CZECH TRADE WITH YUGOSLAVIA THROUGH SWITZERLAND

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP82-00457R005200030003-2
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
S
Document Page Count: 
8
Document Creation Date: 
November 16, 2016
Document Release Date: 
March 6, 2000
Sequence Number: 
3
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
July 12, 1950
Content Type: 
REPORT
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PDF icon CIA-RDP82-00457R005200030003-2.pdf700.12 KB
Body: 
CONFIDENTI ' Approved -SRt j@e, ,000/V*g7 Q AfftQ P 27004 52QOO OUO CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPORT NO. FORMATION REPORT CD NO. COUNTRY Yugoslavia/Trieste/Czechoslovakia/Switzerland DATE DISTR.I4,JL 50 SUBJECT Czech Trade with Yugoslavia Through Switzerland NO. OF PAGES 8 PLACE ACQUIRED DATE OF INFO. 25X1A 25X1X NO. OF ENCLS. (LISTED BELOW) SUPPLEMENT TO REPORT NO. 25X1A 1, Alexandre Just, a representative of the Swiss firm, Sola Ltd., Rue de la Rotisserie 6, Geneva., arrived in Trieste to try to interest the Yugoslav Government in Czech goods which had been ordered by the Yugoslav Government in 1946-1948 but had not been delivered after the Cominform rift. Inasmuch as these items had been ordered to fit specific Yugoslav needs and requirements., more than 70 percent of them proved to be useless to other nations and therefore could not be disposed of by the Czechs? 2. Because of the Cominform split, the goods could not be delivered to the Yugoslavs through normal commercial channels. Consequently, the Czechs offered them at a 25 to 30 percent reduction to Sala Ltd.., which, in turn, hoped to interest the Yugoslav Government, through the auspices of Nicola Agic, current head of the Trieste Yugoslav Economic Delegation, in the purchase of the goods in return for Yugoslav raw materials, equitable compensation or currency. 3. Just also went to Trieste as the agent of V1,. Kuhn and Son, of Orpund near Biel, Switzerland, a firm manufacturing wood and circular saws, saws for the manufacture of costume jewelry,, metal saws, wire saws,, polishing machines and agricultural and garden tools. This firm had been working on large Yugoslav orders which had been partially filled and satisfactorily paid for by the Yugoslavs up to September 1949. After that time, the Yugoslavs had lacked the necessary hard currency and the quantity and value of Yugoslav exports to Switzerland had decreased sharply. Consequently., Kuhn and Son were unwilling to fill or accept further Yugoslav orders without concrete assurances of payment. Since September 1949, Kuhn and Son had completed for, but not delivered to, Yugoslavia equipment valued at 6579568 Swiss francs, and in January., February and '.'.'arch of 1950, had commenced work on equipment valued at an additional 700,000 Swiss francs. 4. To persuade Kuhn and Son to deliver the aforementioned merchandise,, Belgrade proposed two methods of effecting payment: a. Through a three month draft guaranteed by the Yugoslav National Bank, b. A compensation offer whereby the-Yugoslavs mould supply railroad cross- ties at 19 Swiss francs apiece, CIF Buchs6 CONFIDENTIAI* CLASSIFICATION CONTROL STATE ARMY Approved For Release 2000/05/18 : CIA-RDP8 U.S OF?ICIALS ONLY K? Charge In Class. Q I Dssl~~s`lied Class. Cher ged To: TS S Auih.: HR 10.2 '' op, 1-W A 496003 -? 