THE BACTERIOLOGICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE ON THE ISLAND OF RIEMS

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03157285
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U
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12
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October 23, 2023
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August 10, 2023
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F-2020-01188
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February 15, 1949
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Approved for Release: 2023/04/17 C03157285 (b)(3) TOP ET CLASSIFICATION T MEET CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY INFORMATION REPORT COUATRY Germany (Russian Zone) SUBJECT The Bacteriological Research Institute on the Island of Riems PLACE Germany, Karlsruhe ACQUIRED WTI: OF INFO. 1 November 1948 REPORT NO. CD NO. .2 gre3.33 -42- -���� DATE DISTR. 15 February 194 NO. OF PAGES 5 NO. OF ENCLS. (LISTED BELOW) (b)(3) (b)(3) SBA )0CDSIMIT CON/AIMS INFORM/MOB AFFECTICIO VA NATIONAL DE FERMI OF It 3 URITED BUTES WITaill% WIC MARIAM OF TIM ESPIONAGS ACT Be U.S. ".. St AND 82, A0 PUEBLA'S. FM TRANSEN281014 Olt TER SEVELIMOII OF nn; COUTECIT8 IS ANY WIDMER 20 All OBAUTUORIZED PCRCODI IS PRO - HICK 7.D DV LAW. BEFLIODUCTION OF 31115 KALI IS PROHIBITED. SWIM %.~.Avil. SOURCE 3Thif 1 f 0 AR MY THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION (Washinaton Commen4s While it is realized that the followinevart_duoli catch ormation previously disseminated it is sent to you in Its entirety for the sake of clarity and better understanding.) This reports is the result of an interrogation of 'Dr. Erich Traub, a srecial- ist in research onfikeef and mouth disease (IMD), who was a leading figure in the Blom Institute from 1945 to 1948. Traub was born 27 Jane 1906 in- Aspergelen, Wfirttemberg, studied philosophy and veterinary medicine at- gen, Munich, Harlin, and Giessen Universities. From 1932 to 1938 110 VW Ieav of the Rockefelle3jto06661i in Princeton, New 3eree7 whom he states, he was advanced to-assistaht.profeeeer and associate preer He did not tryio obtain U.S. citizenOlp. He returned to Gnau in 938, , was at Giessen University as a lecturer, mostly engage research ortA and was drafted into the German army VW. In 29 he was re1eased-fiok9t:(4,4T+ the army to work a� ..14hi1e there he was appointed full'professor-of:Berlin University as a1t specialist i voterinary and mic*:biology. He traveled betwe RUMS and Be in to fill both He was bead of the Elam stitutete icrd:biological partment until he was appointed Director of the Institute in 1948. 0: Work a4 the Rieps Insttlate 2. The Forsehungsanstalt Insel Riems (virus and bscteriolog4al reeearch in- stitute on the Baltic Sea island of Rims) was founded in\1909 by Professor Friedrich affler,:discoverer, of the diphtheria bacillu.T.I_In 19422 its name was changed to Rolehsforachungsanstalt Insel Riems. In 1945, it wam taken 0-44 over by the Russians whoAdismaaam&yAts had it rebolltland reesaApFed. It 4)v( is not under the admnistrative authority of the German Economic CoMmissioa. '1 (b)(3) -/v-/ The only war researeb done in Riems during the Hitler regple was a seal4es,-oft, project on HMI) and,rinderpest, described below. In 1942, a secret committee) compose -,Of reliable Nazi scientists and technicians in the Risme Inatituto was ass 'ed to study possibilities of iriportgliag MID into countries, parti:- cularly the United States, known to be unfamiliar with this disease because " ;�_ �.1 CLASSIFICATION NAVY NSRB AIR 2 FBI TOP TOP SE DISTRIBUTION Approved for Release: 2023/04/17 C03157285 Approved for Release: 2023/04/17 C03157285 CENTRAL INTELLI=CE AGENCY -2- it does not exist there. Dr. Traub was not on this committee, but was kept informed on its work by some of the members. Professor Waldmann, director of the Institute, was a member, but rather delayed its work; he nainly come plied with the Nazi reqeest for research in order to obtain abundant equip- ment and material for his Institute according to Dr. Traub. The committee worked closely with officers and officials of the Hedreswaffenamt, particee larley with one Dr. Stantien, Berlin (whereabouts unknown). In spring 1943, ! - ry the committee submitted the conclunion that any mew country could be ) , attacked with HMD virus- the virus could be dried, flown over enemy count, and dropped. This scheme was never practically applied because it required German air superiority. 