INTRAC REQUESTED TO ORGANIZE SALE OF EAST GERMAN GOODS IN AUSTRIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R004800500009-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 17, 2013
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: May 11, 1950
• Content Type: REPORT

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CLASSIFICATION .r-coir
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CLASSIFICATION ;ecns
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/10/17: CIA-RDP82-00457R004800500009-2
CENTRAL INFELLIGR.LI9A9 LCY REPORT
8, f.F4RMATIO
COUNTRY Austria/Germany (Russian Zone)
SUBJECT Intrac Requested to Organize rale of
East?German Gonda in Austria
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE OF
INFO.
DATE DISTR. n mity
NO. OF PAGES 2
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
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THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
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ic On 28 March 1950, Director Guenther Hock, cting on orders from Director Hans
Albin of the Communist-controlled, Vienna export-import firm, "Intrac" Cesoll-
schen fuer Internationalen Warenaustausch und Grosshandel m,b.H., called on an
official of an Austrian Ministry, Hocke explained the purpose of his visit was
to advise this official of the contents of a letter, dated 9 March 1950, which
Intrad had received from the East German Ministry of industry, Machinery and
Electrical Products Section, Leipzigerstrasse, Berlin,* In this letter the East
German Ministry of Industry formally commissioned Intrac to organize the sale of
East German machinery and electrical equipment to Austria on a compensation basis
and directed Intrac officials to bring this proposal to the attention of Austrian
industrialists.
2. According to Hocke, there are approximately 800 factories manufacturing machinery
in Eastern Gamely. He believes that if this plan is promoted properly,Austria
and Eastern Germany could exchange goods valued. at 5,000,000 to 6,000,000 dollars
per year.c As an example of the reasonable prices of East German products?Hocke
cited the current price of the R-42 locomotive which was manufactured for the
Genhan Army during the war and is now being sold from the Soviet Zone of Germany
for 50,000 dollars. The same type of locomotive manufactured in Great Britain
is being sold for 80,000 dollars.
3 Hocke informed this official that in compliance with Albinos orders he had al-
ready called on Oswald Peterlungcr, Chief of the Austrian State Folice,and
Ernst Kolb, Austrian Minister of Trade,. Both of these men advised him they
would refer the matter to the Austrian Foreign Office. Hocke quoted Soktions-
rat Johann Augenthaler of the Trade Ministry as saying that although he is op-
posed to large-scale transactions with Eastern Germany he believes it vouldlie
inadvisable to reject these proposals completely and thereby annoy the Soviets.
On the other hand, Josef Joham, director of tha Creditanstalt Bankverein, in-
formed Hooke he would welcome trade with Eastern Germany and would support this
plan if Hooke obtained prior approval from Alois Vollgruber, secretary general
of the Austrian Foreign Office, Hooke alleged he plans to confer with Vollgruber
on 30 March and he also intends to call on Dr. Hans Lauda, proaident of the
Austrian Industrialists League,
STATE eqff XI NAVY
ARMY
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FBI
This document Is hereby vermin t9
CONFIDENTIAL in accordant:10 with th?
letter of 16 October 137,1 from 11.1
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canna INTELLIMI10E AGENCY
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4= Hooke again discussed his plans for establishing a quasi-official Austro-
Soviet commercial agency, He claims Hans Albin is now prepared to turn
over to this agency four percent of the five percent commission which
Intrac normally derives from transactions with the Eastern Zone of Germany.
it
Comment: Albiji may have assigned Recite, who hos
good connections in Austrian Government circles, the: task oc enlisting the
support of Austrian Government officials because he does not wish to jeopardize
Intrac,s position further in unauthorized large-scale transactions with the
Eastern Zone of Germany.
Srerigl,
Heclassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/10/17: CIA-RDP82-00457R004800500009-2
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