DESCRIPTION OF VALSTS ELEKTROTECHNISKA FABRIKA (VEF) FACTORY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00047R000300080006-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 3, 2013
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: June 12, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release � 50-Yr 2014/11/04: CIA-RDP82-00047R000300080006-3
CLASSIFICATION CONFIDENTIAL/SECURITI 111PORMATION 50X1
ma
COUNTRY Latvia
SUBJECT
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE
ACQU I RED
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
Description of Valets Elektrotechniska
Fabrika (VEF) Factory
DATE OF INFORMATION
THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
OF THE UNITED STATES, WITHIN THE MEANING OF TITLE IS, SECTIONS 793
AND 704, OF THE U.S. CODE, AS AMENDED. ITS AAAAAA ISSION ON NEVE.
LATIOM OF ITS CONTENTS TO OR RECEIPT EY AN UNAUTNOEIZED PERSON IS
PRONISITED NY LAV. THE REPRODUCTION OF THIS FORM IS PROHIEITED.
CD NO.
DATE DISTR. Jun 1953
NO. OF PAGES 3
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO 50X1
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
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1. The Valsts Elekteoteehniska Fabrika (VEF) Ld-overnment Electrotechnical Factorg
was established in 1919 as a small workshop belonging to the Post and Telegraph
Dteartments of the Ministry of Communications. Initial purpose of this factory
was the repairing and maintenance of telephone apparatus. By 1930 this plant
had expanded and had 1200 employees. This expansion program continued and just
prior to World War II there were 3500 employees and the value of the factory
was 10 million lets (equivalent to US$ two million). VEF was then considered
the largest factory in Riga and in all of the Baltic countries.
2. The factory got its name VEF in 1932 (and to this day still bears that name).
It was an autonomous institution of the Ministry of Transportation and
Communications. As a growing and expanding factory which needed new equipment
and machinery, it could purchase this only from its profit because it 110 longer
received government subsidy or other help from. the "Yearly Plans".
3. VEF was called upon to bolster Latvia's small foreign market; from 1938 to 1939;
and it began producing many articles in small quantites. Among the articles
produced was a patented small camera called the "Minox". The company also
produced radio receivers and transmitters, telephone apparatus, automatic
telephone central stations, electric bulbs, electric current meters, transformers,
flat irons, wires and cables, flashlights, batteries, accumulators, photographic
paper, and cameras.
4. VEF was subordinated, directly to the Ministry of Industry in Moscow during the
first Soviet occupation in 1940 and did not answer to the local Commissariat
representative in Riga.
5. VEF was subordinated to the Terptow Feinmechanische Fahriken in Berlin under
the German occepation of Riga and was renamed the AEG-Ost)Andverke. Duriag
this period the number of employees rose to five thousand. Under the ,AEG German
supervision, VEF produced an apparatus for airplanes, called "Aatenne Fest and
Schlepp", and a transmitter-receiver radio for tahks, called the "Kiel".
6. The Germans evacuated most of the machine tools to Berlin and to Thuringia,
Germany in July of the year 1914. The engineers who had not left the factory
were also evacuated to Germany.
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7. The second oecupation by the Soviets took place in 1944. They found the buildings,
several large machine in the cable department, and the bakelite and metals stamp-
ing presses in good condition; but most important they inherited a large group of
skilled technicians and workers with the know-how for electrical production. The
Soviets erought with them 20 to 30 screw machines, jig borers, tool and die makers,
micrometers, and a few other pieces of equipment and began operating the factory.
Any person who could operate machinery with a precision of .0004 tolerance was
put to work. Despite the lack of engineers for research and designing. the VEF
factory can and has
re-established operations and is in full production.
VEF is also producing radar equipment.
50X1 8. During 2i930 i97 VEF contained the following departments: radio,
telephone, eleetrotechnicZI, electrochemical, photographic paper, mechanical machine
shop, plant engineering, maintenance, tool and die room, mechanical workshops,
laboratories.
50X1 9. Almost all mine tools were from Germany, Switzerland, and the UK.
Material was Obtained, from Germany, the UK, and t,e US (such as radie tales and deep
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drawing sheet metal). received radio tubes from Phillips of the
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Netherlands. VEF cooperated with a US firm "Auriema".
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10.
The factory had an artisan, school with a four-year course in technical training.
VEF now has also a technical high
school which epates skilled workers for the fine mechanics department, tool and
die roam, machine tool building, and machine tool, operators.
11. From 1930 to 1944, VEF consisted of the following workshops:
W1 -- Tool and Die Room (about 100 men)
W2 Locksmith Workaoli (eoneisted of drill, preases, welding, riveting, and
.new msAhine building)
W3 -- Lathe Room (bad lathes, milling maehines, and grinding machines)
-- Wood Workhol,-- (Radio receiver cabinet)
W5 -- Telephone Workshop (ks$0,11ibly of telephone apparatus and telephone automatic
liantrals)
1.16--- Radio Receiver AzseMb4 Shop,
1.17 -- Paint Spray- Workshop (lacquering and painting)
WB -- Automatic Screw Machine Workshop (25 of.trew machines worked three shifts daily)
W9 -- Photographic Paper Workshop
W10-- Galvanizing
W12-- Flashlight Battery Shop
W13-- Wire Workshop (Cable Department)
W15-- Stamping Press Shop
W16-- Blacksmith Shop
W17-- Foundry
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CONFIDENTIAL/ SECURITY INFORMATION
- 3 -
C ble Workshop
W19-- Electrical Wires Lacquered
W20-- Electric Bulbs and Neon Tubes
W25-- Transformer Building
W26 ) --glectrotechnical workshops -
415 Bakelite presses and assembly lines for electric current meters,
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flat irons, plugs, etc.
V,129)
1.130-- Radio Transmitter Shop
1,131-- Optical Workshop (Grinding of lens for the "Minoe)
n2-- Callon's, Workshop ("Minox" parts production and assembly)
- end. -
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2014/11/04: CIA-RDP82-00047R000300080006-3