PRODUCTION AT VARIOUS INDUSTRIAL PLANTS IN EAST GERMANY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81-01030R000100440002-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 4, 2013
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: March 24, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/11/04: CIA-RDP81-01030R000100440002-0
- CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
CONFIDENT:DU:L.4
This Document contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States, within the mean-
ing of Title 18, SOCE101113 793 and 794, of the U.S. Code, as
amended. Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person Is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited.
COUNTRY East Germany,
SUBJECT Production at Various Industrial
Plants in East Germany
DATE OF INFO.
PLACE ACQUIRED
REPORT
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DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
24 March 1954
7
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THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
CONFIDENTIAL
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STATE
ARMY
NAVY
#x
AIR
#x
FBI
AEC
ORR Ey
(Note: Washington Distribution Indicated By "X"; Field Distribution By "*".)
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CONPIDENTIAL
? COUNTRY $ Germany (SovZons)
SUMECT I t Production at Various Industrial Plants in NO. CP PAGES 6
- the Soviet Zone of Germany
REPORT
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DATE DISTR./7,4-8SY'
PLACE ?
ACQUIREN
DATE
ACQUIRED E
DATE OF IN
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
'
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
?
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO. 50X1-H UM
^
plorretzo OF MACHIN* TOOLS AT THE MAGDEBURG MACHIBEITOOL PLANT
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4c-. .
?:. ,,,k
, 4
1, at the Magdeburg Machine Tool Plant (WWI Werkseugmaschinen- 50X1-HUM
es sagdeburvoTEB) from November 1950 to July 1951. This machine
,
. tool plant, located at 16 Mittagstrasse in the Naustadt suburb of 15:
Magdeburg, consists" of three main buildings and a storehouse total-
ing about 5000 square meters of ground floor space'. About 90 to
i
100 general purpose lathes of moderate size were produced per month,
as well as 30 to 40 special multiple cutting add copying 'Athol. ?-; :.
Some special-purpose lathes for turning ball bearing races were .
made and sent to the Berlin, Thueringen, and Leipzig VE3 anti-friction
bearing plants. lithe products were distributed through the DEZ
(Deutsche Handel Zentral). the main bottleneck was shortage of Material.
.0 OEFIDENTIAL
ECUSITT INfOti?A T1ON
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Ball bearings, motors, clutches, pumps, etc., were purchased from
other VEB plants, through the DU. Employees numbered about 800,
including 600 production workers. Almost no women and few ap-
prentices were employed. Many workers were old skilled craftsmen.
Norms were usually filled, but if they were consistently exceeded for
six months, they. were raised/. - ..- ?
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2. ! /testing all incomin materials and outgoing
finished products.\ \\department consisted of \35
subordinates. Spectroanalysis, as well as etch tests and hardness 50X1-HUN/
testa, was performed on all incoming shipments of metal. All
machine tools were made under DIN standards. In March of 19513 50X1-HUM
needed to buy an optical measuring device, several micrometers,
hardness testers, and gauge block sets and obtained these items
by ordering them at the Leipzig Fair. They were delivered a few
weeks later. The plant failed to fulfill its quota' during the
two-year plan (1947-1949) and was behind schedule in the five-
year plan-(1950-1955). This was primarily: due to material, shortages,
but partly because many of the new special purpose machine tools
' were difficult to fit'into a-mass production schedule and needed
much development work. A third difficulty was caused bytpettpoorizzalcity
of materials, such as shrink holes in iron and steel castings- which
came from the Zerbst Foundry, wear :Dessau: t.h.e/Brauetigam Foundry,
?-.
Magdeburg, and others in Leipzig.
TEE KETTERFABRIK. MARCHFELD
3. / /at the Kettenfabrik;/Barchfeld,from 15.0ctober 1952 until
15 April 1953\ \testin incoming and 50X1-HUM ?
outgoing shipments for adherence to specifications. \organize
the quality control section which was in complete chaos
1
This plant, which was under the VVB fuer Fahrzeugzubehoer,
IFA, produced bigyele and motorcycle chains, diesel engine injection
pumps, distributors, and motorcycle spokes. It was once known as
the Pallas Werke. It consists of six or seven buildings on either
side of the main street, Just south of the railway station in
Barchfeld; the total building area is about 3600 sq. m. (ground
floor space). Employees numbered about 430 production workers and
about 70 others. Two shifts were employed in all departments except
the chain production section, where three shifts were in effect.
