RUSSIAN ENGINEER CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION #23 - ISU #23

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP82-00457R015300130007-5
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
S
Document Page Count: 
13
Document Creation Date: 
December 22, 2016
Document Release Date: 
January 12, 2011
Sequence Number: 
7
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
December 5, 1952
Content Type: 
REPORT
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PDF icon CIA-RDP82-00457R015300130007-5.pdf1018.24 KB
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Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/23: CIA-RDP82-00457RO15300130007-5 rv,u, Inv. 51-4AA FEB 1952 CLASSIFICATION BEeRtT SECURITY INFORMATION INFORMATION REPORT REPORT COUNTRY SUBJECT DATE OF PLACE ACQUIRED THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES, WITHIN THE MEANING OF TITLE 18, SECTIONS 793 AND 794, OF THE U.S. CODE, AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR REVE- LATION OF ITS CONTENTS TO OR RECEIPT BY AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LAW. THE REPRODUCTION OF THIS FORM IS PROHIBITED. East Germany Russian Engineer Construction Administration #23 - ISU #23 DATE DISTR. 5 December 1952 NO. OF PAGES 8 S. 3 SUPPLEMENT TO REPORT NO. THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION The Engineer Construction Administration #23 (Inzhenerno-Stroitelnoye Upravleniye- ISU #23) constructed all engineering projects ordered by the GOFG in the Soviet latter organization assigned projects to ISU #23 and once a week sent a 'e ut to check and report on the progress of these ro ects. Zone of Germany. It also collected and repaired German machinery, sending it back to the USSR for stockpiling. ISU #23 performed only work of a military nature, with the exception of the construction of the Berlin Canal and the laying of a second set of tracks for the already existing single-track lines in Germany. 50X1-HUM ISU #23 was located fee Encl (07 in Leipzig 5118N-1220E7 and operated directly under the Engineer Administration (Inzhenernoye Upravleniye) of the GOFG.'" The Leipzig in either 1946 or.1947. ISU #23 was stationed in Berlin and was engaged in dismantling factories, collecting vehicles, machinery, etc, for shipment to the USSR. ISU #23 moved to performing engineer work and or ance repair on heavy equipment. After the war moved with the Soviet armies 3. Previously, ISU #23 had been stationed in Odessa /7629N-3049E7, but in 1941 it ISU 23 was the only oovv et Engineer ons ruction Administration in the o e one, and, as such, would have that entire zone as an area of responsibility. 50X1-HUM NSRB FB I 50X1-HUM ILLEGIB Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/23: CIA-RDP82-00457R015300130007-5 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/23: CIA-RDP82-00457R015300130007-5 5 50X1-HUM ISU 23 was a self-sup ortin uni.to work was charged foP to the following ner? o the-actual coat of labor and- an ad.ciitA.onal 197 percent of 'that figure constituted the bai?ic' costa Added to this sum were the material costs and 20 per cent of that figure for overhead, ISU #21 Daid the German employees who worked on TRUI Berlin Canal ro ect the cos o e Berlin Cana would eventually be charged to he Germans). Much of the repair work done by ISU #23 Was actually sublet to East German firms, and they were paid according to contract and the cost charge: to -,e as. -erman Government or to GOFG. 50X1-HUM 50X1-HLiivi Sections 5. The various sections of ISU #23, functions. had the following 50X1-HUM (a) Political Section - this section was responsible for proper politi- cal indoctrination of Soviet personnel, both military and civilian.. It was also held responsible in the prevention and reporting of drinking, fraternization and AWOL ' s . Counter Intelligence Section - this section was charged with the prevention of contact between the German population and Soviet officers, civilians and EM. It spied on all Soviet officers, civilians and EM of ISU #23. lot Section (called Technical - (Construction) section) - this section prepared technical drawings and supervised the construction work carried on by ISU #23. 