ACTIVITIES AT THE ZEISS PLANT, JENA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A001100320003-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 28, 2002
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: May 28, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION- REPORT
SECRET
SECURITY INFORMATION
COUNTRY East Gexir/USSR
SUBJECT Activities at the Zeiss Plante Je
25X1 C
DATE OF 'INFO.
. PLACE ACQUIRED
25X1X
STATE X ARMY
28
25X1A
25X1 X
1953
EVENTS AT ZEISS PLANT, JENA, FROM THE TIME OF OCCUPATION BY SOVIET
C ML 1,918 To TM TIME ? F I .COSTRUCTION IN 19 1,
The ocoupation of the Zeiss plant by Soviet occupation farces resulted
in increased activities in.- all departments. The rSovi.ett, ordered the
reconstruction of drawings, the manufacture of blueprints and the
assembly of samples of various' types of equipment formerly produced for
the German army, Most 'blueprints for this type of equipment had 'been,
confiscated by the tSdForces on their arrival. Production of binoculars
'I a_. ,resumed and large-quantities of them were delivered to. the Russians,
The plant also initiated the produotion of the "Contax" camera, formerly
produced at Zeiss-Ikon in Dresden, Soviet- Zone, and an adsembly line
was installed for this purposed Production began on a portable sound film
projector, but it is um1 own to the where plans and design for thiE pro-
jeotor;, ca2n f ?o o nufaoture of former Zeiss products such as micro-
seopes and accessories for scientific, medical and industrial research,
micrometric equipment, and geodetic and. medical instruments was also resumed.
.I have no further inEox ati.on on these products, 25X1
25X1
SECRET
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.
REPORT NO.
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT NO.
REFERENCES
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
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2. Dismantling of the plant began on 22 October 1946, by order
of the Soviet occupation authorities. Approximately 300
scientists, engineers and specialists and their families were
deported to various places in the USSR. Sixty specialists
E_: Frazevo km. northwest of Moscow) ( e la ,g, s =ver.; `mac, iorra-?A
(100 km. south of Moscow) ; eight to Zag,(;~s k (35 km. northeast
of Moscow); 15 to Prisma in Moscow; and the remainder to
Leningrad and Kiev. I am not familiar with the disposition of
the Leningrad and Kiev groups. I do not know what criteria
were used by the Soviets in their selection of specialists for.
deportation. I observed that all personnel specializing in
design or construction of military equipment weredeported,
i.e., the entire group under.engineer.,NGE specializing in
antiaircraft data computers went to Krasnogorsk and another
you under krthur z l , a xs X5 in range finders and
suwmarlne poxxs.cjap,es. went to Lening?ad. Approximately 90 per
cent of all machinery and.equipment,including pipes and sanitary
installation was removed. I have no information as to the dis-
position of dismantled equipment.
RECONSTRUCTION OF PLANT 25X1
3. Following is an account of events at Zeiss
detained at the plant by the Soviets. Reconstruction began in
the spring and summer of 1947. Dr. Hugo SCHRADE was appointed
plant manager after the departure of US Forces. Machines avail-
able anywhere in the Soviet Zone were brought to the plant>axd
work began immediately on improving and repairing this par-~ially
old and defect machinery. I do not know if the Soviets assisted
with the procurement of machinery. Several months passed before
the plant was re-equipped sufficiently to start production again.
PRODUCTION' AS OF
4.I
the 25X1
following equipment was in production at'the plant,: microscopes
and microscopic equipment for scientific, medical` and indu.stri-
al;research, lenses for spectacles, ophthalmic instruments,
medical and surgical instruments such as cystoecopes and
surgical lighting equipment, machine stand probing gauges and
profilimeters, micrometer gauge screws, measuring microscopes,
and geodetic instruments from sextants to theodolites of
different types. Production also included an electron micro=
scope, binoculars of varying power, opera glasses, photo lenses,
projectors for miniatuxe and large size negatives called diaacopes, ..
opaque picture projection devices called apt.aoopes and a port-
able sound film projector which permitted the lecturer to
project his own sketches as he drew them,p i reading
apparatus c alle da do cumatora and a .a:ro am- copying apparatus.
A new telescope for use in schools and small observatories had
been developed and the Zeiss planetarium had been rebuilt.
The plant prodiced an a.r craft gunner training device known as
"apparatus A 1" (Geraet A 1) for the Soviet Military. Pro-
duction of-the Contax camera was discontinued and returned to
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Zeiss-Ikon in Dresden...Many other products were manufactured
at Zeiss,--Jena but I can not enumerate them nor am I able to
give specific information on any item mentioned above,
NAME OF PLANT
5. , Today the "plant _. i s called "OPTIK CARL ZEIS S , JENA, VEB" , and
after nationalization was placed under the Ministry for
Machine Construction.