Approximately 60 per cent of the employees were'women. Production
amounted to 320,000 spokes per day, 80,000 bicycle chains per month
and 30,000 motorcycle chains per month. Diesel engine injection
pumps were not an important part of the plant production, as only
30 nt 40 workers were in this department.
4. Two million DM(East) were to be spent in 1953 for expansion and
perhaps an additional two million in 1954, making this plant the
sole producer of cycle spokes and chains in the DDR. With the use
of new automatic machinery, the output of spokes was to be raised
to 1,000,000 per day. Other plants would stop production on these
items. Material shortages constituted the principle bottleneck.
Wire for spokes and steel bands, 30, 90, and 120 mm. wide with
thicknesses of 0.8, 1.0, 1.3, and 2.5 mm., were received from
Hettstedtand Riesa rolling mills.
INDUSTRIEWERK LUDWIGSFELDE
5.
at the Industriewerk Ludwigsfelde (formerly Daimler-Benz,
near Genshagener Heide) from 15 April 1953 to 20 September 1953
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C ONFIDENTIAL
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under chief technician LETTOW, who was under the technical director)
DROBE. planning 7 : and expediting the delivery 50X1-HUN
of single purpose machine tools, jigs, and special equipment to be
used in the production of speedboat diesel engines, Type KVD-250
This motor was based on an old Daimler-Benz design (approximately
1934) used in speedboats during World War II. It was to be 3000 hp.,
20 cylinder V-typs_with cylinder approximatel at 60 .
in the KU 108 Konstruktion, Tech-
nologie und Montagen Miro ?108) in Chemnitz and in the design offices 50X1-HUN
of the machine tool factories in Magdeburg, Chemnitz, Berlin Naumburg,
Saalfeld, and Plauen, iq supervising and qmrdinating the design,
production, and testing of the special tsbls for the production lines
for cylinders, crankshafts, camshafts, and pistons which were to.
occupy Halls 7 and 8. Initial prodUZtion of these parts was planned
using general purpose tools without waiting for the single-purpose
tools to be installed. It was planned to replace the general purpose
tools gradually as the single purpose tools were delivered. The
entire plant was to have been completed by about the end of 1955.
two used KVD-25 motors which had been brought to the plant to 50X1-HUN
be used as models. No engine parts had been produced; however,
preliminary turning of four or five crankshafts had-been done, on a
new heavy general purpose lathe from ths Magdeburg Machine Tool
Plant, from pylindrical forgings weighing about 4.2 tons, from
"Krupp Gruson" and Riesa or Groeditz. These were to be finished to
about 2.2 tons (length, 2.2 to 2.5 m.). The throws were first to be
turned on three "toehringer " heavy lathes from the Meuselwitzr,
(Sonny Scheei?achine Works. These lathes had been made one meter
longer by adding a bed extension and new lead screws and further
modified for turning the throws. Later, new special machines for
the work were tp be furnished by the Maschinenfabrik Meuselwitz. One
was already completed but had not been thoroughly tested, and
more development work was necessary0 ane were ma ?e
to produce crankshafts from three short forgings, welded together 50X1-HUM
after rough turning.
The orders received
from the Planning. Commission were changed with great frequency 50X1-HUM
and caused confusion. The greatest bottleneck was material shortages. .
Brass and bronze parts were to come from Hettstat. Steel forgings
and castings were to come from various steel producing plants in the
DDR. Parts to be obtained from outside sources included injection
pumps, electric equipment)such as indicators and instruments, and
all castings, but not know the planned source of these parts.,
In addition to the EVD-25, Ahat manufacture of small
parts for a Jumo diesel engine for aircraft was carried out on a 50X111-IUM
small scale at Ludwigsfelde. This engine was also to be used for
speedboats.' The question of continuing this operation was always
under discussion, and no final decision seemed to have been reached /,
when I left.
7. The 12 large buildings, called Halls 1 to 12 (loom, by 257m. with
ceilings 10 or 12,m. high and no interior columns), of Industriewark
Ludwigsfelde were built in l95 and 1953 on the site of tHe former
Daimler Benz aircraft plant. These large buildings seemed to me
and to others who worked there to. much larger and higher than
would be required for the work on the KVD-25 engine. This plant is
the molt- modern plant inAae DDR with every facility for the workers.