2nd Section (called Costs and Estimates Section) - this section handled financial Matters, as for example the cost for labor and equipment for removing 500,000 cubic meters of earth from the Berlin Canal. Chief Mechanic -. this person was responsible for the condition of all vehicles, tools, machinery and.equipment and was accountable for spare parts. (f) Bookkeeping and Accounting Section - this department kept account of financial transactions with German firms (reimbursement for material and labor) and collected bills from Soviet military units for the repairing and building of equipment. (g) Documents Section - this section kept all the GOFG and other Soviet (1) Personnel roster, personnel transfers. (2) 201 files on individuals - records? punishment: etc. (3) Records on outstanding workers. (4) Regulations on care and maintenance of equipment. (5) Orders for political training. (6) Orders for air defense training. (7) Military orders, directives, regulations. (8) Plans of all buildings of ISU #23. . .(9) Plans of past work and of wor1.to be done by ISU #23. SECRET Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/23: CIA-RDP82-00457R015300130007-5 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/23: CIA-RDP82-00457R015300130007-5 50X1-HUM (10) Orders, receipts for work done, and to be done, for military units. (I1) Records of T/E on hand in ISU #23n (12) Payroll accounts (13) Correspondence (14) Order #0150 dated April 1951 from the GOFG on the behavior of Soviet troops in the "Democratic German Republic". A Soviet female civilian, Evgeniya Postnikova, who previously worked in the Personnel Section, was put in charge of the documents section in January 1952. Before her, a reenlistee NCO (Sverkhsroehnik (fnu).) was in charge until September 1951. The NCO returned to the USSR in. September 1951, and Lt Vassiliy Khodakov was in charge from September 1951 Until January 1952. The documents section had one safe and four steel filing cabinets, all of German make. At night;, the entrance to the documents section was sealed, and a guard was stationed there, (There was no guard in the daytime). (h) Medical Section - this section serviced all Soviet personnel of ISU #23. (i) Veterinary Section - this section cared for horses until September 19510 Up to September 1951,ISU #23 had 10 horses for hauling wagons; after September 1951,engineer units using horses returned to the USSR, but the veterinarian remained on the T/O although he had.no duties to perform. (j) Technical-Material Supply /wee Encl (B)7 - this section procured all necessary material for canal construction, bridge building and other jobs (materials such as steel, lumber, electrical equipment, instruments, machinery, motors, paints, POL, glass, etc). Sub- ordinate to the Technical-Material Supply Section was the Technical- Material Base which distributed materials to various units, such as the Mechanical Repair Shops (Remontno Mekhanicheskiye Master- skiye !+!), and the Canal Construction project. (k) Transportation Section - this section was responsible for providing; all necessary transportation, such as: German railroad cars which were used for movement of construction machinery, and trucks (organic to the Automobile Battalion of ISU #23) for the transport of lumber, cement, electrical appliances, and. personnel. The transportation section moved all ecuioment n essarv for the con- struction of the Berlin Canal rom.th Technical _33ateri _ 3ase,'n' 50X1-HUM g to the : site of? the BbrI.i i1,,Oanal. The Automobile Battalion, which was subordinated to the Transporta- tion Section, was organic to ISU #23 and had three comm companies of about 40 men each with two platoons to each com an it was :not at full T/O strength. 