VEB WERK FUER FERNMELDEWESEN HF BERLIN-OBERSCHOENEWEIDE PRODUCTION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A005800650004-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 8, 2008
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: February 3, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
Thu matartai contains Wormaton afeotias the Na-
ttosxl Dsfsnu of the United Sates within the mean-
Ias of the I 'omse laws, Title 1$ U.S.C. Secs.
and 114, the tzar nlaflon or revelation of which in
any manner to an unauthortaed person is prohibited
by law.
SECRET/U.S. OFFIC L1LS W LY
COUNTRY East Germany/USSR,/China/Poland
SUBJECT VEB Werk fuer Fernmeldewesen HF,
Berlin-Oberschoeneweide, Production
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE SEVERN)
1. The previously-reported uncertainty about the methods whereby Soviet orders 25X1
reach the VEB Werk fuer Fernmsldewesen HF has still not been satisfactorily
explained.1 The position as of late October 1954 appeared to be that matters
which were not classified as Secret (i.e. those mentioned in paragraphs 2-6
inclusive below) were routed through Soviet Trade Delegation and Wissenschaftlich-
Technische Zusammenarbeit (WTZ - the East German office for exchange of scientific
and technical information with the USSR and the Satellites), and matters which
were classified as Secret (i.e. those mentioned in paragraph 7 below) were routed
through the Ministry of the Interior. In the latter case, however, it was not
clear whether all such items were included in the MLnistry of the Interior's
Special Plan (MI Sonderplan).
In August 1954, enquiries were received from the USSR as to whether the HF
Plant could undertake the development of the following:
(1) a field-strength measuring instrument for 10 to 100 m.
(2) a decimeter test receiver for 14 to 70 cms.
(3) a pre-amplifier with travelling-wave tube for 14 to 30 ems.
(4) an ink recorder (undulator) for high-speed telegraphy at carrier
frequencies.
b. The proposals on which these enquiries were based were submitted to the USSR
by the HF Plant in 1952. With slight modification to the specifications
mentioned below, the orders for (1) and (2) were accepted, but, by 4 October
1954, the HF Plant had not given a firm answer to (3) and (4). On 21 October
1954, the HF Plant received word from the Soviet Trade Commission requesting
that specifications (Pflichthefte) and prices for the four orders be ready
by 27 October 1954. A11 of the documentation had been completed for the field-
strength measuring instrument and the decimeter test receiver, but the specifi-
cations had not yet been worked out for the pre-amplifier with travelling -wave
tube and the ink- recorder(undulator), so that compliance with the request by
the date specified was impossible.
SECRET/U. S . OFFICIALS ONLY
STATE ARMY X NAVY X AIR X cal AEC
(NOTE: Washington distribution indicated by "K", Field d4hib-M.R by "#""J
3 February 1955
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F MR V X 1 vTx
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3. Field-strength measuring instrument
Accuracy: 10%
Sensitivity: 0.25 V/m
Frame aerial, ca able of adjustment to meet any direction of incidence
Power supply! (1 AC mains at 110/127/220 volts at 50 cycles, with the proviso
that efficiency should not be impaired by a voltage variation
of -15 to ~ 10%.
(2) battery.
Facilities to be provided for listening to the transmitter on which a bearing
is being taken and for automatic recording on a printer. The AF Plant, in its
acceptance, could only offer an absolute accuracy of 30%, a relative accuracy
of 10% and a sensitivity of 0.5 V per meter with an interference ratio of 3:1.2
4.
Decimeter test receiver 14-70-ow
The highest possible sensitivity,
Coaxial feed with a characteristic impedance of 75 ohms.
Precision of frequency better than 1%, to receive:
(1) frequency-modulated signals, between ? /-100 to ? /-400 kcs, and
(2) impulse-modulated signals with intervals of frog. 0.4 to 5 secs.
Power Supply: (1) AC mains at 110/127/220 volts at 50 cycles, with the proviso
that efficiency should not be impaired by a voltage variation
of -15 to 10%.
(2) battery.
Two low-frequency output positions, one for listening and the other for visual
amplification. The equipment to be either static, or mountable in a small
vehicle.
5. pre-rnplifier with trave3Lnc-rave tube 14-30 cma
Cc,axial feed with a characteristic impedance of 75 ohms, and a similar output
for connection to a straight amplifier (Geradeausverstl.rker).
Amplification 25-30 db
Able to withstand vibration up to 5-6 g.
