POLISH CABLE PROJECT S-34

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80T00246A043700050001-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 21, 2010
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: August 12, 1958
• Content Type: REPORT

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Polish Cable Project S-34
ALL
ARMY review completed.
I N FORMATION REPORT I N FORMATION REPORT
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United states within the meaning of the lspionage Laws, Title
18, U.S.C. Secs. 793 and 795, the tranmmleon or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorised person is prohibited by law.
DATE OF
INFO.
PLACE &
DATE ACQ.
STATE
Foza-~
REPORT
DATE DISTR.
12 AUG 1n
NO. PAGES 8
REFERENCES RD
PRODESSING COPY
AYT kin si
EC ORR
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C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L
.saCOUNTRY Poland
DATE DISTR. 22 July 58
SUBJECT Polish Cable Project S-34 NO. OF PAGES 7
DATE OF INFORMATION
PLACE ACQUIRED
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C0 r,1 FIZ E tJ T! A L
POLISH CABLE PROJECT 5-34 (C)
Following are locations mentioned
coordinatess
Location
CZESTOCHOWA
KEDZIERZ!N
KRAKOW
NOVA HUTA
TORUN
in this report, with geographical
Geographical Coordinates
N50-48, E19-07
N50-21, E18-12
N52-02, B19-58
N50-02, E20-04
N53-02, E18-36
UTM Coordinates
CB-6831
CA-0181
DA-2447
DA 3448
CD-4077
1. History of Project S-34
The original directive for the construction of cable routes was sent by
the Minister of National Defense to the Military Department of the State Economic
Planning Commission (Panstwowa Komisja Planowania Gospodarczego - PKPG), in 1950.
The PKPG then directed the Minister of Post Telegraph and Telephone (PTT), Wilhelm
BILLIG, to incorporate the plans for cable route construction, into the PTT plans
for 1952. Simultaneously the PKPG started work on plans for the project; gave it
the code name Project 5-34; and labeled it TOP SECRET. The code name was used in
all matters dealing with the project and it was decreed that only those personnel
would have access to its details who had a real need to know. The project was
considered mandatory inasmuch as it had originated with the Minister of National
Defense and it was to have precedence over all previously made plans for cable
and other means of communication then under consideration by the PTT. It was
estimated that the project would take approximately three years for completion
and it was allotted 300 million zlotys to defray the cost of cable and construction.
2. Hiahways and Planning During the Korean Conflict
During the planning stages by the PKPG a survey was made of all highways
in Poland and their over-all importance to the country was established.l. In
some instances certain highways which were not considered wide enough but yet met
all other qualifications for strategic classification, were immediately widened
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Co N FI Xs EN TI L
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to the required width of nine meters. I original planning by the
PKPG took place during the Korean conflict when it was believed in Poland that war
with the West was imminent. The cable routes were to follow the same routes as
these of the designated strategic highways.
3. Purpose of Project S-34
The project, which was strictly military in nature, was for the express
purpose of providing direct cable communications with MOSCOW from a number of cities
in Poland. n information concerning the degree to which
Project 5-3/+ would augment existing communications facilities to MOSCOW or whether
it was to replace any which were then in existence, it
was forced an Poland by the Minister of National Defense and would have been used
only in the event of a general mobilization.
4. Resistance of the Polish PTT to Project 5-34
BILLIG was very bitter concerning the forcing of Project
5-34 on the Polish economy. He evidenced a great deal of frustration when he
learned of the project's magnitude, because it forced him to forego plans already
formulated, and he felt that Project 5-34 represented no benefit to the Polish
people. Although BILLIG voiced little if any opposition to the project when dis-
cussing it in official circles, it was a well-known fact that he considered it
completely unnecessary. He knew that it would set the existing plans for the PTT
back several years because of its enormous requirements for cable and use of tech-
nical personnel and equipment,
5. Start of Construct3i
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Konrad KOZLOWSKI and Ludwig SKOCZYLAS,
also subordinated to JELRYCHOWSKI,were to maintain surveillance on the project
from the viewpoint of technical construction, installations, and equipment.
6. Construction Information
a. Responsibility
the PTT controlled all aspects of construction, in that it
designated the exact location for all conduit, routes taken, and the exact location
for all cable amplifier stations. However, the Construction Bureau in the Govern-
ment Presidium was responsible for the actual over-all construction in accordance
with instructions of the PTT.