50X1-HUM Personnel Section - this section concerned itself with all personnel matters having to do with Soviet troops, Soviet male and female civilian employees, and German male and female employees. Construction Section for the Berlin Canal, and the laying of rail- road tracks - this section constructed Army type wooden barracks along the canal for the German workers and was engaged in the actual construction of the Berlin Canal. In 1950 Soviet soldiers of the engineer and penal battalions were also engaged in the construction of the Berlin Canal and in double-tracking a single'-track railroad liae, This failed to produce satisfactory results, and all Soviet soldiers were replaced in the Summer of 1951 by German employees. SECRET Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/23: CIA-RDP82-00457R015300130007-5 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/23: CIA-RDP82-00457RO15300130007-5 50X1-HUM SECRET/ RIM - Mechanical Repair Shops - this section performed all work for ISU #23 except that of canal construction, construction of underground headquarters for GOFG and, railroad and road building. Its main task, and of urgenic priority, was the construction of portable tank bridges, tither missions consisted of the repair of machinery, locomotives, vehicles, heavy equipment and the con- struction of new equipment Construction In 1951 and 1952,ISU #23 was engaged in the following constructions: (a) Construction of the new Berlin Canal (a) (b) Construction of army barracks for German employees working on the, new Berlin Canal. equipment.) . Laying of additional tracks for trains in and near the Soviet sector of Berlin. ISU #23 also repaired locomotives for use by Soviet troops, but none for the German Democratic Republic. (ISU paid the German railroads for the use of railroad cars to ship (d) Construction of portable tank bridges. {e) Construction of underground headquarters Wildpark for the GOFG in Potsdam- (f) Construction of new cranes (mobile type, model Kaiser, lifting capacity: five tons). (g) Construction of equipment for artillery and small arms, ranges (cranes, undercarriages, small targets, dummy tank targets, etc). (h) Minor, medium and major repairs on the following equipment used by Soviet military units in the Soviet Zone of Germany: (1) Cranes of up to 16 ton lifting capacity '(2) Electrical and mechanical compressors (3) Tracked and halftracked vehicles (1) All types of diesel engines (5) Mobile electric power stations (diesel type) (6) Electric transformers (7) Electric motors, electrical appliances, cables (8) Cement mixers (9) Stonecrushers (10) Lathes for wood and metal processing (11) Trailert.(4ma14,two.wheeled and large six-eight wheeled) (12) c..Trucke, care, sedans SECRET Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/23: CIA-RDP82-00457RO15300130007-5 50X1-HIJM Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/23: CIA-RDP82-00457RO15300130007-5 SECRET, Work previously done by ISU #23 includes: (a) Construction of-the Soviet embassy building in the Soviet sector of Berlin Lixact date not known. (b) Manufacture of wooden grooves and tongues (Shpunt) used for pilings in the construction of the Berlin Canal. This work was done in 1951. (c) Construction of a tank firing range near Magdeburg L3209N-1139 j, which was finished in May 1951. Work planned for the future includes: (a) A tank firing range, finished in May 1951, which must be enlarged considerably, according to an order received in February 1952 by ISU #23 from the GOFG Engineering Administration. (b) Construction of rest homes and a recreation area near Berlin for high ranking officials of the German Democratic Republic. This work was to be started upon the completion of the Berlin Canal. Production of portable tank bridges. In February 1952,Col Andrey Siryuk, Chief of ISU #23 was advised by Lt Gen (fnu) Tkachenko, Chief of the OOFG Engineering Administration that Gen Chuikov, the GOFG CG, wanted one portable tafk bridge built each month. How- ever, due to the shortage of skilled welders and of material (high grade steel, bronze, brass and alloys),ISU #23 could not fulfill this quota, and it was then agreed to manufacture only six bridges annually. The manufacture of portable tank bridges was the highest' priority work of ISU #23. The actual cost of a bridge was about 75,000 East Marks for material and about 90,000 East Marks for overhead and administrative expenses, making a total of 165,000 East Marks. The RMM asked the GOFG for 190,000 East Marks and received 180,000 from the GO?G per bridge. (d) Construction of target ranges, target equipment and targets Zlocations unknown. Firms which worked for the ISU #23 repairing equipment were: (a) The