Temperature tolerance of -50 to 60 degrees centigrade and the ability to main-
tain full efficiency in an atmosphere having 95% humidity.
Power supply: (1) AC mains at 110/127/220 volts at 50 cycles, with the proviso
that efficiency should not be impaired by a voltage variation
of -15 tQ 1t 10%.
(2) battery.
6. Ink-recorder (undulator) for high-sgeed teleiranhv
To work at 3000 marks per minute. No other particulars are available.
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The following three orders for the USSR were excluded from the production plan
on grounds of security;
a. Nr. 52/3 heterodyne test receiver (Ueberlagerungs-Messempfaenger) for the
range 9-80 ems.
b. Nr. 52/11 tube microvoltmeter
c. Jr. 52/13 field-strexgth meter for the range 360-10,500 mcs.
0. Detectors. No more silicon and germanium detectors were being made in the HF
Plant, except for a few test detectors for 1.25 cms required for the plant's own
use. The whole detector production program has been transferred to the VEB
Werk fuer Bauelemente der Nachrichtentechnik "Carl von Ossietzky", Teltow
(formerly the Dralowid-Werke).
9. Transistors. In transistor development, the HF Plant has been more successful
than the "Carl von Ossietzky" Plant. The HF Plant peak detector has achieved
a power amplification of 20 db. Dr. Ing. Hans Boehm, who is at present in charge
of this development work, has stated that the production rate of this type of
transistor will be about ten per day. Attempts are being made in the HF Plant
to stabilize transistors by embedding them in Araldite D and in the "C~rl von
Ossietzky" Plant to develop level transistors (Flaechentransistoren).
10, Mai-netron LNb 1000. This magnetron is being developed for a wavelength of 10
cm; no further particulars are at present available. It is included in the
Ministry of the Interior's Special Plan.
11. Pencil-tube triode. The development has been ordered of a pencil-tube triode,
for battery working, for frequencies up to 2000 mcs. A trial specimen with this
range is to be completed by the end of 1954 and subsequently an attempt will be
made to produce one for 9000 mcs. This is also included in the Itnistry of the
Interior's Special Plan.
12. Low noise-level travellin crave tube for the 2,300-2,450 mcs range; this tube
was included in the Idnistry of the Interior's Special Plan.
13. Sauer-iconoscones. The development of the super-iconoscope was actually under
the direction of Dipl. Ing. Walter Hass in the Zentralinstitut fuer Funktechnik
(Central Institute for Wireless Engineering -ZIFT), Berlin-Adlershof. The HF
Plant merely assumed responsibility for production. Although Ing. Hugo Mauer
in the HF Plant played a major role in the transfer from development to
production, he was not empowered to pursue new developments in this field.
14. According to Party Secretary Rausch, Dipl. Ing. Hass' development department,
with its staff of about 100, was to be incorporated in the administrative
organization of the HF Plant. Because of inadequate instructions on the part
of Dip!. Ing. Hass, there had been difficulties not only in production, but also
in the extraction of gases from glass containers, in their selection, and in
questions of practical handling. The production rooms were not sufficiently free
from dust, so that there was a high percentage of rejects. Dipl. Ing. Hass, in
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the meantime, developed a new iccroscope
It is a at ZIFT, which was to be produced there.
Kissel { konosj 22y (literally, an open_surface iconosco
rate was to be about 30 per month. The cameras of ZIFT were being fitted P with tthis
new tube in October 1951. A vidicon and an image orthicon were also under develop
ment and in the first stages of testing. -
15.
under the direction of Di e high vacuum tube department of ZIFT,
produced television receier t besHaconcentrati~tion to its development work,
iccroscope which was bei ng mainly on a type of super-
requirements of w
ZIFT as bei g prod edsat a rate of about 10 per month, to meet the
rman customers.
The series production of such tubes, however,od s nothfall within the work o
Institute. f the
16. Teleprinters, Two teleprinters are bei
Department; one is a ng developed in the Telegraph Apparatus
seirtt for double spage witching and the other a small tape printer. Both are
enciphering a of n(nit doppelter Umschaltung) and both are fitted with
Plan. q pment. They are included in the Wniatl-y of the Interior's Special
17. Ele~ron~I1c~ ,c~~ In 1955, series
be started. In spite In 1t production of the electron microscope is to
were expected. to strong competition from VEB Carl Zeiss J3na, large orders
Reports praising the quality of the picture definition (Bildaufloeaung)
have been received from East German laboratories which have
instruments from the HF plant, e* g. already received
Institute for Medicine and Biolg? ~~ ~nterfeld, Leipzig University, the
microscope is to be level d. ?gY at ~ch? During 1955, a small electron
von Koever (fnu), is a very t The head of the Electron NScroacope Department,
capable physicist,
18. Industrial televiala
in October 1954 whether the WissenechaftEE litchosmTechniecchhes BBuueerou t
able to undertake the y enquired 3 development of television transmission ey a a ( fo 3) was
purposes, e.g. observation by television of boiler c for industrial
optical department was not in a position to take this nnaceesTeet-3 . As the BTB-Sts
HF Plant could do so. Dipl. Ing. Rehbock stated that the gin n had ttghadet if the
resources and experience and would be prepared to accept the commitment.
