PLACE: KIRKENES - COUNTRY: NORWAY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00423R000301590028-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 23, 1998
• Sequence Number: 28
• Publication Date: April 1, 1951
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 1999/(SOW.f4 - 423R000301590028-3
FCRMAT!! I
PLACE KIFKENES SECURI
COUNTRRY: NORWAY
Populations 30606. Dec. 1950 Province: Fi nmark
Latitude 69? 43 _ins. 43" North Date of Observation: 1 April 1951
Longitude 30? 02 mins. 55" East.
General Descriptions
Founded as a company town of the Syd Varanger A. S., Kirkenes is still not an
incorporated town. While its activities have expanded considerably, it is still
essentially a raining town although it also serves as a distributing center for
the Pasvik Valley. As the northeastern terminus of all express steamers from
south lorway, it also has important shipping interests. Today it has added
significance as the administrative center for the Norwegian-Russian Boundary
Commission.
The iron ore processing plant is expected to be ready for operation early in 1952 by
Geographic Description: which time the local population should have returned to its
pre-war size.
Inner fjord area between fertile and wooded Pasvik Valley and the barren rugged
outer coast. While climate is modified by ocean influence and the comparatively low
latitude, it is also governed by cold Winter winds from interior of Finland and USSR.
Occupations:
Agri cultural Fishing Industrial
Dairy fanning, lumbering Small scale fishing Iron ore mining and
and reindeer breeding. in Pasvik Valley and processing, local
offshore. construction, some
lumbering.
Natural Vegetation:
The outlying islands near here are treeless but in sheltered areas around Kirkenes
there is birch and in the Pasvik Valley extensive stands of pines and spruces. The
Siberian larch reaches barely as far as the iron mines at Bjl3rnevatn.
Land Forms and Geolog :
Precambrian with iron ore standing out above the granite as dikes because of its
superior hardness. Terrain glaciated, rounded, rocky hills. Pasvik Valley, flood
plain.
Mining g
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Iron ore. Note nickel is found 40 kms due south at Salmijarvi, where it was
located while searching for extension of the iron ore.
Population (racial, cultural, linguistic): Norwegian with some Finnish mixture,
including numerous Finnish names. At one time there were close Russian contacts.
So e Lapp. 0 herwise t ical of minin and shipping center in variety. of types,
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111 R.R.11117M
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SEJRITY INFCRMIT"""!
PLACE (cont' d): KIFa FNES
Climate and Weather
Temperaturess -3 to a- 5? C Note for average temperatures see"Nonregian
Precipitation:
6now cover about 2 Ft. in open country.
Pilot', page 34.
Clouds:Eight-tenths, wind west
Other: Kirkenes itself has a sheltered location. Barents Sea fog is comaon
from April to June. June is very cold. Climate has moderated
Electric Power:noticeable in past 30 yrs., e. g. absence of sea ice.
Source: Iron ore company plants at Jarfjordbotn. New hydro plant under
construction at Gandvik to be completed 1953.
Steam elec. plant now reconst cted for iron company.
Voltage: Transmitted at 20,000 Cycles. 50
r duced to 3 .,000 for mine 230 for town
Extent of rl
Kirkenes and Sf rva.ra.nger.
Telephone Yes Telegraph Yes Radio Yes TV
Air ways.
TRANSPORTATION: (Froms n
irkee S Tot B j 6jme~atn and 'L4vrud
Railway-Rail-,,Tay used for transporting iron ore and supplies between Bj5rnevatn and
Kirkenes probably most northernly railway in the world.
Station:Kirkenes Iron Ore PlEnt
Ballast: Rock
Power : Electric overhead wires
Gauge : Standard
Bridgoss Important bridge across road to Bj8rneiratn
Highways:
Route No's
',i50 (terminus of) 955
Surface Type: Gravel Gravel
Wartime gravel
Width ' s two-car Two-car One to two car.
Seasonal Uses Closed b snow east of $andvik.
by #955 all year, plowed double
Was plowed during war years. width to Skogly.
Underpass : Bridge across Langfjord. Rt. to Jakobselv closed by snow
but snowmobile used.