The Construction Bureau delegated the responsibility for construction
to each of the Provincial Construction Enterprises making each of them responsible
for all construction matters in their own particular Provinces.
COr\) FtF-NTI AL
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CON Fi CMS" I L--
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b. Conduits and Cables
All conduits were constructed of brick and were placed on the right
side of the designated highways as one traveled from WARSAW. The conduits were
placed at a depth of approximately 1.80 m and 3 m from the shoulder of the high-
way. Upon completion of a section of conduit, PTT personnel immediately moved
into the area and placed a cable.
a. Acquisition of Construction Equipment
there was insufficient heavy construction equipment
available in Poland and it became necessary to import a number of bulldozers and
ditch-diggers from in order to complete the project in the allotted time,
7, Cable Information
There were three cable manufacturing plants in Poland and two of these,
in KRAKOW and TORUN, were designated to produce the cable necessary for Project
S-34o the plant in KRAKOW was directed to convert its entire
production capability to the needs of the Projecto_not know to what extent
the plant at TORUN was utilized. This developed into one of the greatest consumers
of time in relation to the completion of the project because sufficient copper was
not available to allow continual operation of the plants. the capacity
of the plants was enough to supply the needs, but the shortage of copper nullified
this a a ty, and it often became necessary to close the plants because of it.
cable production was not allowed to start unless sufficient copper
was available for a run of six weeks. He attributed the copper shortage to the
fact that it could not be bought from the West, and the fact that considerable
trouble was being had with production in the Polish copper mines. The principal
difficulty was that the Polish mines were having trouble with excess water and
could not be maintained in operating condition. in certain
unidentified localities PTT cable was unearthed in order to reclaim the copper
which it contained.
b. Amount of Cable Required
vague concerning the total kilometric length of cable used
in Project 5-34, but after careful consideration estimated the
figure to be not less than 1,200 km and probably closer to 1,00 km,
three plants produced
4s000 kn of cable of a3-1 types from 1952 through . Of this figure, the Minis-
try of Power received 1,400 km, Ministries other than Construction received 500 km,
about 500 km was exported, and the Ministry of Construction received 1,600 km.
not know the technical specifications of the
so called "special" cable which Project 5-34 required.
heard it referred to as "long distance low voltage
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cow FI DcQTI P\ L_
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d. Tie-In with PTT Facilities
not know whether the a of Project 3-34 was intercon-
nected with PTT of it did not detour
around any ally d zed only in the event
of a general mobilisation. BILLIG gave as one
of his reasons for aversion to the Project, the fact that it added nothing to
existing civilian facilities.
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8 ficulties Ineountered
besides the difficulties in cable production, diff
ties also arose in the selection of sites for the cable amplifier stations.
considerable pressure was brought to bear in order t the funds
oblem. originally
noosssary, but this presented no great
there had been a shortage of technical equipment but that this too was quickly
corrected.
As has been stated, the PTT was responsible for the selection of sites for
the construction of the buildings which housed the cable amplifier equipment. The
PTT stipulated that certain methods of insulation would be employed in the buildings
with respect to protection against dampness which would have been hazardous to the
technical equipment. the degree and type of insulation specified 25X1
was insufficient when viewed in the light of certain locations which were extremely
damp. As a result of these conditions, those amplifier locations indicated on
Annex A were the cause of a number of investigations, conferences and delays.
General , nu), the presiding member of the Military
by, POLTORZTCKI
ad
Bureau of the PKPG, to determine the cause of the trouble.
Premier that responsibility could not directed at any one person but could be
blamed on errors made during geological surveys with respect to location of the
amplifier stations. the
offices in charge of the surveys would stand the necessary expenses in connection
with rectifying the mistakes.
CoNJFIir~$ E111TIp.L-.
In the summer of 1954 Vice Premier .E YC3)WSKI
directed 25X1
rmine the exact cause or causes of the trouble at the cable amplifier eta-
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-6.
The case never went to the State Prosecutor as General POLTORZYCKI had
originally directed. The General Director of the Construction Enterprise of the
Ministry of PTT, Teodor ORCIUK, was made the scapegoat and was released from his
position prior to completion of the project. In April 1955,
Project S-34
n made operational in the summer of 1956.