Elter Firm, a ship building and ship repair firm in Woltersdorf, near Berlin. (b) U/i firm in Oranienburg which repaired machinery. (c) U/i firm in Taucha which repaired centrifugal pumps. (d) Mueller in Leipzig which repaired trailers, (small wagons of two cubic m capacity), tank retrievers and tracked vehicles. So urges ; of Materials 10. The main source of engineer construction material used by ISU #23 was the German Trade Central (Deutsche Handels Zentrale - DHZ), a state owned trading _,cornpany with offices in Berlin and Leipzig. The DHZ supplied steel, lumber, electric appliances, bearings, valves, paints, cement* brick, glass, sand, gravel, armatures, locks, window hinges, etc. Other sources supplying, construction material were: (a) Firma Buelow in Leipzig, for lumber cutting machinery. (b) VE Betrieb (Volkseigene Betrieb- a people's owned corporation) in Rack-arnst .dt^ (.sic), which- supplied circular saws. SECRET Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/23: CIA-RDP82-00457RO15300130007-5 ? r-nvi UI inn Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/23: CIA-RDP82-00457RO15300130007-5 SECRET, -6- (c) Baumechanik in Leipzig, a firm which supplied spare parts for diesel motors. (d) Michoma in Leipzig, for.lathes and work benches. (e) An unknown firm in Nordhausen which furnished excavators and graders. 11. Construction material was held in stock by the Technical Supply Section of ISU #23 and consisted largely of lumber, steel, electrical equipment, .cables and.PCL lubricants (also in stock was an assortment of German machinery such as cranes and derricks, but they were not in working order). All of this construction material was purchased from DHZ, or German firms, with funds furnished by the GOFG. These financial transactions were handled by Aleksandr Rakov, Chief of the Technical Material Supply Section of ISU #23. 12. The work of our organization was constantly impeded and crippled by many. factors, among which were: 50X1-HUM (a) Some of the damaged machinery that the RMM repaired for the Berlin Canal bore distinct signs of having broken down due to sabotage; gears in the compressors were deliberately broken, electrodes were tampered with, engines were run without oil,, springs on a cement mixer were broken and a locomotive was deliberately damaged. Germans also stole gasoline and other items, and deliberately50X1-H UM slowed down work with their laziness, inefficiency and deliberate The crank case in an, electrostation was also deliberately damaged it was sabotage. These `re ` only a few instances of sabotage, but there were many more. loafing. Another influential factor was the low morale of the German workers, due to their dissatisfaction with working under Soviet supervision, the poor pay, insufficient safety measures and poor.living conditions. (b) Shortage of materials - all types of springs, bearings, (especially ball bearings), valves, (especially for automobile motors), carburetors, chains, tube, Paints, veneer, plywood, electric cables and wires, transformer bands, steel ropes, blocks and 50X1-HUM tackles, gears, grinding and polishing machines, crank cases for cars, atomizers, sprocket chains, were in short supply or unavailable. In fact, ever thin except ? le to The Mechanical-Repair op had a mo or boat in for engine repair since 1947; it was still there in 1952, because there were no carburetors, motor parts etc, to perform the repair. Another example was a Demay electromobile crane with a lifting ca acity of eight tons which was sent to ISU #23 for repair in 1948 and was not ready until 1951 when it was sent to the USSR for stockpiling,, In 1948, a military unit sent a tracked vehicle to ISU #23 for repair. The unit had long since moved but the vehicle wa.s still with TSTT alai liner Ph" nn "fa fn 1 "an9 a^aA SECRET Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/23: CIA-RDP82-00457RO15300130007-5 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/23: CIA-RDP82-00457RO15300130007-5 SECRET (a) Poor quality of equipment - All machinery used by the 1SU was obsolete,. captured, German equipment in very poor condition. No new equipment was sent to ISU #23 from the USSR. (d) Lack of ability and interest on the part of the leading Soviet personnel - some officers were incpr9 others were busy black marketeering (buying items not to be had in the USSR t nsensibilit Very few had any real interest 7per o ng r , u es. 50X1-HUM Poor Soviet morale - it was impossible for conscientious, capable .offl- 'cers or civilians to do their best work, when they were constantly being spied upon, and their every move being reported to the CI officer. 