A new underpass just outside Kirkenes where road runs under spur of electric
railway. This bridge is 18 ft. high, 35 yds. wide carrying three railroad
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r
SECORITY y
RMATION
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PLACE (con(;'d): KIPKENES
Ferries: None
Location:
Tornago s
Capacitys
Schedules:
Steamerss
Routing; Lxpress steamers to South Norway daily. Local vessels in
Varangerfjord, ocean going supply ships from many places. Iron
Tonnages ore vessels to begin 1953.
Capacity: Vessels up to 10,000 tons have been docked.
Schedules: For express and local steamers see Rutebok
SuTie r: Local to Tana, Va.dsb and Pasvik Valley. Long distance buses to
South Norway.
Winter: On Rt. X955 to Nyrud daily. On Rt. 50 to Bukbyfjord daily.
Snowmobile to Jakobselv.
Otk r Transportations
Airfield (military) at H6ybuktmoen, west of town. Regular flying boat service
to South Norway in Summer. Plans for North Norway wheeled plane route being
made.
Hydrographic Chart #116 1:50,000 1950 Norway
German Army typographic maps 1:100,000
1:300,000 up to 1941,
Nor. Typographic maps 1:100,000 pre-war
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Fi ,0
PLACE (oontt d)-. KTRKT NES
Guide and Other Books: None.
Title
Technical papers on Sbrvaranger in Engineering
Journels. See ECA authorities for recent technical inf.
Author Date Publisher cost
Note: Much mining and procesg equipment secured in the US.
PERSONAL DATA:
Date of travel to this place: April 10_195
1
Starting Point: Va s1
Distance traveled (in kms)s
Vehicles Used:
Where stayed:
CONTACTS:
25X1X6
Arrived: 1-1-;0 pm
Kirkenes
Departed; A=- 4. -16
SS F;nnm rl VP~tA l Ana coq Co
Also automobiles of Kirkenes -police chief.
Comments: -F,;r
Address Position T.ph.
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Comment
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PLACE (cont' d) s KTpKF'ThS
Photographs'
Purchased locally: Post cards
Taken$ Black and white and color of town and mine under bad conditions.
Sketches Mades
Location Description
Sketch Plan of town and wharves
STJL PLE;U aNTARY DATA
Industries'
Type No. of Workers Products Power
Iron ore 800 when fully Iron ore pellets Gandvik Hydroelectric
operating 67% Fe. 8,000 KW
Note: when shipment of ore begins early in 1952, ore will be exported as powder,
pellets to be made later when process is perfected.
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SECURITY IMM I-N
SEAPORTS;
General Comments:
Kirkenes was completely destroyed during the second World Atlar and the seaport
has not yet been completely reconstructed. It consists of two or three distinct
parts. Wharves of the iron ore company are some distance inside Langfjord, the
Cargo Handlings main steamship wharf is at the end of the main street of the town,
while additional minor wharves for lumber,cetc. are still further
Wharves: toward the sea.
Name; Location
Depth
Main Steamship In town (WTood) 175 yes. 20 ft. depth
Stir Varanger Co. Langfjord near plant 100 yds. concrete
depth - 25 ft.
Lighters
Warehouses: Two totally 1,000 sq. meters on steamship wharf.
Cranes; Three large
Location Tonnage Comments
Iron Ore Wharf 75 tons Ore is loaded to vessels
automatically not by cranes
Repair Facilities
Machine Shops; Very large can handle all repairs.
Foundries; Yes large
Dry docks: 120 ft. slip
Salvage gear;
Supplies .Available
Water Yes
Coal Yes-
Oil-Fuel YPs.
Diesel Fuel yon
Ore quays are linked with electric railroad system. Harbor to
Harbor Information ore docks believed suitable for 10,000 ton vessels although these
are rare. come fresh water ice about 4" thick in Lanfjord and
=all- pans around wharves. Small vessel available break thin ice if necessary. Tide
more than five feet. Pilot used to enter harbor.
for boats and small repair yard
Provisions Yes
Engineering YPS
Deck Ypc
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