he necessary
19. Television tra++aAi t+.,. On 29 Jul 195
SED 2 y 4, a committee appointed
Control Commission of then
visited the Dresden television tranaamittter station
and required that the acceptance tests should be repeated. The committee consisted
of Uhlig (fnu) an representative of the SED, Stier
Committee, Friedrich NO of ZIFT' go (fnu) from the State Broadcasting
Center,
Berlin~dlerahof and Dr fin (tnuan) and Funk (fn u) from the Television
Cente , Two ? 1nafeld (tau) d Banner NO from VEB Sachsenwerk
all the engineers of the HF Plant, Sims NO and Koeni
required tests to the satisfaction of the c g (emu), contra odt
however, that modulation received over the decimeter~e. It by was demonstrated
Radeberg) showed fluctuations in a degree (bathe linkkatselferk
exhibited unacceptable fluctuations. of ~8? 4 and that the link itself
placed upon the HF Plan t responsibility for this could not be
was
as pdsible with thme , the test established that the transmitter did as well as
the tlenith h unnsatisfactory picture received, and that Basner's assertion
t was completely unusable was without foundation.
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20. On 30 July 1954, a meeting was held in the HF Plant to prepare a semi-annual report
on plan fulfilment. It was found that, in general, only 75% had been achieved;
the electron microscope and television sections had done best, and the carrier
frequency and electro-acoustic sections had reached only 20% each. The A.nistry
of the Interior's Special Plan was not discussed.
21. Jamming transmitters . In the year ending August 1954, 300 jamming transmitters were
produced in the HF Plant. They operate on normal broadcast frequencies and use a
P-50 tube. The documentation for them was sent from the USSR; none of the develop-
ment personnel was allowed access to the sets during testing and acceptance.
Briesemeiater (fnu), head of the Apparatus Construction Department, commented that,
in spite of security measures, a West Berlin newspaper reported the construction of
these jamming transmitters. All 300 have been distributed and are presumed to be
at work in East Germany, jamming West German and West Berlin transmitters.
22. Working Party on television mensuri On 22 July 1954the Working
Party on television measuring techniques met in the HF Plant under) the direction of
Dipi. Ing. Rehbock and was attended by representatives from Sachsenwerk Radeberg
(Dr. Mansfeld (fnu): VEB Funkwerk Koepenick (Dipi. Ing. Heinz Dobesch); ZIFT,
Berlin-Adlershof (Friedrich (fnu); Fernseh-Zentrum, Berlin-Adlershof (H. Hoffmann);
HV RFT (Hauptverwaltung - Radio-u. Fernmeldetechnik) (Scholz (fnu). Am the
subjects discussed were recommendations to be made to the State Planning CCommission
on the following subjects:
a. Color meter (Farbmesser)
b. Luminous density meter (Leuchtdichte-Messgeraet)
c. Hum recording (Brummregistrierung)
d. Frequency deviation measuring instrument (Frequenzvexwerfungs-Messgeraet)
e. Rectangular-wave test generator (Rechteckwellenpruefgenerator)
f. Supervisory oscillograph for transmitters (Uebexwachungsoazillograf fuer
Sender)
g. Linearity measuring instrument for scanning-oscillators (Linearitaetspruefgeraet
von Kippgenatoren)
23. Working Party on suner_hi h reauenp measuring techni q,
working party on super-high-frequency ~ 2 August 1954, the
measuring technique met under the chairmanship
of Dipl. Ing. Rehbock and prepared a program for submission to the State Planning
Commission. It authorized development work on measuring instruments in the super-
high-frequency range to a value of 1,000,000 DIE. After approval, the greater
part of this work is to be carried out during 1955 in the HF Plant.
