MEDICAL AND OTHER AID FROM EAST GERMANY TO KOREA AND VIET NAM

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 05317080
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: March 8, 2023
• Document Release Date: August 29, 2019
• Case Number: F-2018-01103
• Publication Date: June 2, 1953

Approved for Release: 2019/07/22 C05317080
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
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.
ROL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
SECURITY INFORMATION
COUNTRY
SUBJECT
DATE OF INFO.
PLACE ACQUIRED
East Germany/Korea i t Nam
REPORT NO.
Medical and Other Aid from East Germany DATE
to Korea and Viet Nam
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT NO.
REFERENCES
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
2 June 1953
(b)(1)
P.2)M
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
Medical aid to Korea
1. MedicaT aid from East Germany to Korea appears to be organized by Professor
Unser'. The East German Ministry of Health, however, is of the opinion that many
of the orders actually come from the East German Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
An aid program is orgalizedl in this way: Professor Linser telephones Dieter
Baumann of the Ministry of Health (drugs and medicaments) and tells him that
a stated'sum of money, medicaments, and medical equipment are available. Linser
asks the Ministry for suggestions for the use of this money and at the same time
informs the Ministry of the articles which are particularly needed. Baumann
then works out what shipments are possible and passes an order to DHZ-Pharmazie,
Dresden. DHZ then tries to lfill the order as far aslpossible from surplus
materials and stored material. The supplies are then gathnred and payment
to DHZ follows through the "Volkssolidaritaet", Berlin E. 54, Rykestrasse.
2. The last reported delivery to Korea was in December 1952. This was for
goods to the value of 700,000 DM East. Delivery consisted chiefly of:
Disinfectants
Antiseptic preparations
Catgut (270,000 marks worth)
Penicillin
Sulfonamide
Small amounts of atebrin
Sera and vaccines were not included in this delivery. The catgut was of
pooroquality.
very
3. Transport was via Siberia. The packing cases had to be winter proof. The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs particularly emphasized the importance of rushing
delivery so as to get it to its destination before the heaviest winter frosts
SECRE
L U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
STATE
ARMY
NAVY
AIR
FBI !AEC
bSI Ev
(Note; Washington Distribution Indicated By "X"; Field Distribution By "*".)
this
set in.
Approved for Release: 2019/07/22 C05317080
Approved for Release: 2019/07/22 C05317080
SECRET/CONTROL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
-2-
4. Besides the above, the Christian Democratic Party (CDU) in East Germany
recently Sent a field ted,lical3 truck.
Medical aid to Viet Nam
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
5. The last reported shipment was in October-November 1952. The process for shipment
is praCtically the same as for Korea. This last delivery was worth 350,000 to
360,000 DM East. It consisted of:
All spare Atebrin in East Germany, down to the smallest stocks.
All spare plasmochin in East Germany down to the smalles stocks.
Catgut.
(The plasmochin was old army stock).
Visit of a Korean Delegation to East Germany
6. In October 1952, the North Korean Vice-Minister of Defenme, General KIM Ii
visited East Germany. He was accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Finance
and a representative of the North Korean foreign office. This delegation
was received in the East German Ministry of Health by the Minister Luitpold
Steidle and Secretary of State Jenny Matern. Steidle handed over one set of
operating equipment, one microscope, and various medical text books in the
German language.
7. The Koreans (speaking through a Korean-Russian and then a Russo-German interpreter)
stated that:
a. The supply position in North Korea was extremely bad. East Germany
should deliver whatever it could; everything could be used. KIM Ii said that
his doctors had asked him particularly to report that the North Korean soldiers
were becoming casualties as a result of even the smallest wounds, particularly
head wounds of the type resulting from mountain warfare. (He was probably
referring to secondary infections). He referred to the shortage of
instruments, operation facilities p and medicaments of all sorts.
. KIM 11 also stated that underground hospitals were being built. He did
not state where this was taking place, but said that one hospital with 3,000
beds and two with 1,000 beds each were being built.
Korean Otudents in East Germany
8. a. The conversation with KIM Il then turned to the subject of the text books
which he had been given. Steidle wanted to apolOgize for the fact that they were
only in German but KIM Ii said that almost 30% of the Korean students under-
stood German and that it was being widely taught. He then said that 300
Korean students were to come to East German universities. They were to go to
Greifswald and Leipzig and were all to study medicine.
b. It is believed that they have actually arrived, although this belief is
based only on an inference from a statement made in the Ministry of Health.
Keretn c�hildren in East Germany?
9. Dr.Wilhelm, Geiger, head of the publialiwgthi,L, office at Dresden, stated in
late January 1953 that 300 Korean children were then at Moritzburg near Dresden.
The children, whose ages are not known, were in a bad way with lice and bugs. The
Ministry of Health feared an outbreak of cholera.
Comments;
1, Professor Dr. Med. Karl Linser
He held leading posts in the Ministry
predecessor until quite recently. He
Humboldt University, East Berlin.
2. It is not Clear if paragraphs 8 and 9 are related.
SECRET/CONTROL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
(b)(1)
of Health and its administrative (b)(3)
is now Professor of Dermatology in the
Approved for Release: 2019/07/22 C05317080