URALSELMASH AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY PLANT IN KURGAN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00047R000100200005-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 15, 2013
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: February 14, 1952
• Content Type: REPORT

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE ACENC
INFORMATION REPORT
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COUNTRY
SUBJECT
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE
ACQUIRED BY
DATE OF INF
USSR
"Uralselmash" Agricultural Machinery Plant in
Kurgan
THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
OF THE UNITED TTTTTTT ',TWIN THE MEANING OF TITLE IS, SECTIONS 793
AND 714. OF THE 0.11 CODE, AS ameNett, ITS TTTTTT ISETON ON RIVE.
LOTION OF ITS CONTENTS TO OR RECEIPT ST AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS
THE REPRODUCTION OF THIS FORM IS ORONIOITED.
DATE DISTR. If Feb 1952
NO. OF PAGES 5
NO. OF ENOLS. 1
(A)
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
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THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
!ORM NO. 514D
AN 1951
1. The "Uralselmash" Agricultural Machinery Plant in Kurgan con-
sists actually of two plants. The old plant, constructed
before World War II, is located in the eastern part of the
town, wheras the new one is in the southwestern part. This
report describes the new "Uralselmash" plant, which was
started in 1946 and whose entire machinery and equipment was
brought from Germany, where some German plants were dis-
mantled by the Soviet Occupation Ar Ay and taken as reparations
to the USSR. I do not know to which German plants this
machinery originally belonged. The new "Uralselmash" has pro-
bably been in operation since 1948, and is still in the
stage of expansion. According to rumors, when completed this
Is supposed to be the third largest plant of its type in
the USSR.
SECRET,
CLASSIFICATION SECRET/SECURITY INFORMATION
STATE
NAVY
ARMY
AIR
DISTRIBUTION
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The present area of the-plant its approximately 1200 x 1000 m
(120 hectares) and !NisitfOrm of an Uneven rectangle
eXt4Oding from east to west. The northern edge of the plant
borders and runs parallel to the Chelyabinsk-Kurgan highway.
Thea terrain of the area is flat an&bare"exeept for rows of
trees planted around individual Workshops, serving _
for . damouflAge purposes - ? againAt , aeriaZ recon
Maissance.
At the present time the ''UralSelmashm plant Manufactures hey
presses, grain sorting Machines, tree planting machines VIM,
horse;Kirava this's-hers, :7pla..nUig machines:, (Strpgia ?X),Ne attanicr0 .4,r4 artiliVi7 shell
oase,ss,; Until .1950Ahe asp ?.tanufacturedil? 111P114PX; ,
of threshing machines. I was told that during World War II
the parent plant (the old "Uralselmase), manufactured Maxim
Machine guns and submachine guns. There are some rumors that
in the near future "UralselMash" will start making tractors
and combines, and that it is earmarked to manufacture tanks
in case of war. According to the same rumors, the conversion
from peacetime to wartime prOdUCtion should not take more than
several days. Even now, in peacetime, the "Uralseitash" plant
operates on a 24-hour day, in three shifts. -
',The."Vralarplarxt cOnsists'of.eight workshdpii, marked
'.0n-theenclosed sketch 'l to 8 27nOlosure (Ag.. All work-
shops are of the same standard type one-story brick houses,
painted red and covered' with tar paper. The average size of
a workshop is 250 x 50 m.-/n-its eastern portion each work-
shop is provided with isubdonstrUction'of On&-two.additiorial. storis.:0;
giving the necessary space for the shop offices, spare part
rooms, supply rooms, etc. The workshops are well lighted
and steam heated. The plant Workshops are as follows
Ambers in parenthesis correspond to those of Enclosure (Agl
(3.)
(2)
Ordnance Machine Shop. This shop manufactures various
tools. The-real assignment and function of this shop,
however, is unknown. According to rumord it is
supposed to manufacture tanks. In this shop are
located about 180 machines,' boring and turning lathes,
grinding, milling, planing and drilling machines.
Mechanical Repair Shop. Machines and tools belonging
to *both "Uralselmashn' plants are repaired in thifi?
workshop. It ts equipped with 80-100 lathes, grinding
and planing machines, and several electric presses.
