ORGANIZATION OF THE TESLA PLANTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00046R000300010006-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 28, 2013
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: February 3, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
ATION REPORT
This Document contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States, within the mean-
ing of Title 18, Sections 793 and 794, of the U.S. Code, as
amended. Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited.
50X1
00171,DENTIALi-,
COUNTRY
Czechoslovakia
REPORT
SUBJECT
Organization of the Tesla Plants
DATE DI
SIR. 3 February
1954
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NO. OF PAGES 6
DATE OF INFO.
PLACE ACQUIRED
REQUIREMENT NO.
REFERENCES
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THE
SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
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Attached is I
CONFIDENTIAL
STATE
ARMY Evi
NAVY 1t4x
AIR
ix
FBI
AEC
OSI Ey x
(Note: Washington Distribution indicated By "X"; Field Distribution By "*".)
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COUNTRY
Czechoslovakia
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LJ
iNFORMATION
SUIDECT Organization of the Tesla Plants
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE
ACQUIRED BY SOURCE
DATE OF INFORMATION
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THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
REPORT NC
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DATE DISTR. 23 Dec . 1963
NO. OF PAGES 5
NO.OFENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
1. Tesla National Corporation plants performed almost all Czehhoslovak
industrial production in the .fields of weak current, radio tech- '
nique, electronics, electric bulbs, and in a few other fields,
such as that of air techniques (production, for instance, of
pneumatic conveyors.) The only exception was production of elec-
trotherapeutic devices, which was performed by the Chirana National
Corporation. ' This production too was formerly carried on in
Tesla plants-, but it was placed in the newly created Chirana
plants in the sedond half of 1948 and in the first half of 1949.
(Chirana National Corporation plants produced all kinds of medi-
cal apparatus and instruments.) ' I believe that Czechoslovakia
produced the same type equipment in these fields as Western'
countries, bUt-not the same variety or quantity of it. However,
radar may be an exception. I do not know whether there was any
research on radar or production of radar equipment in Czecho-
slovakia. If radar was produced there, I believe that Tesla-
Strasnice National Corporation, Josef Haken Plant, in Prague-
Strasnice4 would be 'the most suitable factory for such production.
2. Some of the Tesla plants were organized as main plants, and others
were organized as branch plants subordinate to the main plants.
The independent Tesla plants (maill plants) were subordinate to
the Ministry of General Machinery' but I do not know to what main
administration of the Ministry. There was. no administrative
relation whatsoever between the individual Tesla plants. The
Chirana Plants were similarly organized in main and. branch plants
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and I believe that the Chiranaplants were also subordinate to the Min-
istry of General Machinery.
3. Czechoslovak research and development in the fields listed above was
originally performed by individual Tesla and Chirana enterprises. Start-
ing from 1951, research and development was placed in various research
institutes which had no administrative relation to the individual
plants for mass production. The Tesla enterprises produced products
both for civilian and military purposes. However, I believe that the
Czechoslovak Army itself carried on research and development, as well
as some small-scale production for military purposes, in various mili-
tary research institutes.
4. The first Tesla National Corporation plant was created at the beginning
Of 106 by nationalization of privately owned enterprises. However,
not all the enterprises of this type were nationalized; small plants
remained in private hands until the so-called Second Nationalization
after the Communist coup d'etat in February 1948 and in some cases
until the beginning of 1950. I do not know the exact origin of the
name Tesla, but most probably it was derived from the words: low-
voltage technique (Technika Slaboprouda). Originally (prior to 1948)
the Tesla plants were individually called, for example, Tesla, Weak
Current and Radio Techniques Plants, National Corporation, Hloubetin Plant,
and address. The premnt ?type of name whichbas been used since 1948 was
Tesla National Corporation, and address, or Tesla - Holesovice,
National Corporation, Main Plant Holesovice, and address. The
Individual Tesla plants were originally subordinate to the Tesla
National Corporation General Management (until 1948 the name of this
General Management was Tesla, Weak Current and Radio Techniques Plants,
National Corporation, General Management; it was located in Prague
II, Karlovo Square, 7; the former Phillips building). The Tesla
General Management was subordinate to the Ministry of Precision
Machinery, later on (I do not know when) renamed and reorganized as the
Ministry of General Machinery.
5. The Tesla National Corporation General Management set up a uniform
internal organization of the individual Tesla plants. It set up a
system of contacts between individual Tesla plants on one side and other
Czechoslovak enterprises on the other. Finally, the Tesla General
Management set up a system of contacts between individual Tesla plants.
The Tesla General Management handled all matters for the indivi-
dual Tesla plants which were of common interest to all the plants.