4"o Approved For Release 2000/05/18 : CIA-RDP82-00457R005200030003-2 CONFIDENTIA. em=/COPNTROL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGETCY 25X1A 5. This proposal was deemed unacceptable by Kuhn and Son because Swiss Banks refused to honor such drafts, considering the political risk too greats, This second proposal was refused by Kuhn and Son on the grounds that they were not acquainted with that type of material, and the fact that the Union Railroads., the only Swiss buyer of cross-ties, had already dealt directly with the Yugoslav in the matter. In addition, Kuhn and Son learned that the Swiss narked in cross- ties already is glutted by offers from Swiss firms. 6. In November of 1949 Kuhn's son visited Belgrade and unsuccessfully tried to negotiate a settlement. The Yugoslav Ministry of Forest Economy repoatad4 uphasized the need for the ordered goods and was supported by statements mask by Tehnoproztet, the official purchaser of the ordered merchandise. Kuhn's song returned to Switzerland without taking action in the light of the lack of "Yugoslav ready funds for payment. Upon learning of Just's proposed trip to Itieste to contact responsible Yugoslav authorities, Kuhn and Son ce issioned him to discuss the matter there because they had heard that Tehnopr t was preparing now orders for 1950. 7. The goods formarly ordered by Yugoslavia, which are now being offered for sale to Sola Ltd., by Ferret of CzechoslovakiaB, all CIF the Czech border,, are listed below: a. 363 railroad car wheels, weighing 3?38]15 kilograms,, ordered by Generaiz a Dir kcija Zeleznica, Belgrade,) order number 324619 dated 13 August 1948a Invoiced by R et in Prague on 19 October 1949 as order number 665391, the wheels were manufactured by the Skoda Works at Pilsen at a value of 10,9588.35, b. 52 streetcar wheels, weighing-8,,402 kilograms, ordered by Gradski Elaktrik Travaj, order number 1781/488 dated 26 July 1948,,- Invoiced by Fe t in Prague on 19 October 1949 as order number 66457, these wheels were jymnufactured by the Skebola Works at Pilsen and valued at $2,100 ,,50. e. :160 motors of rotary transmission roil chain.,, weighing 2,680 kilogram, ordered for Rudnab (Rudarski Nabavni Zavod - Mass Procurement Division)o d., 91,012 kilogram of steel-aluminum wire ordered by Teehnoprcmdeet for Biro za Inostrane Nabavke E1ektroprivvrede. I ?oiced by Ferromet on 27 Larch 1950 as order number 69=519/228 the wire., to be loaded at Bohumin rail- road station,, was valued at $88,8277.71 and rolled on 77 reels valued at $3,088 for a total of $919907.71. This amount is payable by irrevocable letter of credit with the Ziim tosteriska Banka8 Department 'obin~ Prague. e. 173,,680 kilograms of steel forgings, ordered by Biro za Inostrane Nabavke Elektroprivredcy Belgrade,, order numbers 61622 and 62881 Invoiced by Ferret in Prague on 19 October 1949 as order number 66846/Wu/Cy8 and as work number 102130/1/228 these forgings are to be loaded at the railroad station at Vitkovice9 priced at $38,,834C,85o Breakdown of weights is as fori(Ms~ 2) 90 n .3) 100 4) 105 rr n 1) 80 steel forgings weighing 4;,CO kLs n 79000 ". . 149000 " 54;000 n ? 609000 n o 89460 " size 65 x 5000 m. ce 14220 n size 75 x 5000 M, 158000 n . 8) 175 n 7) 60 6) 60 n n 5) 115 CONFIDENTIAL ' c9ft ONTROL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY Approved For Release 2000/05/18 : CIA-RDP82-00457R005200030003-2 Approved For Release 2000/05/18 : CIA-RDP82-00457R005200030003-2 CONFIDENTIAV ,'1'/COT'MOL - U. S. C FICIALS ONLY CEUTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY 3 25X1A f? 16 square rigging bars weighing 9,120 kilograms, ordered by Generalna Direkcija za Naftu i Plin (General 1anagement for Oil and Gas)0 Invoiced b Ferromet in Prague on 14 October 1949 as order number 66838/Sba/Ik and as work number 21/102106/].4F, the rigging bars are valued at $173347.20 payable by irrevocable, divisible letter of credit opened in favor of Ferronet with Zivnostenska Banka, Prague, payable against copy of the invoice and bill of lading. A description of the rigging bars follows. 