DETAILS ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE METALLURGICAL COMBINE WEST (5 PP; GERMAN; 1 OCT 51)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00415R010600170002-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 8, 2002
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: March 17, 1952
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2002/08
V, I T R > Ind , 1000170002-3
5r'.CRET/CONTIWOL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
German Democratic fLepublic
DETAILS ON TF CONSTRUCTION OF THE, t TALLURGICAL CGIIBINE WEST (5 pp
25X1X
25X1A
25X1 C
This document consists of photostats of a four-page typewritten report and of one
map sketch, giving detailed information on the construction of the Metallurgical
Combine ;est in Calbe/Saale.
The report points out that construction work at the Vesta (Federation of People-
Owned Iron and Steel Enterprises) plant in Calbe/Saale had to be discontinued because
the blueprints for the five low-shaft furnaces, construction of which was planned,
turned out to be wrong. Construction of the foundations had been started already
before "alert" workers noticed this act of sabotage. WWerner Amelung, S ED Kreis
Secretary from Schoenbeck/Elbe, went personally to Minister Selbmann to unmask the
saboteurs. aelbmann, however, just considered this case one of "regrettable erroneous
planning". ?,;hen it was seen that progressive methods, and in particular the progres-
sive technical intelligentsia, did not produce satisfactory results, Wassermann, a
former city architect from Dresden, was appointed to head the construction of the plant.
In 1950, Wassermann was still an inmate of the Brandenburg prison, and the head of
the prisoners' self-administration. He is now on probation and directly under the
Ministry of Heavy Industry.
The first part of the first construction project has now progressed to the point/
where low-shaft furnace number Ic is to start operation on 1 October 1951.
The report gives a detailed legend to the enclosed map sketch, which includes
the following objects: The quay wall of the Saale harbor basin, conveyer bridges,
ore storage, foundry shop, chimney, etc. The legend points out the different objects
to be completed within the first, second, and third construction project.
The report also gives information on the plant's low-voltage lines, central clock
system, fire-alarm system, loudspeaker system, the quantity of cables to be laid, etc.
Seven guard towers are to be on the plant site and will be manned by people's
policemen under the command of People's Police Oberkommissar Grude and his assistant
Oberkommissar Koerner. At present, the plant is well-guarded, during night-time with
the aid of dogs.
25X1A
L/T-he forei language document or a microfilm of it is available from CIA
25X1 A Library)
SECRET/CONTROL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
Approved For Release 2002/08/15 : CIA-RDP83-00415RO10600170002-3