The Tesla General Management had all the normal departments which were
usual for Czechoslovak national corporations of that type. However,
I would like to point out the following departments of the Tesla
General Management:
a. Personnel Department - dealing with administration officers and
technicians for all the individual Tesla plants and setting up
salaries and wages for all employees of Tesla plants.
b. Welfare Department
50:00 c. Department for Standards CA report dealing with standards
used by the Tesla plants wild. cover tne activities of this Depart-
ment7.
d. Documentary Department
e. Publicity Department
C. Department for Organization
g. Central Purchasing Department
h. Central Sales Department
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i. Central Storage for Products of all Tesla Plants
j. Print Shop
Ing. ELICER was General Manager of the Tesla General Management.
He was about 35 years old, a Communist Party member and a con-
vinced. Communist. He was net experienced enough for such a high
position. He was transferred, I think, in 1948 to some other
place but I do not know where. Ing. GAJDA was Vice Manager and
became General Manager after ELICER was transferred. He was about
50 years old, a Communist Party member And a convinced Communist.
He was transferred to the.Ministry of Precision Machinery after
the Tesla General Management was liquidated.
A decentralization of Tesla was carried on in the second half
of 1948 and completed in the second half of 1949. Some of the
Tesla plants were reorganized as main plants and other Tesla
plants were subordinated to them as their branch plants. The
Tesla General Management was liquidated and the main Tesla
plants became directly subordinate to the then Ministry of Pre-
cision Machinery. All matters which formerly had been handled
by the Tesla General Management were taken over by the indivi-
dual Tesla plants (main plants) and handled independently by
each of them. (The activities formerly handled independently by
the Tesla General Management were, in no cases, taken over by
the Ministry of Precision Machinery as might be thought. ) I
believe that this entire decentralization of the Tesla "Concern"
had the only advantage that some red tape was eliminated. But
this decentralization - and this I consider a great disadvantage -
cut off the development of a uniform internal organization of
Tesla plants. The Tesla plants were relatively young enterprises
without tradition and: of various origin. The most important Tesla
plants were former factories with licensed production only
(Phillips, Telefunken, Osram) and therefore did not have certain
important departments such as a design department or an organi-
zation department. The general result was that the organization
of individual Tesla plants was poor and continued to be poor.
Under such circumstances the program for developing a uniform
organization of individual plants was highly reasonable.
The following is a list of individual Tesla and Chirana plants
and of research institutes, concerned with the same type of pro-
duction, I believe that this list is about 99% complete for
Bohemia and about 90% complete for Moravia and Slovakia.
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Tesla Plants
a. Tesla National Corporation, Julius Fueik Works, Prague
IX - Hloubetin, Podebradska. Street 186,5_ Transmitters for
civilian broadcasts, for jamming stationa,and for Military
purposes were produced here. This was the former Phillips
firm. After 19460 it became Tesla-Hloubetin I, National
Corporation, and produced radio receivers. Production of
transmitters started here in 1951; this production was
transferred to this plant from the then Tesla-Vrsovice
plant.
b. Tesla, National Corporation, Julius Fucik Works, Vrsovice
Plant, Prague XIII-Vrsovice, SNB Alley 55. Transmitter and
special electronic tubes of medium and high power were pro-
duced here. This was the former Radipslavia firm, In 1948
it became Tesla-Vrsovice, and in the second half of 1951'
it was subordinated to the Tesla-Hloubetin plant.
c. Tesla-Roznov, National Corporation Roznov pod Radhostem
5 49-28, E 18-087. Receiver electronic tubes and some
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types of special electronic tubes were produced here. This had
been the former Phillips firm in Prague-Hloubetin, since 1946
known as Tesla-Hloubetin II. In 1949 and 1950 it was trans-
ferred to Roznov pod Radhostem along with the Teala-Holeso-
Vice Plant (the former Telefunken firm) for the production of
.receiver electronic tubes.
d, Tesla-Roznov, National Corporation, Plant 3 Elstroj Prague
XIII-Vraovice, Samova 8. Single-purpose electric machines
and equipment for the production of electronic tubes were
produced here. It was a new plant started in 1949.
e. Tesla-Roznov, National Corporation, Zizkov Plant Prague XI-
Zlzkov, Husitska 36. Most probably wires, mainly of tungsten
and molybdenum, were produced at this plant. This was a
new line of production for this plant; this new production
started in 1948.
f. Tesla-Vrchlabi, National Corporation, Vrchlabi 50-38,
E 15-367. Receiver electronic tubes were produced here. This
was tIre former Lorenz firm; since 1946 it has been known
under italpresent name. (It is possible that the Tesia-
Vrchlabi plant was subordinated in 1953 tb the Tesla-
Roznov plant as its Branch Plant 2.)
g. Tesla-Holesovice, National Corporation, Main Plant Holesovice,
Prague-Holesovice, Jankovcova 15. Electric light bulbs
were produced at this plant. This was the former Osram
firm; since 1946 it has been known under its present name.