16 square rigging bars, 3-1" - 88.9 m., length 38" ?-Y 14582 plus or minus 50 mm.,, reinforced at both ends, with right hand thread API 4-2" on the top, drilled the entire length 50.8snm~,, plus or minus 0.8 mm0, made from carbon steel normalized and annealed before working (sic). g.. 13 shafts weighing 25,805 kilograms, built according to design number 727 Vzg,,, valued at $7,5663 12 shafts weighing 28,500 kilograms design number 764 Vsps valued at X3388; 2 regulating shafts weighing 10,700 kilograms, constructed according to design number 10602, valued at $3,500; and 305 round iron bars, three to six meete..s in length,, weighing 22,000 kilograms, valued at $4,382:.,40 ordered by Biro za Inostrane Nabavke Elektroprivrede, Belgrader. Invoiced by Ferromet on 10 October 1949 in Prague as order number 6682SA1U/Cy, and as work number 10207/1/22, these items are to be loaded at the railroad station at Vitkovicc0 h0 9 iron pots for melting lead weighing U7 540 kilograms with covers,, ordered by Rudnab (Rudarski Nabavni Zavod), Invoiced by Ferromet in Prague on 27 April 1950 as order number 66748/Tk/Hra and as work number 101928m1OO862, Ferromet promised immediate delivery of three pots and covers from stock, two more pots and covers after nine months and then one pot and cover every six weeks thereafter. The description follows 9 iron melting pots for melting lead, capacity '280 tons, electrically welded seams, diameter 4,115 mm, height-2,883 mm, thickness of plate 32 sm, cut plates 38 mm, rim plates 32 mm, total weight of nine pots 98,100 kilograms, price $6, 339 per pot., 9 pot covers, total weight for nine is 19,440 kilograms, 2,057?5 mn, radius 32 mm,, thick, depth of rim about 623 mm, clean pressed with raw rims cut by autogen with an allowance of 10 mm, cost $25068 per cover. 1. 2 rollers weighing 2,260 kilograms, constructed according to design number 1441, ordered by Glavna Uprava Brodogradnje (General Management of Shipyards), Invoiced by Ferromet in Prague on 19 October 1949 as order number 66681kIu and work number 112'-646$c? the rollers are valued at $225.60 and are to be sent from the plant at Vitkovice,, with delivery promised within two months after the order has been placed. J. 29 steel forgings weighing 39,710 kilograms ordered by Glavna Uprava Brodogradnje, order number 457/48 1 fir. Invoiced by Ferromet on 19 October 1949 as order number 66627/ft/gy and work number 101830/1/22, the forgings were made at the V'itkoviee'pLant and were valued at $9,399.80. Description of the forgings follows: 20 forgings, size 200 x 4,650 mm. weighing 23,000 kilograms, N5,6OO.80. 3 if if 400 x 3,250 mm. 9,630 2,109.00 6 it " 215 x 4,100 ~sua. 7,080 12690.00 Totc~l 0,399.80 CONFIDENTIAL S 6 CONTROZ _ U. S. OFFICIALS ONLY Approved For Release 2000/05/18 : CIA-RDP82-00457R005200030003-2 Approved For Release 2000/05/18 : CIA-RDP82-00457R005200030003-2 6PUIiHa..UEliTIAT, ftwo,#LCOTNTROL - U. S. OFFICIALS ONLY 25X1A k. 1 motorboat propellor shaft weighing 235 kilo grams ordered for Riba of Zagreb. Invoiced by Ferromet on 19 October 1940, as order number 66414/rtu and cork number 101.996/1/22, the shaft was constructed by the plant at Vitkovice according to design number 425/47 and is valued at 1. 