Assembly Shop. Parts of machineS manufactured in the
plant are assembled in this workshop. There is a belt
conveyer line and about 70 lathes, milling, drilling,
thread-milling machines and broaching lathes.
Foundry. The foundry is equipped with two belt con-
veyer lines, 40 air-pressed molding machines, and two
large electrically operated foundry cranes. In this
workshop are manufactured all cast-iron parts for
machinery produced in the plant.
14a Non-ferrous Metal Foundry. This shop is under con-
struction and no equipment has arrived yet. It will be
50 x 50 m, a one-story brick building.
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Finishin
Cleanin Shop. The cast-iron parts manu-
acture in 'he
this shop. The
50 drum sanders
ing machines.
Carpenter Shop. Manufactures wooden parts for machinery
produced in the plant; equipped with approximately
100 wood-processing'machines of various usual types
(planing, drillirg machines, circular and rip saws etc.)
Fore Shop. Equipped with approximately 150 punching
machines of various sizes and types. The forge shop hall
serves also as a workers' assembly room where meetings
and political lectures are held.
oun ry are finished and cleaned in
shop is'provided with appretimately
and drum milling maehines and 100 grind-
Smithy. Equipped with nine drop hammers, capacity nine
tons each, and four large pneumatic hammers.
Wood-Drying Shop. Contains wood-drying equipment. There
s no machinery in this shop. The 'Shop An,Used to -
prepare and to conserve wood needed for production of
wooden parts for machinery.
The remaining installations and
facilities are as follows:
Electric Power Plant. Produces electric power for the
7Uralselmash" internal needs anciter'',Some other smaller
plants located in the vicinity. . The produced current
has tension of 220 and M)
Toole Instrument and Spare Parts Supply Rooms. In:this
building are stored reserve and replacement tools and
machine spare parts for machinery Used in the plant.
Electrical Equipment Store Room. This is Xor,,storage
of various electrical equipment for plant's internal ,
needs. In addition to this there is a large number
of huge transformers, whose purpose is unknown to me.
Transp2rtation Section. This is a large hall where
motor vehicles belonging to the plant are kept. There
are approximately eight busses, 20 trucks (GAZ), three
tractors, and six or seven passenger vehicles.
The itralselmash" plant employs approximately 4000 workers.
Out of this. number 1000 are forced labor camp inmates, living
' in the "4th Colony' camp, adjoining the plant. The rest are
mainlywomen and youngsters. I am not able to give a break-
down on individual shops. Work shifts are of the same strength,
Le:approximately 1300 workers. The shifts', worktimes are
as follows: 1-0800 - 1700; 11-1700 02004 111-0200 - 0800-.
Since the plant, except ,Ahefburfiry,-oper'ate on a' six-day'
week basis, the weekly working hours for the 1st and 2nd
shlfts_are 48 hours, and 36 hours for the 3rd shift. (1st and
21ad'ishifts had one-hour meal periods.) Sunday is the day off.
The foundry, however, operates on a seven-day week basis.'
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Worker's wages are computed on a piece work system so it is
rather difficult to give exact figures of wages received by
various groups of ckiIled, semi-skilled and unskilled workers.
I am able to give only information on approximate monthly
wages, which would be as follows:
(a) Skilled workers, like foundry-men, forgers, and assembly
mechanics are makikg up to 2000-3000 rubles
(b) Semi-skilled workers are getting 600-800 rubles
(c) Women and youngsters, 400-600 rubles
Wages are paid twice a month.I .410 not know whether the
forced. labor camp inmates working in the plant receive any
wages If they do, it is probably deposited to their accounts
kept in the camp, to be paid after release. The morale of
"free" workers is rather low because of the hard work,
insufficient wages and poor housing conditions. Large numbers
of workers are living in the plant's housing project, close
to the plant area. The project consists of several large
apartment houses, two-story buildings, where workers with
families are assigned single rooms. It is quite normal for
a family of four or five to live in one room. Apartments
are not provided with bathrooms or shower-rooms, and there
Is not even running water. Each kitchen is shared by four or
five families. The other workers, who could not be accommodated
In the housing project, live in Kurgan, where the living
conditions are still worse than in the project. Those living
In the project walk to the plapt and back, and the others
living in Kurgan are transported to and from the plant by
factory busses. According to the Soviet standards, the
workers' health conditions are satisfactory. After pay-days
there is always quite heavy drinking among workers, followed
by non-attendance at work the next da. In Spite of
strict regulations and punishments prescribed for loafing,
the plant's authorities are unable to eliminate the so-
called "blue Mondays". Except for drinking, there is not
much entertainment available to workers. Sometimes on
Sundays there is a dance in the club building located close
to the main gate. The library, which is located in the
club building, contains mostly propaganda books and is not
frequented by workers. There are also weekly political
meetings obligatory for all workers. They are usually held
in the forge shop hall during the one-hour lunch period.