13, The working hours for ISU #23 employees were as follows: For Soviet Officers & Civilians For Germans Weekdays 0800 - 1200 1200 - 1300 dinner 1300- 1730 Saturdays o8oo - 1400 Weekdays 0700 - 1230 1230 - 1300 dinner 1300-1615 Saturdays 0700 - 1245 Sometimes ISU #23 worked two or three shifts; for instance on the construction of wooden tongues and grooves used for abutments in. the Berlin Canal RMM worked around the clock,, including Saturdays and Sundays. The RMM worked two shifts on the construction of portable' tank bridges but'not on Saturdays or Sundays. 14. ISU #23 could be reached via the German telephone system_-. In order to call an officer or civilian of the ISU, the caller had first .t;o l call Leipzig 594171 This was the number of the main. Soviet switchboard for Leipzig and was located in the building of the Soviet Kommandatura in that city. The operator at the switchboard would answer "Pavel", the code name for the main Soviet switchboard. Upon getting "Pavel" the caller had to ask for "Kiyev", the code name for ISU #23, w-i ng " " connected with Ki ev he miaht ask for h~ party by name. 15. There were several German factories tney were as ioiiows:. 50X1-HUM Bau Mechanik in Leipzig - this factory supplied ISU #23 with spare parts for diesel engines. It employed about one thousand workers, who manufactured diesel engines and locomotives and also repaired machinery of this type,. 50X1-HUM Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/23: CIA-RDP82-00457RO15300130007-5 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/23: CIA-RDP82-00457RO15300130007-5 '50X1-HUM SECRET. -8- A subterranean installation near Falkenhagen which processed uranium ore A Subterranean tank factory in Wurzen 122N-1244 which approximately 500 and camouflaged. 50X1-HUM employed Enclosures: ec ca -,ater a Base of ISU #23 in Leipzig RF1M and ISU #23 in Leipzig SECRET 50X1-HUM Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/23: CIA-RDP82-00457RO15300130007-5 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/23: CIA-RDP82-00457RO15300130007-5 '50X1-HUM SECRET. -8- A subterranean installation near Falkenhagen which processed uranium ore A Subterranean tank factory in Wurzen 122N-1244 which approximately 500 and camouflaged. 50X1-HUM employed Enclosures: ec ca -,ater a Base of ISU #23 in Leipzig RF1M and ISU #23 in Leipzig SECRET 50X1-HUM Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/23: CIA-RDP82-00457RO15300130007-5 -)nX1-HIIM Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/23: CIA-RDP82-00457RO15300130007-5 ENCLOSURE (B) SECRET, 'Location of Tec ical-Material Base of ISU #23 in Lei ipzig SECRET 18 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/23: CIA-RDP82-00457RO15300130007-5 11 . Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/23: CIA-RDP82-00457RO15300130007-5 .ENCLOSURE (B)(Conttd) SECRET., Le end 1. Two-story brick building: German* beer saloon on first floor - private apartments on second floor. 2. Two-story brick building used for living quarters by Germans. 3. Wooden building housing toilets. 4. One-story brick building, 12 x 4 m, used for storage of paint, oil, POL. 5. Three-story-high brick building, 40 x 12 in, used as a depot for storing EM clothing. arid' equipment' (QM items) . 6. Three-story brick building, 35 x 10 m, used as a depot for storing compressors, lathers, machinery. 7. One-story brick building, used for supplementary storage of POL. 8. Wooden stucco guard-house, ! x 2 in, manned by one unarmed German guard. 9. One-story brick railroad.depot building, 100 x 20 x 15 m high. Rails entered via indicated doors. Some machinery was stored here. 10. Universal planer (rabetter) used b the RM. 11. Water well, five m in diameter - 11 m deep. 12. Two-story brick building, 20 x 6 m. Office and living quarters for base employees - Lt Col Kostyk, Chief of this section, and Soviet female civilians employed by ISU #23 lived there. 