? In 1948 the plant was united with Elektra, the division for
? production of electric light., bulbs, which had been located,
in the Tesla-Hloubetin plant,
h. Tesla-Holesovice; National Corporation-Holepovice Plant - U.
Pruhonu. Fluorescent light bulbs were produced at this
plants This was a new line of production which started in
1948.
I. Tesla-Karlin, National Corporation, Main Plant (The plant
had another name as well, but I cannot remember it.) Prague
X-Karlin, SokKovska 84. Production in the field of low-
voltage current industry (telephones, switchboards, -etc.)
was carried out at this plant. This was the former Siemens
firm; it has been known under its present name since 1946.
Tesla-Karlin, National Corporation Prague X-Karlin, Pobrezni
46. I believe that production of panel switchboards and
of local broadcast equipment was located at this plant. I
do not know the history of this plant.
k. Tesla-Strasnice, National Corporation, Josef Haken Works
Prague-Strasnice, 800. This plant, the former Mikrofona4
Knotek Brothers firm, produced telecommunications equipment.
1. Tesla-Pardubice, National Corporation Pardubice. I know
that this plant produced nuclear coUnters, do not know
what else it produced. This is the former Telegrafia firm;
it has been known under its present name since 1946.
m. Tesla-Lanskroun, National Corporation Lanskroun49-55,
E 16317. Most probably radio receivers and radio receiver
parts were-produced at'this.plant. -
n. I believe that there were two Tesla plants in Brno. One
plant was for the production of radio receivers (it was the
former Iron Firm combined with another firm: of which -I do:
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not know the name) and the second Tesla plant produced
electric light bulb-6 (This was probably the former Edison
firm in Brno-Komarov.)
o. I believe that there was a Tesla plant in Valasske Mezirici
5 49-28, E 17-5E7, which probably produced radio receivers.
p. Tesla-Bratislava, National Corporation Bratislava. I think
that this plant was engaged in the production of electric
light bulbs. It was probably the former Tungsram firm.
Chirana Plants
a. Chirana, National Corporation, Branch Plant 12, Modrany,
5 50-01, E 14-257, Chodska 477. Production of X-ray tubes
and X-ray apparatus. This was the former Vinopalove Brothers
firm; it was nationalized probably in 1948.
b. Chirana, National Corporation, Branch Plant 16 Prague II" ,
Stepanska 7. Prqduction and repair of sup lamps were located
at this plant. (However, the production did not include
burners, which were produced by the'TeslaRoznov, plant)
c. Chirana, National Corporation-, Sezemice Branch Plant Sezemiee
5 50-04s E 15-517. Production of short-wave diathermy was
located at this plant. Until 1948 this was the Tesla-Sezemice
plant.
'-Research Institutes
a.. Research Institute for Vacuum Techniques and forTechnology
of Parts Prague IX. - Hloubetin, Nademlynska 600 and Prague
IX. - Hloubetin, Podebradska 184 or the and
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b. A. S. Popov Research Institute for Communications Techniques
Branch Laboratories in Prague-Strasnice were located as
follOws: (1) No. 800 on a street T do not remember the name
of; (2) Trebohosticka 987; and, Strancicka 1334. The
Laboratory located at No. 800 was the former Mikrofonas
Knotek Brothers firm; from 1946 it had been the Tesla-
Strashice plants and from 1951 the Research Institute. (The
Institute was located in a part only of the former Mikrofona
firm) I do not'know the history of the other two branch
laboratories.
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C. Research Institute for Electrotechnical Physics (Vyzkummy
ustav pro elektrotechnickou fysiku) Prague II., Karlovo Square
7. Although I do not know all the activities of this Insti-
tute, I do know that it was engaged in the development of
GMT-tubes (GMT-tubes were used to determine cosmic and atomic
radiation. GMT means Geiger-Mueller tubes.) These tubes
were used in the production of nuclear counters for the Jach-
ymov Uranium hines. This was the former Phillips firm build-
ing; from 1946 to 1949 it had been used by the Tesla General
Management; - the Institute has been lopated there since 1951.
.Comment: Since September 1953 they have been subordinate
t e Ministry of Machinery.
COmment: any of the street num-
bers of the plants in this list. He has filled in those numbers
that are supplied here by reference to the Prague. telephone
for 1952.
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