(SANITIZED)MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION CONCERNING NEW URANIUM MINES IN WIESENBAD/ERZGEBIRGE(SANITIZED)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00415R010400070003-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 20, 2012
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: January 28, 1952
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/20: CIA-RDP83-00415R010400070003-5
50X1-HUM
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/20: CIA-RDP83-00415R010400070003-5
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/20: CIA-RDP83-00415R010400070003-5
50X1-HUM
SECRET/CONTROL - US OFFICIALS ONLY
SECURITY INFORMATION
German Democratic Republic
MISCELLANEDUS INFORMkTION CONCERNING NEW URANIUM MINES IN WIESENBAD/ERZGEBIRGE
Two new uranium mines have been put into operation in Wiesenbad/Erzgebirgej located in
Kreis Annabergj which, together with Kreise Marienberg and Schwarzenberg-Johanngeorgenstadt
belongs to the key projects of the Wismut AG. All farmers who owned land in this area
(Mildenauj Wiesenbad, uHohenwendelll Manor) were expropriated without compensation. Likewise,
nearly all inhabitants of Wiesenbad, Plattenthal, and Mildenauj and also some residents of
Wblkenstein,were evacuated from their homes, without being compensated and without being
provided with substitute housing. Mine workers were billeted in the evacuated quarters,
and the FDGB (League of Free German Trade Unions) training school was moved out of the
ullohenwendelu castle, which now serves as the administrative headquarters of the ismut AG.
Part of the dismantled Plattenthal paper factory is used to house mine workersj and part is
used for ore-processing installations.
The uranium yield is low and is disproportionate to the expenses, which must be borne
solely by the German population. Recently there has been a steady decline in the mine
workers' morale, caused by poor and inadequate food, an increase in the number of special
shifts, and the oppression of the civilian population. When the workers of the Annaberg
main shaft were called to a plant meeting on 15 November 1951, and reproached because a
labor force of 450 men had mined only 6i tons of profitable ore, that is rock containing
pitchblende, during the month of October 1951? actual fighting broke out between the miners
and the People's Police guard details and some mining-administration employees.
The mined rock with pitchblende-content is loaded into lead-sealed crates and is imme-
diately shipped east under Soviet guard. Because of the sharp increase in the number of
deserters from among the forced laborers in the minesj patrol duty around the restricted
area by People's Police and Soviet guards has been increased, as has inspection of passen-
ger and freight trains leaving the restricted area.
SECRET/CONTROL - US OFFICIALS ONLY
50X1-HUM
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/20: CIA-RDP83-00415R010400070003-5
50X1 -HUM
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/20: CIA-RDP83-00415R010400070003-5
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/20: CIA-RDP83-00415R010400070003-5
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/20: CIA-RDP83-00415R010400070003-5
50X1-HUM
SECRET/CONTROL . US OFFICIALS ONLY
SECURITY INFORMATION
German Democratic Republic
MINISTER SELBMANNIS SPEECH BEFORE TEGRNIGAL SCIENTIFIC COUNCIL, 0 NOV 51
31the speech the Minister
of Heavy Industry, Selbmann, made at the meeting or me lacuna 1 Scientific Council of
the Ministry of Mining and Metallurgy on 9 November 1951.
At the opening of his speech Selbmann announced the reorganization of the Ministry
of Heavy Industry. He said two independent state secretariats were formed, one for coal
and power, the other for chemistry and stones and earths. He also announced the reorgan-
ization of the Ministry of Reconstruction, of which the construction industry is now a
branch.
He admitted that in the last year mistakes were made in planning operations and
industrial production and, in an effort to remedy these defects, he made three suggestions
for members of the Technical Scientific Council. 1) Members of the Council are to make
themselves available to give opinions and advice concerning the great industrial projects
of 1952, so that more efficient planning and better economy of operation can be achieved.
2) Council members are also to serve on a commission to inspect new investment projects.
This commission is to have the responsibility of ditermining when a new installation is
ready to start operating. The theory behind this suggestion is that in this manner a
project will not be approved until a number of experts are satisfied with the plans and
their execution. 3) Council members are to serve on committees to study and set up
capacity norms for the various industries. Selbmann claimed that this procedure would
result in substantially increased norms and production. The Council accepted these
suggestions.
Next, the speaker told of two important problems of heavy industry which were solved;
1) the smelting of acid ores in short-shaft blast furnaces and 2) the manufacture of high..
temperature coke from soft coal for use in metallurgy. .
Selbmann then gave a recapitulation of the law concerning the Five-Year Plan and
gave a very detailed and lehgthy account of the planned increase in production in all
branches of industry, agriculture, transportation, public health institutions, etc.,
giving actual figures which are to be reached in 1955. 50X1-HUM
Then followed an explanation of investment activity in ore mining, the iron industry,
and the non..ferraus metals industry. He went into details concerning the expansion and
immrevement of mining shafts and of blast furnaces.
SECRET /CONTROL - US OFFICIALS ONLY
? Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/20: CIA-RDP83-00415R010400070003-5
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/20: CIA-RDP83-00415R010400070003-5
50X1-HUM
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/20: CIA-RDP83-00415R010400070003-5