CONFIDENTIAL
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? 4 -D
In the early part of May, Halls 4 and 5 and one or two others
were designated to berc.,..aTvaa.under special security measures
for a secret project. An unknowsnumber of the workers from other
halls were selected to work there0 this was to
be a rccect to build a et engine desi
fill out a questionnaire designed to find technical
men with exper ence as specialists in the USSR,. and
the project concerned an aircraft engine development to be under-
taken at Pita, with the 'cover name of "Machine Inspection Office"
in Dresden. 11
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8. The labor force was estimated at 1000; 400 to 600
al these were production workers including many Old Daimler Benz 50X1-HUN/
employees and a few women0 three shifts were planned
ultimately, cannot estimate the number of. workers that would be
required. On 17 June 1953, the entire labor force of the plant 50X1-HUM
walked out and refused to return until the last Soviet soldier left.
In two days they began returning. The government decree concerning
heavy industry caused the plan to build engines there to be abandoned.
Nevertheless, all dingle purpose tools that were more than ,60,per
cent complete were to be finished so that they could be used, at.
plant would take over the production assignment.
9. After the 17th of June, many small jobs such as maohining.of motor
housings and pump Valve housings were begun. The .only large job
undertaken was the manufacture of 2,000,000 needle hearings-i-buty \
noii /any of these bearings and hthe size or the '
intended use. (In Hall 5 about 50 or 60 machina-tools.were stored, 50X1-HUM
and in August 1953 they were sold and taken away to unknown destina-
tions.) None of the needle bearings had been ?roduced before,- and
no special machines were available. Hence, this project 50X1-HUM
was a'Very impractical and wasteful operation and was only undertaken
to provide stop-gap work for the workers.
10. I a memory ?ketch of the layout of the:Industrie-
werke Ludwigsfelde, on whicht /the following baildings
See page 6 _7: ? 50X1-HUM
Miscellaneous Buildinga
Building As Administration building (1)9 old construction.
Building Bs Administration building (2), old construction..
Building Cs Guard post at the north gate, old construction...
Building Ds Dining hall.
Euilding Es Power station; building is finished, no power
produced yet.
CONFIDENTIAL
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Butlding Ps Motor pool, new, completed.
Building Os Fire house, new, completed.
productietaills
Hall ls Materials Receiving Department.
Hall 2s Parts Workshep, building not completed.
Hall 5s Apprentice Workshop; equipped with hand-operated lathes,
automatic lathes, planers, boring machines, milling
machines, a surface plate, and grinding machines.
Hall 41 Parts Workshop (empty).
Hall 5, Shipping Department; building presently in use as a store-
house fox machinery such as various lathed', multi-spindle
boring machines, and grinding machines ready for installa-
tion in the individual workshops.
Hall 68 Repair Workshop's:quipped with lathes, planers, grinding
machines, mechanical equipment, and surface plates.
Hall 7s Component Parts Shop; with production lines for pistons
and connecting rods, equipped with automatic and manually-
operated lathes, turret lathes, planers, milling machines,
surflace plate, grinding machines, and six 4-spindle
boring machines, but special machinery had not yet been
delivered.
Hall de Component Parte Shop; with production lines planned for
cylinders, crankshafts, and camshafts for the motor type
KVD-25; most of the machines for these production lines
had not yet been completed, but on hand were various
lathes, milling machines, boring machines, planers, grind-
ing machines, one honing machine for cylinders, and the
following specific machines:
1 large Magdeburg lathe for pre-turning
3 Boehringer lathes, converted to throw lathes for
crankshafts
I throw grinding machine for crankshafts
1 crankshaft grinding machine
1 camshaft lathe
?1 camshaft grinding machine
1 deep hole boring machine for camshafts and crank-
shafts (converted), (special boring heads to be
supplied by Precision Tool Works, Schmoelln,
Thueringen)
1 copying milling machine
1 Magnaflux machine.
Ball 91 Assembly of KVD-25; assembly line not yet installed.
Hall 10s Hardening Shop; Smithy, and Welding Shop; equipped with
hardening oven, blacksmith oven, and welding equipment,'
hall not yet completely equipped.
Ball lls Workshop for Production of
with manually operated and
machines, planers, surface
ing machines, and included
testing room..
Hall 12s Accommodations for yolks Polizei unite.
Jigs, Tools, and Gages; equipped
automatic lathes, milling
plates, two jig borers, grind-
a welding shop and a gage
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? AREA LAYOUT OF THE
INDUSTRIEWERK LI4DWICTSFELDE
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