1,285 pairs of Hungarian type railroad car axles neighing 51,60$ kilo gra:as, ordered by Tehnopro:net, Belgrade. rn. 8 half-hardened cylinders weighing 35,710 kilograms, ordered by Zudnab for the steel mills at :enic:i. Invoiced by Ferro met on 14 October 1949 as order number 66288/Sba/flk, these cylinders are valued at 19,170 payable by an irrevocable, divisible letter of credit opened in favor of Ferro;:let with the ivnostenska Banka against the bill of lading and copy of the invoice. Description of the cylinders follows: amantit Half-hardened C.ylinders oeaffht 1 s . Value in US dollars 1 640 x 1,400 3,850 977.90 3 640 x 1,000 85,450 2,146.30 3 558 x 1,400 8,710 2,212.30 1 960 x 2,200 14,700 3,833.70 n.. 75 rollers weighing 212,350 kilograi s ordered by .,udnab, order number Jugoinvesticija A-1/I-3-4. Invoiced by Verrornet in 1 ra;ue on 19 October 1949 as order number 66015, these rollers were nude at the plant of Vitkovice :.nd valued at $41,453.69. Description by lot number follows: ?uantity Roller size (mm.) y~'eiht kns. Value in US dollars Lot Uo. 1 5 282 x 500 1j550 5 2.32 x #300 2,300 4 285 x 500 1,320 3 30?3 x 800 1, 710 2 310 x 800 1,140 3 312 x 800 1,710 1 385 x 800 900 2 380 x 800 1.$80 Total 12,510 $3,407.72 Lot No. 2 8 390 x 1,000 8,960 $2,225.66 Lot ;'o. 2 315 x500 860 1 330 x 800 600 1 340x800 600 ~ Total- 0'J 2 429.30 , 10 Lot P. 1 450 x 1,400 1, #350 2 476 x 1,400 4,040 1 515 x 1,400 00 2,940 11 760 4 1 525 x 1,4 537 x 1,400 Total , 3.090 23,640 X3,980.98 CONFIDENTIAL' ~:?i~S?i+~T Lc Oi3'I't 3L - U. S. OFFI CILILS O ,LY Approved For Release 2000/05/18 : CIA-RDP82-00457R005200030003-2 Approved For65/18 : CIA-RDP82-00457R005200030003-2 T/CONTROL U. S. OFFICIZ3 ONLY :.uantit_V _5- Roller size (mm.) :ieifiht I; s. 25X1A Value in US dollars Lot Lo. 5 1 557 x 1,400 3,200 3 565 x 1,400 9,900 6 571 x 1,400 19,800 Total 32,900 35,540.36 Lot No. 6 2 685 x 1,750 10,720 3 688 x 1,750 17,400 1 746 x 1,200 4,830 1 758 x 1,200 4,900 3 828 x 1,200 15,000 Total 52,850 ;11,013.94 Lot No. 1 558 x 1,400 2,930 2 650 x 1,400 9,240 Total 12,170 32,049.45 Lot No. 8 1 795 x 2,200 9,700 1 800 x 2,200 9,700 2 860 x 2,200 22,000 1 900 x 2,200 11,860 1 950 x 2,200 14.000 ' Total 61, 260 $12,806.30 o. 36 square iron bars and 29 round iron bars, total weight 104,660 kilograms, ordered by Glavna Uprava ]3rodogradnje, Investicija, order number 63250. Invoiced by Ferromet in irague on 19 October 1949 as order No. 67.044t~iu/Cy and work number 113678/1/22, these iron bars come from the plant at Vitkovice and are valued at X23,227.96. A description follows: ?uantit.Y Square bars Size (mm.) .ei ht Zsgs. Value in US dollars 10 100 x 4,000 3,400 3 897.60 8 200 x 4,000 10,880 2,458.88 11 250 x 4,000 17,200 3,680.80 5 300 x 4,000 15,250 3,263.50 5 350 x 4,000 20,750 4,440.50 n~urintity Round bars Size (mm.) rfekht kgs. Value in US dollars 10 150 x 4,000 6,000 31,584.00 7 200 x 4,000 7,490 1,692.74 7 250 x 4,000 11,690 2,641.94 5 300 x 4,000 12,000 2,568.00 p. 6.5 metric tons of seamless steel drilling pipe, type 1, fade.from material with the strength of 55 to 56 kilograms per square millimeter, ordered by Tehnopromet in order number 402 dated 16 July 1947. ~. 