24. 'Commission for the supervisionof deyelo n t of ices. On Monday and Tuesday,
11-12 October 1954, the commission for the supervision of development offices met
in the HF Plant under the chairmanship of Professor Josef Stanek. The development
chief, Dr. Ing. G~ueher Ulrich, and the three departmental chiefs, Dipl. Ing.
Rehbock, Zeh (fnu), Hubl (fnu), met with Professor Stanek, who wished to obtain
information on all the development tasks for the year 1955, in order to assess
their importance. As Professor Stanek was not very well informed on the technicalities
of HF engineering, he was not in the position to pass judgement on the significance
of the new tasks, and, accordingly, the representatives of the HF Plant had little
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-difficulty in convincing.him of the value of all their development, thereby assuring
for the HF.Plant in 1955. a development program worth 12,000,000 DME, providing
that,the appropriate planning offices pass on all the expected orders. The. Ministry
of the. Interior's Special Plan does not come within the Commission.'s terms of
reference and accordingly the orders comprised in it did.not come up for-discussion.
25.- On the occasion of this meeting of the commission for the supervision of develop-
ment offices, Mix (fnu) of the Funkwerk Leipzig-Plagwitz visited the HF Plant,
and used this opportunity to engtire about the possibility of the HF Plant taking
on the following development tasks:
a. A w.4-de-band monitoring receiver, 30-300 mcs. This order was originally given
to VEB Funkwerk Koepenick, where.Dr. Erich D. Schuettloeffel was to have worked,
upon it. When he went to West Germany, efforts were made to find a suitably
qualified successor.
b. A submarine transistor amplifier. 8
Both these tasks lie within the sphere., of the HF Plant. and could be worked on
there; whether or not they are in the Ministry of .Defense's Special Plan is not
known.
26. On the Day of the Republic (7 October), 167 members of the staff of the HF Plant
were declared Activists., All of the higher awards, which had been proposed for
Director Rudi Mueller, Dipl. Ing. Alfred Thurley, etc, were not published on the
grounds that the superior state planning offices were to take credit for the
greater part of the successfully-concluded developments in.theHF Plant ands
accordingly awards of distinctions would be made to.them in the first place. Thus,
all the Government's special premiums for the HF Plant were cancelled; instead of
them, Director Mueller distributed to the ^ctivj.sts premiums in amounts varying.
from 100- 2,000 DNE out of the Director's Fund.
27. European Technical Standards Committee. On 19 and 20 October 1954, negotiations
took place in the offices of the Standards Committee in West Berlin (Uhlandstr.)
which are intended.to lead to the foundation of a European Technical Standards
Committee of VHF and for television broadcasting.
28; An enquiry was received in the middle of September whether a 10 kw television
transmitter could be delivered to Communist China. The HF Plant replied that it
could be delivered 9 months after receipt of a firm order.
29. During.1955 a reporting unit (Reportageanlage) with two television cameras is. to
be delivered to. Poland.
Comment. the instru- 25X1
ment appears to be intended for monitoring illegal transmitters; the recording 25X1
of the transmission times should take possible their speedy discovery.
Comment..) it appears that this i 25X1
a further development of an instrument developed in the USSR by Dipl. Ing. Eckhard
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Rehbock; the purpose was to increase the sensitivity without redesigning the
equipment for heterodyne reception in the input stage. In other respects, the
same specifications are required as for the field instrument.
development was officially transferred to the Teltow p1ciit because the HF Plant 25X1
was not able to develop a working model. Recent information from Teltow indicates
Comoent. Information received via another cr^rnel states that transistor
that they have produced a small number of transistors.
comment. I I a, senior
official of the Plant expressed tl a opinion that, whereas pro-action of
detectors in the USSR has reached a stage where quantity and quality are good
enough for interest in East German production to have lapsed completely, the
Soviet production of transistors has not reached a point where the East German
potential can be dispensed with.
6.
25X1
the tunes wLuuti eek?e -GO oe z,e?ky of 1L,E ..l -,~1, ;:u-I De suitable
for the radar equipment in the 2,300 - 2,400 mcs. range, the development of which
it was believed had been commissioned by the lEnistry of the Interior at VEB 25X1
Funkwerk Leipzig-Plagwitz or VEB Funkwerk Dresden.
7. Comea. NTB-3 was later called Wissenschaftlich-Technisches Buero
fuer Geraetebau WTBG), under SAG Kabel, and then, after 1 January 1954, VEB
"mment. I (this instru-
ment appeared to intend a either for Jc:.u L.,unii.ro1 ~.L ,-vigational channels, or
for the detonating of mines.
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