BUILDINGS
25X1A
6. All buildings, whi Ah were destroyed or damaged during World War
II, have been- t teoonotruutedA or are in the prone i of reconstruction. Many
buildings seem more modern in appearance and layout,
INTERNAL CHANGES AFTER JUNE 1952
74
scientific departments, design offices and laboratories grew
proportionally. The development group "Bildmess" (photo-
grammetry) became-an independent designing office.. Engineer
Rem=7 SCHRUP E'F.7who formerly headed the design offices of
Zavod 393 at Krasnogorsk, USSR, was appointed chief.
Besides the " A 1 apparatus a device for meas?3_r. i r,sr hpi &hts
from a pair of stereoscopic pictures called
' ;a7a:a,'~A,2ry~at ozo,
and a new mirror stereoscope were developed. A large new
picture distortion device for aerial photographs was.being
developed, as well as different types of autographs used for
making maps from stereographic air photographs (comparable to the
apparatus built by Wildq Zzw c . , Switzerland). Improvements
in the design of the " A 1 apparatus" were made.
A new designing and development office was established under
the are,, weer Arthur .1 who had returned from Lenin-
grad (see paragraph 2 of this report). Judging from the
personnel assigned to this office, it seems possible that
the design and development-of range finders are being planned.
ource was also queried as to whether he thought this cf fine
might also wore on this diai n of periscopes used in a bmarines.
He stated that he did not know but that personnel in this
section were well qualified to provide such designs if called
upon.? The scientific management of the lant
With the return of large numbers of specialists from the USSR,
the development potential at Zeiss increased crid erabl d
Dr i s#former chief of the photocell laboratories
d
at Zavod. 393. He received as aseietants Karl PAPELLO and Dr, Kar1
=-~~ In the .personnel section. the politically
reliable SED member Hans BRAUNE replaced the former chief
of personnel SCHNEIDER,
PRODUCTION
9. I am not familiar with produc tivn figures, quality of
finished products rejects," raw materials, shortages, ef-
ficiency of machines and types used.
RESEARCH AND EXPERIMENTAL STATIONS
10. llesearch at the plant was performed by three groups:
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scientific research
~bj design planning
c production planning
I have no knowledge of activities of scientific research labo-
ratories and heard of no new experiments in the design or pro-
duction shops. The production planning grow (c) comprises
two experimental shops and works for both (a) and (b)_above
LTee Organization Chart of Zeiss, Jena, Enclosure (A
COOPERATION AMONG VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS
25X1A
11. A general opinion prevails among designers that cooperation
among scientific departments and designing offices is unsatis-
factory. Members of the scientific staff were formerly
located. . in ,a designing office and now work in
offices of their own. This separation prevents the neces-
sary close contact and frequently leads to delays and mis-
understandings. Scientific leadership is 'considered equally
unsatisfactory as shown by the fact that the scientif. a staff
is incapable of high quality guidance to the designing staff.
WORKERS AND PAY SCALE
12. The plant employs""about'10, 000 workers, of which 35 per cent
are women. Perhaps 50 Der cent of the workers are skilled,
25 per cent ...semiskilled., and- 25 per cent unskilled. The
workweek is Monday through Saturday, 8 1/2 hours on weekdays,
and 5 1/2 hours on Saturday. Overtime is necessary in some
departments, and other 'departments work in three shifts of
eight hours. Skilled workers receive about two ao.~.t _;>>
per hour; d-raftsmen 300-500 ':. per month; layout men
500-800 and construction engineers 800 to a
maximum of 1,045 asrkm' per month.
KEY PERSONNEL
13. I have made an or anization-chart of the Zeiss Works-,. Jena
ee Enclosure (A ".. I belie ve that the.. the organizational
breakdown on the c hart is correct and complete as far as the
scientific and design sections are concerned, It is possible
that departments other than those indicated on chart exist.,
but I have no knowledge of them. Reference lines drawn from
personnel management , ti administrative section of each depart-
ment indicate the.preselnce of an SED member acting as personnel
consultant to each department.' Most of the key personnel atthe
25X1 plant are returnees from Zavod 393, Krasnogorsk.
+ro' b .,o ra hio information on these returnees see Report No.
25X1 LT. In additionI can furnish information on
the following persons who are not returnees:
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14. I have no knowledge of Soviet personnel rks
in Jena. that 25X1
a Soviet ce exists at the plant and that this office is,
charged with the aoceptanc a of the aircraft gunner training
device "apparatus A 1"0
SECURITY
15. The past permitting entry ,into the plant was the same for
all personi el, i.e.,. teehnioians, 'scientists and workers.
It was pink in odlor and'had no time limit. If the pass.
was lost, a duplicate pass stamped' "Du Mt . was 3s sued.
I estimate that there were about 1OO-5O guards, 15 per
cent of them women, 'and ranging in age from 2C-30 ,years,
at the plant. All are members of the People's Police... and
wear the regulation uniform. An cf fice of the People's
Police was located in-the plant and operated independently
'of. the management of plant. Plant. and gates were under
24-,hour . guards and male guards carried pistols, I noticed
no'special security precautions such as alarm systems,
earohight :r etc-.
EJGZOSURE (A): Organization Chart of Zeiss Works, Jena,SovZone4
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'Enckfure (A )
O wWWDW Gr.Rr
rust Koms, 7svv nor rocs)
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