These lectures are delivered by shop supervisors, and some-
times by the plant's director. The subjects are either
such well-known propaganda items as "aggressive intentions
of the US towards the Soviet Union" and "the inevitability
of the Third World War" or instructions for the fulfillment
of assigned production quotas, newsreels, etc. Among
workers there is no interest in these lectures, and except
for a few individuals, no attention is ever paid to what is
discussed.
The "Uraiselmash" plant is located alongside the Kurgan -
Chelyabinsk highway, hardly 50 m to the south of it. It is
connected to the above highway by a road through the so-
called auxiliary gate on the northern edge of the plant's
area. Two main roads on the plant's area lead: a) from the
main gate in the east (18) - to the transportation section
.(16); 'b) from the auxiliary gate (19) - to the southern
gate (21). To the west from the carpenter shop (6) both
theseroads-are connected with a. link. In addition to these
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? tO0 main, roads, there are many-secondary roads on the plant ,s
area connecting all individual workshops and installations.
Through the so-called railrOld gate (20) a railroad spur
gonnects the plant and Kurganib freight.station. Two local
railroad spurs run alongside thesoUthern and northern edges
of the plantls area, as indicated on the enclosed vketch.
In the northwestern part of the area there is a railroad
triangle facilitating the internal railroad shunting.
The plant area is surrounded by .a ' wooden board fence 2i m
tifeh, nrovided with several rows of barbed wire on the top.
Eleven gatchtowers with permanent guards are located in
space w indicated on the enclosed sketch. The towers are
equipped with searchlights illuminating fence spans between
the adjoining towers. In addition to this, at nights the
erltire fence is lighted. At the time when-the forced labor
camp convicts are not working in the plant, the guard and
security service in the plant's Area is performed by the
plant's guard detachment which approximately 9D-men.
'When the convicts are in, this detachment is reinforced by a
'detail of MVD men who take over the tower and gate guard
APaty. There is also a permanent 24-hour day gate guard
:Service, and the posts are located as'follows: main gate (18);
'check point (12); auxiliary gate (19), and the south gate (21)
?/ have no information on the kind and quantity of raw
-Materials and semi-finished products used by the plant,
destination and consumers of manufactured goods, and no
information on the names of administrative and supervisory
personnel.
-end-
ACIASlosure (A): Location Sketch of the Uralselmashn plantp
with legend.
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lasANFAUDIJA"17 (fit) CLAJFil
LO tion Sketch nUralselmashn A ricur;Airal Machinery_plant in Kurgan
irov Plant 7-07"
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over ame
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?E110.10 sure ( A ) SECRET/SECigtra71.1ii LaION
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e end to the Location Sketch "Uralselmash" A ricultural
ac inery ant n
Ordnance Machine Shop
. Mechanical Repair Shop
Asembly Shop
Foundry
. Non-ferrous Metal Foundry
.5. Finishing (Cleaning) Shop
6, Carpenter Shop
7. Forge Shop
7a. Smithy
a. Wood-Drying Shop
9, Electric Power Plant
10, Guard House
11 & ha. Tool, Instrument and Spare Parts Supply Room
12. Punch-clock Room and Dispensary
13. Administration Building
Boiler Room
15. Electrical Equipment Store Room
, Transportation Section
17. . Lake
la. Main Gate
19. Auxiliary Gate
W., Railroad Gate
21. Southern Gate
22, Club and Library Building
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