZAFT Main Department II
b. Dr. Guenther Panning, head of ZAFT Department for Chemical Industry
e. Dr. Haerdtel
d. Koenitzer (fnu), head of the Main Administration for Wood in the
Ministry for Light Industry*
e. Leonhardt (fnu) deputy head of the named Main Administration.
f. Luthardt
In this annference, representatives of the Central Committee pointed out
that any project aiming at relieving the shortage of quality wood in E`lst
Germany was of utmost importance and'that such a project should not be
called off for the reasons previously pointed out by Dr. Haerdtel?
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPOR
INFORMATION REPORT CD NO
CLASSIFICATION SECRET
GLAS`~'TFft
NAVY g NSRB 1 I DISTRIBUTION I OS T Ev
Approved For Release 2008/07/09: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006100380003-3
DIRECT
I\'\
 Approved For Release 2008/07/09: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006100380003-3
As a remit Am *wfor s, tke Central Committee ordered ZAF?
to 00*0 s* a fear. ,a ,saltttA** a of the pro e# to 195.
' + t #* 1esth*r.4#'i. s4 a proved
' 1 fcr !firs#ivn of
i is 't ae pr~oj$*t.
Approved For Release 2008/07/09: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006100380003-3