315 meters of seamless steel pipe weighing 12,750 kilograms, ordered by Generalna Direkcija 'etalurgiske Industrije (General ':anagement of the Letalurgical Industry) for the Djuro Djakovic f_Letory at Slavonski Brod. Ordered on or about 6 June 1947. fCO; IZOL - U. S. OFFICIALS ONLY CONFIDENTIAL Approved For Release 2000/05/18 : CIA-RDP82-00457R005200030003-2 Approved For Release 2000/05/18 : CIA-RDP82-00457R005200030003-2 ONFIDENTIAf, WO TT/CONTROL - U. S. OFFICIALS ONLY 25X1A r. 1,834 meters of 38 millimeter seamless steel boiler pipe, made from special chrome--molybdenum steel, weighing 4,750 kilograms, ordered by Generalna Direkcija ,.Ietalurgiske Industrije for the Djure Djakovic factory at Slavonski Brod. s. 32 pieces of 41.5 millimeter seamless steel pipe, made from S.M. Flussstahl (sic), type Ct 35, weight 600 kilograms, ordered by Tehnopromet for the iron works at Vares, order Tdo. 751/47. t. About 2,999 meters of seamless steel boiler pipe weighing 8,750 kilo- grams, about 1,102 meters of seamless steel pipe with smooth ends weighing 3,400 kilogra:~,is, and about 363 meters of seamless steel coiled pipe weighing 400 kilograms, ordered by Glavna Uprava Brodogradnje (General Management of Shipyards). U. 355 pieces of seamless ste:un pipe weighing 14,950 kilograms ordered by Jugoslovenska Linijska Plovidba (Yugoslav Ship Lines) at Rijeka. v. 107 meters of seamless steel pipe with smooth ends, weighing 3,780 kilograms, ordered by Generalna Direkcija ,lektroprivrede, order .No. N 3227/1, for the porier station at Veliki Ifostolac. w. 411 meters of seamless steel 'pipe weighing 2,055 kilograms ordered by Generalna Direkcija Elektroprivrade, order No. N 3227/1, for the power station at Zenica. X. 754 pieces of seamless boiler and exhaust pipe, strength of 35 to 43 kilograms per square millimeter, weighing 9,620 kilograms, ordered by Tehnopromet, Belgrade, order number 1574/R/U/III 2001-2009 dated 26 February 1948. y. 29 pieces of. seamless steel pipe mode from, S. M. Flussstahl, according to the specifications of the certificate of Lloyd's Register of Shipping, London, weighing 6,903 kilograms, ordered by Tehnopromet, Belgrade, under the same order nu=mber as sub-para. x) above. z. 47,000 kilograms of normal length flat steel. Ordered by Tehnopromet, Belgrade, order 1;o. 1815/1-tU/2/3/D dated 5 June 1948. aa. 10 drill collars neighing 3,600 kilograms ordered by Tehnopromet, Belgrade. Invoiced by Ferromet in Irague on 22 ,pril 1950 as order No. 66840, work number 10207/1/22, these drill collars are valued at 261,500 Czech crowns, payable by irrevocable, divisible letter of credit, opened withZivnosteskna Ba.nka, Prague, against a copy of the invoice and the bill of lading. A description follows: 3.5 inch F.H. a 20, length 6,100 mm., other details according to .{PI (Table 4/447) with elevator mounting, nut thread on'upper ends and pivot thread on other end; StC 60.61, annealed, including cast iron thread protectors (sic). 8. Before Just left Switzerland for Trieste, yV. Kuhn and Son provided him vith a list of saw blades _:"de of first class Swedish chrome-nickel steel ordered by Tehnopromet under order number EB VI/5 E 6080/103. Kuhn stated the blades were ready for delivery and requested that Just discuss their disposal with appropriate Yugoslav officials in Trieste. A parti~Ll list follows: CONFIDENTIAL 3&aftT/CONTROL - U. S. OFFICIALS ONLY Approved For Release 2000/05/18 : CIA-RDP82-00457R005200030003-2 Approved Fat taserM 0/05/18 : CIA-RDP82-00457R005200030003-2 S~CM/MXMJNOL - U. S. OFFICL LS ONLY CENTILIL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY -7- 25X1A Quantity Size in mm. Cost per unit in Swiss francs Total Cost 50 1,050 x 140 x 1.6 11.53 576.50 