DANUBE-BLACK SEA CANAL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00415R012400250007-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 27, 2012
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: November 13, 1952
• Content Type: REPORT

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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP83-00415RO12400250007-9
FOAJt NI4NO . ,~ i . s S!~1CRE"I' U.. S . OFFICIALS ONLY
FMAY 194'a CLASSIFICATION
-_ -SECURITY I13FORIAaTION
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPORT IC
.INFORMATION REPORT CD NO.
SUBJECT Danube-Black Sea Canal
ACQUIRED
DATE
AZZUUL~a
THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT 50
U. S. C., 31 AND 32. AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION
OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PRO-
HIBITED BY LAW. REPRODUCTION OF THIS FORM IS PROHIBITED
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DATE DISTR. 13 November 1952
NO. OF PAGES 1
NO. OF ENCLS. PPS
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
THIS DOCUMENT HAS AN ENCLOSURE ATTACHED
DO NOT DETACH
Attached)
the Danube-Black Sea canal.
is a document concerning
SECT .L'T
DISUJION
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP83-00415RO12400250007-9
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27 : CIA-RDP83-00415R012400250007-9
O, S, OFFICIALS ONLY
SZECURITY (INFORMATION v&N0
13) - ECONOMIC INFORMATION
1) CERNAVODA BUCK SEA CANAL
- Pr ess_of work on the CERNAVODA-Z-T>!DGI IA stretch
The Canal opens on the DA'TNBE at CERNAVODA about 400 meters
north of the main railroad station.
work has been finished on the first 250 meters of the Canal,
which is 60 meters wide and S meters/ deer
This stretch is already in use in winter to shelter-small
vessels when the DANUBE freezes over.
The layout of the Canal runs through the city of CERNAVODA,
where work is going on now in the demolition of houses and
the filling-in of excavations along the prospective route
of the Canal.
Beyond the city of CERNAVODA, for 4 to 5 kilometers, the
Canal runs on the north flank of the railway line which leads
to CO TSTANTA, Arid thdri passes to its south and runs to a few
hundred meters short of MEDGIDIA
The progress of the work from beyond the city of CERNIVODA
up to MEDG]DIAt varies according to the nature of the soil ahd
the depth at which water is found. The average depth of
excavation is 3 to 4 meters.
Progress of work of the Canal in the locality of POARTA AMA.
- At the locality mentioned in the margin, a completed stretch
of one kilometer of the Canal had its solemn inauguration in
the summer of 1951.
ONLY
SECRET
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP83-00415R012400250007-9
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U1.S11J1FJCfALS- ONLY
V tFRRMATIQN
Among the participants at the inauguration was the Minister
of Public ?torks.
The finished stretch is 60 meters wide and 8 meters deep.
Basins built_along the canal to provide --for the difference
in level between the DANUBE and the BLACK SEA.
Between the DANUBE and the BLACK SEA there is a considerable
difference in level (not known exactly), so that basins must
be built along the canal to eliminate this difference gradually.
The plan for the Canal provides for 4 or 5 such basins along
its course, and the first one, is about
600 meters from the DANUBE,
Ithe work on this basin consisted in the ex-
cavation to .a depth of about 3 meters of a rectangle measuring
about 100 x 70 meters.
Man ower_employed in building the CER.NAVODA-1 GIDIA stretch
of the Canal.
The major part of the labor force -is composed of prisoners.
the following camps for workers exist
in the area of CERNAVODA:
- One kilometer-north of the RE CAROL bridge over the DANUBE
there is a workers' camp composed of numerous wooden barracks
surrounded by a double wire fence.
SECRET
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP83-00415RO12400250007-9
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP83-00415RO12400250007-9
O, S, OFFICIALS ONLY
C1)RITY INFORMATION
In the camp are housed about 8,000 political prisoners and
about 1,000 civilians.
Hours of work
0700 to 1200
1330 to 1700
The camp is guarded by units of the Militia with patrolling
sentries and sentries posted in elevated sentry boxes.
About 4 kilometers southeast of the city,
on the plain known as
CARASU, there is a workers' camp consisting of about 20 wooden
barracks, each measuring about 60 x 6 meters, all surrounded
barbed,
by a double/wire fence. In this camp are housed about 800
political prisoners who, because of their moral and cultural
qualities, enjoy a certain degree of freedom and are not
guarded during daylight hours, but only at night.