13. Hedgerow of trees. 14. One-story brick building, locomotive depot, 8 x 4 in. A locomotive used by a German mill was stored here. 15. German grain elevator, 80 x 10 x 20 m high. 16. German grain elevator, 80 x 15 x 20 rn high. 11. Hedgerow of trees. 1. Three-story, brick, Peoplets Police barrack, 300 x 400 x 20 m high. Fence shown in sketch was 1j m high. Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/23: CIA-RDP82-00457RO15300130007-5 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/23: CIA-RDP82-00457R015300130007' 5 1 ' ENCOSURE (C) 'SECRET., and ISU #23 in Leipzig LEIPZIG N Landaberger Strasse Wanzer ear Strasse Strass r--7 to Halle To maim railroad station Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/23: CIA-RDP82-00457R015300130007-5 ?!~- Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/23: CIA-RDP82-00457RO15300130007-5 1 ,ENOLOSURE (C)(Cont'd) SECRET 1. German vegatable gardens and railroad embankment. 2q Two-story brick building, 30 x 30 in, used as an officer's and civilians' mess and club which had facilities to feed 40 people. One room was reserved for Junior'officers and civilians and another for fieldgrade officers and VIP civilians. Three-story brick building, 70 x 10 in. The first floor consisted of an EM messhall for 120 EM of the Automobile Battalion, ISU #23. The second and third floors, consisting of single rooms, were used as an officers' hotel. There was also a dispensary on the third floor. A German food store (Handels' Organization) was also in this building, 4. A wooden sentry box (one officer and two sergeants) used as a check point. 5.1 Three-sto brick Administration building of the Automobile Battalion (APO 41757), 60 x 12 m. 120 EM were billeted on the second and third floors. 6. Two-story brick building, 5 x 15 in, used as a women's hotel. The Counter Intelligence Officer and his wife lived here. 7. One-story brick building, 80 x 10 m, occupied by the RMM and containing machinery and lathes. 8. One-story brick building, 80 x 10 in, housing a motor and electrical shop. 9. Barber shop and a German food store (Handels' Organization). 10. One-story brick building used as OD's office and guard-rooms for 15 EM duty. 11. Unoccupied one-story brick building. Formerly occupied by German food story (Handels' Organization). 12. One-story brick locksmith and blacksmith shop, 80 x 10 in. Annex 12a, one-story brick building 20 x 20 m. 13. One-story brick building housing'a garage for cranes, a metal construe- tion shop, and a carpenter shop. . 14. Warehouse for the preservation of machiner p 15. Garage for the Auto Bn which housed about 50 trucks and compressors, diesels, a mobile power station, lathes,. stone crushers,, pumps, cement mixers, fire engines. rollers and hammer machines, 16. Warehouse for the preservation of machinery and ready-made bridges,. parts, compressors and a motorboat. (NOTE: Items 14, 15 and 16.were all in one-three-story brick building, 100 x 15 m.) . 17. Cellar, 10 x 221.m. for coke storage. 18. One-story brick instrument shop, 8 x 6 in, 19. German sentry box, manned by one unarmed guard, 20. Two-story brick garage and material storage warehouse used by the RMM, 50 x 10 m. Seven tractors, .trucks and tracked vehicles were stored on the first floor; POL, paints., cement, etc, were stored on the second floor. 21,. Three-story_ brick building, 50 x 8 m, used as offices by ISU #23 and RMM. this building also provided living quarters for five officers of the RMM. a Gates leading to the RMM, b Gates leading from the RMM to Kostyki base., a Gates leading from the RMM into town and through a German mill. d Railroad gates leading from the RMM into town and through a German mill. e Blocked, wooden gate leading from the RMM to the headquarters. f Blocked, small. gate leading from the RMM to the headquarters. g Blocked, small gate leading from the RMM to the headquarters. h Window through which people climbed to illegally pass between the ISU #23 and the RMM. 22. MVD troop barracks. SECRET Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/23: CIA-RDP82-00457RO15300130007-5