WISMUT A.G. OBJECT 1, JOHANNGEORGENSTADT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80S01540R006400090011-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 21, 2012
• Sequence Number: 11
• Publication Date: February 24, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/21 :CIA-RDP80S01540R006400090011-6
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws, Title
18, U.S.C. Secs. 'r93 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
COUNTRY East Germany
SUBJECT Wismut A,Go, Object 1, Johanngeorgeno DATE DISTR.
stadt
DATE OF INFO.
PLACE ACQUIRED
DATE ACQUIRED
1, In July 1951, Object 1 at Johanngeorgenstadt included among others lEi.nas
No , 51a, 18, 1 (central mine) ~ 31, 31 bis, 51, 126, 80, and 16lt near Johann-
georgenstadt, in addition to Mines Noo 236 and 98 near Antonsthalo New
mines had not been sunko
20 Mines No, 126, $0, and 164 had a total labor force of about 1,800 including
250 women, She women worked exclusigely above ground, The output of the
mines was decreasingo Mine 31 had a labor ford of about 2.90009. and Mine 51~
one of about 29600 including 300 woman who worked above ground,
3o The average output per shift at each of the eight sections in operation at
Mine 5>~ was as follows s
2~+ February 1955
NO. OF PAGES 3
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
REFERENCES
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grade 1 ores ~ box
grade 2 ores 12 or 13 boxes
grade 3 ores 3 mine carloads,
grade 3 ore was shipped to the sorting plants at Erlabrunn and Johanngeorgen-
stadt. blasts material was drop,,ad on a dump.
1~. Mine 1 (central mine] had a labor force of about 1,000 men. Work was done at
five different levels. The maximum depth reached was about 2l~0 meters. The
production target per shift was fixed at about 20 boxes of grade 1 ore. This
production~'target has always been fulfilled. The ore mined was black and greenish.
5. The work force of Mine 18 was estimated at 1,100 to 1,200 men. The mine had
four levels, the greatest depth was about 280 meters. The output of the mine
was rather low, and only so-called Muellerz was obtained. No grade 1 ore was
ever seen at 'the mine. A bonus of eastmarks was paid for one box of ore.
The ore mined was black and blue. Although the ore found at the mine was of
poor quality, blasting operations were prohibited. In June 1951, no new
miners were hired. On the contrary, many miners were transferred from Johatan-
georgenstadt to other Wi.smut installations. On 15 ~y 195~t, a group of 100
men was transferred, presumably to Schlema and Auerbach.
6. Mines 18 and 53 were merged in 1950. Descent into the mine was made only
through Mine 53, chile the elevator tower of Dine 18 was used only for the
hauling of ore. There were three mine levels, i.e., level 66 which was
deactivated and was being filled up, level 78 which was 10 percent in opera
tion, and level 95 which was worked at full capacity. The ore yield was very
poor. Mining operations were hampered by a layer of granite which extended
from Eibenstock toward Czechoslovakia. About 50 boxes of grade 1 ore were
produced at Mine 18/539 but it was believed that this ore did not really meat
the specifications for grade 1 ore. A bonus of up to 3 eastmarks was paid for
one box of ore. In addition to grade 1 ore, about 100 mine carloads of other
type ore were produced. The ore mined was black, yellow, green, and red.
7. Mine 18/53 was to be merged with Mine 5l~. All mines in Johanngeorgenstadt
were expected to be closed soon except for Mines 1, 54, and 31. Mine 31/bia
was to be deactivated in June 195~t? It was learned that granite layers were
struck near Eibenstock9 near Schwarzenberg, and near Lanka in the Aue district.
8. The labor force of Mine 31 was estimated to be 29500 men9 who worked in 9
sections. The mine had five levels9 the so-called 16-Lachter9 78-Lachter9
95-Lachter9 1]~0-Lachter, and 160-Lachter levels. (A Lachter is an obsolete
measurement equal in length to two meters.) The greatest depth reached eras
about 320 meters. The production target was fixed at 10-15 boxes of grade
1 ore per shift and mine section. Since mining operations were conducted
in seven mine sections, 2ltO-250 boxes of grade 1 ore were to be produced
within a 21}mhour period. These production targets were reached=or even
exceeded. The ore mined looked black, red, and green.
9. The labor force of Object 19 the largest object in the entire uranium ore
mining area9 was estimated to be J.t5.000 persons. Mine 31 was the only installa-
tion of Object 1 to have so-called ~~dlochbetrieb (a method of mining in
which galleries era bored horizontally into the slopes of hills).
10. The payment of bonuses for high-quality ore depended on the mood of the Soviet
supervisory personnel who disregarded fixed rules.
11, Fr3.or to June 1951, the labor force of Mine 31 was estimated to be 800 - 19000
men. The mine had three levels, the deepest level was at 78 meters. On 1 June
195l~, the labor force of the mine was decreased by about 30 percent, and only
txo shifts were worked. The output of the mine was rather poor. The production
target was fixed at 5 or 6 boxes of high-quality ore per shift. On the average9
only 2 boxes of high-quality ore were obtained. On Sundays, no high-quality
ores was mined at all. Since 19511, a bonus of only 3 eastmarks has been paid
per box of high-quality ore.
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 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/21 :CIA-RDP80S01540R006400090011-6
12. 1rEluie 253 and line 336 w~ro merged. The labor force of Pine 253 was estimarted
to be 800 men, the labor force of Pine 336 at about 1,500 men. The deepest
level tree at about 250 meters. On the second level, ore was mined at a depth
of about 90 meters. In Yareh 195lt, about 20 boxes of grade 1 ore xere produced
per shift.
,COTLL
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/21 :CIA-RDP80S01540R006400090011-6