- In the place known as SALIGNY, 8 kilometers northeast of
CERNIVODA, there is a camp for prisoner workers.
The camp consists of about 15 wooden barracks, each measuring
60 x 6 meters, surrounded by a double wire fence.
The camp houses about 1,500 women assigned to the cultivation
of vegetables on a vast area around the camp.
The vegetables are for feeding the Canal workers.
Machinery employed in the construction of the CERNIVODA-MEDGI[IA
stretch of the Canal.
-6-
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP83-00415RO12400250007-9
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP83-00415RO12400250007-9
FI~I~L~ ONLY
NATION
observed the following machinery:
-about 10 power shovels, maximum capacity one cubic meter of
earth, operated by fuel-oil motors;
- a few rollers which of German make;
- a few electric boring machines;
- about 30 RATA trucks, new model, with dump body, which arrived
in 1951;
- miscellaneous old-model trucks.
2) INDUSTRIES
Portland cement factory, known as "IDEAL'S.
Labor force: about 300.
Work shifts:
- 3 work shifts, including night hours
Director:
- TRUTA ALESSANDR0,
Technical director:
- Until 1951, Engineer GRORNIC j??
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Output
- ordinary Portland-type cement.
- special cement,
used by the 50X1-HUM
Soviets to build fortification works along the BLACK SFA coast.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP83-00415RO12400250007-9
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP83-00415RO12400250007-9
Si OFFICIALS ONLY
SECURITY (INFORMATION
- slow-setting cement with admixture of a
TRAI which is found in the Cf MPINk.
ua.ntit Of , output
- 3 carloads of cement daily.
- 5 fuel oil furnaces of American make.
"9:: ~'F screw and rivet factory
Formerly known as "JAPY VIELLARD ?9:RZOG Ce".
it was being transferred to
8 kilometers northeast of CER?VODA).
3) POWER
Newly built electric power plant.
- In process of construction in the area
is a new electric power plant which is to furnish also the
power required for the operation of the locks of the CERIAVODA-
D"I; CK SEA Canal.
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[or SAvkoJ
Electric power transformer booth
The power will come from the above-mentioned power plant in
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP83-00415RO12400250007-9
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UI S. OFFICIALS ONLY
%ECUR:TY INFORMATION
Construftion of the booth started in the spring of 1951 and is
in process of completion.
Electric power transformer booth
It is a structure measuring about 4 x 5 meters, completed in
the summer of 1951.
The power will come from the above-mentioned power plant under
construction in CANARA.
4) DEPOTS
State depot of fuels and lubricants
noted 5 sheet-metal tanks, about 3 meters in
height and about 11 meters in diameter.
Drums of lubricant also noted in the open.
C) - TOPOGRAPHICAL INFORITION
RAILROAD BRIDGES IN THE CEM%JAV0DA AREA
Railroad bridge built of Q4, located over the DANUBE
Firmerly kno4m as RE CAROL, and now as MUM.
Inaugurated in 1900, it is about 1,500 meters in length (about
700-800 meters of this length over the DANUBE) and about 4
meters in width.
It is defended by emplacements of small-caliber (20 millimeters?)
antiaircraft artillery west of the bridge and by emplacements
of artillery, also of small caliber,
F "FICIALS Hill
I, tL I
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP83-00415RO12400250007-9
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27 : CIA-RDP83-00415RO12400250007-9
U. S! OFFICIALS fl LY
SECURITY INFORMATION
- Railroad bridge located over the marshy ground one kilometer
west of the station known as DUN1 REA.
It is made of 5'i, supported by reinforced-concrete piers.
Its length is about 3 kilometers.
On both sides it is defended by emplacements of sme ll-caliber
antiaircraft artillery.
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~ Railroad bridge over the BORCEA River, 5 kilometers east of
The structure is of 44 and sup-ported by piers of reinforced
concrete.
On both sides it is defended by emplacements of small-caliber
antiaircraft artillery.
CERNI VODA-CONSTA1'NTA TRUCK HIGHWAY
- The above-mentioned road has been improved in some stretches and
asphalted
/from CONSTA TA to SALIGNY (locality situated 3 kilometers Zs-ic -
once before given as 8 kilometer;>] noa theast of CER1I .VOD.A) .
It is being asphalted from S1.LIGIdY to CERNAVODl _.
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/07/27: CIA-RDP83-00415RO12400250007-9