35 1,200 x 120 x 1.6 11-15 390-25 45 1,200 x 140 x 1.6 12.45 560.25 50 1,250 x 140 x 1.6 14.25 712.50 30 1,300 x 130 x 1.6 12.85 385.50 200 1,300 x 140 x 1.6 14.25 2,850.00 30 1,300 x 150 x 1.8 15.60 468.00 60 1,300 x 160 x 1.8 16.25 975.00 60 1,300 x 140 x 1.8 14.95 897.00 40 1,350 x 150 x 1.8 16.95 678.00 50 1,350 x 160 x 1.8 18.30 915.00 70 1,400 x 130 x 1.8 15.20 1,064.00 60 1,400 x 140 x 1.8 16.25 975.00 100 1,400 x 160 x 1.8 18.30 1,830.00 50 1,450 x 140 x 1.8 17.60 880.00 170 1,500 x 140 x 1.8 17.60 2,992.00 100 1,300 x 160 x 1.8 19.65 1,965.00 30 1,550 x 130 x 1.8 18.30 549.00 20 1,550 x 160 x 1.8 21.05 421.00 20 1,600 x 140 x 1.8 18.95 379,00 10 1,650 x 160 x 2.2 25.10 251.00 20 1,700 x 160 x 1.8 22.35 447.00 20 1,800 x 140 x 2.0 23-05 461.00 10 1,900 x 160 x 2.0 27.10 271.00 20 2,000 x 160 x 2.0 29.15 583.00 250 1,200 x 140 x 1.6 12.45 3,112.50 200 1,250 x 140 x 1.6 14.25 2,850.00 350 1,300 x 140 x 1.6 14.25 4,987.50 150 1,350 x 140 x 1.6 15.60 2,340.00 540 1,400 x 150 x 1.8 16.95 9,153.00 325 1,450 x 150 x 1.8 18.30 5,947.50 600 1,500 x 150 x 1.8 18.30 10,980.00 150 1,535 x 160 x 2.0 22.40 3,360.00 9. Alexandre Just was horn on 14 January 1880 in Ostrov, District of Piestany, Czechoslovakia. He holds Czech passport number 3628/170/49 issued ?4 January 1949 by the Czech Embassy in Belgrade, valid until 24 January 1951. Just speaks fluent German and Iungarian, good Czech, Slovak, Serbo-Croat, and a little French. 10. During .dorld ',sar I, Just served in the .,ustro-Ilungarian Army as a first lieutenant and, at that time., resided legally in Vienna. In 1934, he settled in Zagreb as a businessman and later, in the same capacity, went to Belgrade. In Zagreb, he resided at Gregorjanceva U].. 35, telephone number 23-100. U. "Lfter ';Iorld : ar II, Just worked as special delegate and representative to Yugoslavia for the Czech Import-Export firm Centrokomise, Na Florenci 5, Prague II. In this capacity, he did large-scale business on a compensation and barter basis between Yugoslavia and _Czechoslovakia and often traveled between the two countries at the expense of his employers. .fter the Cominform rift, Just returned to Czechoslovakia because he could no longer transact business for his firm with the Yugoslavs. For a time he lived with his daughter, Livia, who was studying at the University of Irague, CONFIDENTIAL gr--A~/CONT COL - U. S. OF"k'ICI.1S ONLY Approved For Release 2000/05/18 : CIA-RDP82-00457R005200030003-2 Approved Fot?BfNj90/05/18 : CIA-RDP82-00457R005200030003-2 -OIET OL - U. S. O F FICI::LS ONLY CENTR.%L INTELLIGENCE AGHNCY 25X1A until the political situation in Czechoslovakia beca:ae a menace to them. In 1949, he sent his daughter to Vienna and shortly thereafter he went to Switzerland, where he found employment with Sola Ltd., a financial and commercial firm owned and managed by a certain ;seller, a Swiss citizen and a very wealthy man tith a son in the Swiss diplomatic service. 12. A widower, Just has three daughters. The eldest daughter is married to a Russian engineer and currently lives with her husband in the USSR. The second daughter also married an engineer, a certain Hans Paul with whom she is now living at Joanelligasse 3, Vienna VI, telephone 8--24161-2. The youngest daughter, Livia, studied in Prague until persuaded by her father to leave for Vienna. She currently is residing with her married sister, Mrs. Paul in Vienna. CONFIDENTIA .61MT/CONTROL - UT S. OTFICIALS On Y Approved For Release 2000/05/18 : CIA-RDP82-00457R005200030003-2