9. Effect on Polish Economy
was completed
the impact of Project 3-34 was felt by all Polish in-
dustries that used copper, or wire communication equipment. The power industry
suffered most from the loss of copper and much experimentation was conducted using
steel and aluminum as conductors for high lines. Open wire production for the
PTT was completely stopped; power cable was discontinue -and all consumer products
which used copper were discontinued, in an effort to make up the
shortages caused by the Project, cable production was scheduled for an annual in-
crease of 400 km, and he estimated that by 1960 Poland would be producing about
7,000 km of cable which was determined to be sufficient for the needs of the
country.
Many old copper mines were reopened and the latest techniques employed to
extract copper from the ore, a new vein of copper was discovered in
the southern part of the country, in the Krakow Province (exact location unknown),
and after deve o ment should provide a valuable addition to the country9s copper
requirements. a number of placer facilities were constructed where
water was abundant, to wash part of the impurities from the ore prior to going to
the smelter.
loo Carrier Telephone Facilities
ao Purpose
(direct telephone connection was available from
WARSAW to the capital cities of each of the Provinces of Poland and vice-versa.
The purpose of the network was for swift, sure interconnection between Party offi-
cials all over the country for purposes of administration and dissemination of
information concerning strikes, riots, catastrophes, and for other unidentified
purposes, and for acquiring or for disseminating information where time was a very
important element.
b. Description
no technical information concerning the network except~
it was known as the high frequency telephone network (siec wysokiej
csestotliwoeci - WC o he telephone desk sets were the same as those used
on the normal PTT telep ne no work and that the entire system was controlled from
the telephone central in the Ministry of Internal Affairs in WARSAW. There were
no lateral lines and it was necessary to use an intermediary in WARSAW if a can
placed in one Province was destined for a Province other than Warsaw.
not explain the lack of inter-Provincial switching facilities on the main
CON) FIT_**N E10_rIAL_
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co rJ Ft .D raoQ-ri vot L
-6.
The case never went to the State Prosecutor as General POLTORZYCKI had
originally directed. The General Director of the Construction Enterprise of the
Ministry of PTT, Teodor ORCIUK, was made the scapegoat and was released from his
position prior to completion of the project. In April 1955,
Project S-34
n made operational in the summer of 1956.
9. Effect on Polish Economy
was completed
the impact of Project 3-34 was felt by all Polish in-
dustries that used copper, or wire communication equipment. The power industry
suffered most from the loss of copper and much experimentation was conducted using
steel and aluminum as conductors for high lines. Open wire production for the
PTT was completely stopped; power cable was discontinue -and all consumer products
which used copper were discontinued, in an effort to make up the
shortages caused by the Project, cable production was scheduled for an annual in-
crease of 400 km, and he estimated that by 1960 Poland would be producing about
7,000 km of cable which was determined to be sufficient for the needs of the
country.
Many old copper mines were reopened and the latest techniques employed to
extract copper from the ore, a new vein of copper was discovered in
the southern part of the country, in the Krakow Province (exact location unknown),
and after deve o ment should provide a valuable addition to the country9s copper
requirements. a number of placer facilities were constructed where
water was abundant, to wash part of the impurities from the ore prior to going to
the smelter.
loo Carrier Telephone Facilities
ao Purpose
(direct telephone connection was available from
WARSAW to the capital cities of each of the Provinces of Poland and vice-versa.
The purpose of the network was for swift, sure interconnection between Party offi-
cials all over the country for purposes of administration and dissemination of
information concerning strikes, riots, catastrophes, and for other unidentified
purposes, and for acquiring or for disseminating information where time was a very
important element.
b. Description
no technical information concerning the network except~
it was known as the high frequency telephone network (siec wysokiej
csestotliwoeci - WC o he telephone desk sets were the same as those used
on the normal PTT telep ne no work and that the entire system was controlled from
the telephone central in the Ministry of Internal Affairs in WARSAW. There were
no lateral lines and it was necessary to use an intermediary in WARSAW if a can
placed in one Province was destined for a Province other than Warsaw.
not explain the lack of inter-Provincial switching facilities on the main
CON) FIT_**N E10_rIAL_
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25X1
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