THE CHAMBER OF TECHNOLOGY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81-01028R000100010004-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 7, 2001
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: December 29, 1951
• Content Type: REPORT

-Approved f-or-R&aaso 200145/0t,E(~; F# RR8o1 1iO28 f4
SECRET
I'
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
25X1A
I COUNTRY ., Germany (Soviet Zone)
SUBJECT ., The Chamber of Technology
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE
ACQUIRED
THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
OF THE UNITED STATES, WITHIN THE MEANING OF TITLE IN, SECTIONS 793
ANN 794, OF THE U.N. CONE, AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR HEVE?
CATION OF ITS CONTENTS TO OR RECEIPT BY AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS
PROHIBITED BY LAW. THE REPRODUCTION OF THIS FORM IS PROHIBITED.
SOURCE.,
25X1X
The Chamber of Technology, located in the Soviet sector of
Berlin, is an organization established by the Soviet Zone
government "for the promotion of industrial production and the
stimulation of scientific research" and is under the juris-
diction of the Ministry of Industry. The Chamber of Tech-
nology was founded in 19460 Its actual function, however, is
to secure for the labor unions in the Soviet Zone a decisive
influence on production and research; the "promotion of
industrial production" was secondary.
2ci With the exception of the president himself, the presidential
board is composed of union bosses who are nominated, not
elected, on the basis of their political reliability and. are
neither scientists nor professional engineers, The union
bosses put in regular appearances at the plenary sessions of
the Chamber, making speeches and urging the production
experts to improve the quality and accelerate the industrial
output. In the professional committees of the Chamber of
Technology, however, the technical discussions are on a broad,
objective level. As long as the members of the committees
meet for a technical discussion, they are outspoken in their
comments, and exchange ideas freely. This spirit of profession-
al cooperation is seriously impaired. whenever a committee
meeting is called by political functionaries or by the Soviets
themselves to discuss particular material deficiencies,or"in-
sufficient industrial production,in a specific segment of
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 - Approved For Release 2001/05/01 CIA-RDP81-01028R000100010004-5
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25X1X
3.
4. In a meeting of the Committee of Standards,which convened in
the Spring of 1950 at Halle, in the Soviet Zone and at which
the Western Zone was not represented, Prof Frank stated that it
wee"a misfortune for us to work according to the directions of
the Reichs Committee of Standards". He pointed out that the
Material Testing Bureau imposed a strain on Soviet Zone
production which it could no longer sustain. Therefore, the
Soviet Zone government, through the Chamber of Technology,
began to form its own Committee of Standards which it named,
in order to confuse the issue as much as possible, the
"Commission of Standards", (Normenkommission).., The Com-
mission actually came into being in, the fall of 1950, under
the direction of Mr. Merz, a political functionya The
purpose of the Commission of Standards is to set Soviet Zone
standards which the industries could meet without having to
adhere to the rigid specifications of the Western Zone, In
this way, the Soviet Zone government hoped to keep its
products in the world market, whereas they would be unable to
compete if judged by Western stand ;.:ids. In the oo r&e of one
year, 1100 sub-commissions of the Conunir psi on of Standards
have been established within the Soviet Zone. Because the
representatives of the Soviet Zone are unwilling to 4 crept the
blame of 'open sec~ssJ ?>.:)n, the comb1.ne t ' ; m9_tt of St 1ndei ds,
xis still in existent e- howeve'-, tine s ai ' ?;.s set 4.,,n they
Committee no longer are hind :Llll ; to the Ov vir~,~t