40 am../ 1,-4D- - In the spring of 1944, keeh SS officeritcame to Biome and revested4large. supplies of dried HMD virus be left behind the retreating German armies in Russia. When the Institute refused this reeseest, the matter was taken to high authorities in Berlin, but the scheme was abandoned after the Insti- tute proved that the project would have the boomerang effect of spreading the disease from Russia to Germany, 4-0.472,4. eae 5. Delegalarrat9,4ssol 19441 the committee dad research on rinderpest with an eye7 to introducing this disease into the United States as well as protecting Germany in ease enenies should introduce it on a large scale into Germany. No practical results came from this project. (b)(3) kfrieSts, Dismantling of the Institute 6. Whea on 2 MAY 1945 Marshal Rokossoveky's troops occupied Riems Island, they e started to pilfer the Institute. They were informed a few days later that ' the Institute had been placed under the personal protection of Stalin. At that time the Institute was working mainly on the production of vaccine - against HID, Newcastle's disease, and human influenza, in close cooperation' with the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Institute for Biology. Between July and October , 1945, the Institute was completely dismantled by two commissions - one army, and one civilian. The army commission took away about 10,000 guinea pigs; 1 three ultra centrifuges with 40,000 to 50,000 revolutions per minute, Mhich, served the purpose of throwing out small disease bearers; a quantity of chenical-physical apparatus, for instance, Tiselius apparatus for the study. of the effect of electrical charges on virus substance; electrical "Dlimpe,- fangseaagenn; low-temperature refrigerators; electricel refrigerators; special apparatus for the production of vaccines and serums; therm9stats; wteebath equipment, etc. The dismantled eqeipment was loaded on4large barged, shipped teagednemandeeand-from theee-teeRigee Informant learned e 11, from personnel of the dismantling commission that the equipment was scheduled-- efee at, t: to go to the Soviet Military Veterinary Academy located 50 kilometers (di- ' rection unknown) from Moscoee During the dismantling by the a- commissionemeeeaee Russian Major Ratner, a veterinary, teehea-teceakantleemwemaAmealeterinersemeit. search with .German scientists. The civilian conmission took What was left -' / after the dismantling by the army chiefly eqpipment for the production of / vaccines and serums. This, too, ma shipped to Russia via Swinemfinde/higa, ' destined, members of the civilian Omission said, for a veterinary institute on En island in the Lake Seliger. r'his institute lied been destroyed by the Germans during the ear and was sche4uled to be rbuilt and reequipped, al- though informant believes that this elan was dr�ped, since Major Ratner is working as an ID specialist in the Central Co rol Iastitute for Veterinary Vaccines in Moscow, along with a Professor Swinzow, live, visited Rims in June- _29484-10dia former Lt. Col.' Ostabenieo. (A Cele Tsherbatych works at the Soviet.' Militarylreterinary Academy.) , �SrY, kr a." # Approved for Release: 2023/04/17 C03157285 Approved for Release: 2023/04/17 C03157285 4,7 o CEITRAL ItITEIZIGENCE =MC! When the the dismantling was completed, the Russians invited the following Riems specialists to work in Russia: a. Professor Otto Waldmann� now in Argentina,. Who had worked with the Insti- tute since 1919 and was its director during the war; '�b. Veterinary Georg Tschaikaysky, Who was in charge of the cattle belonging to the institute eeee A,7;,1 p�d�1"LE. 444,t. Waldmann refused the offer, aealeeets,elismissed from the institute; the reason hev: ?eeJ3 given for his dismissal was hisANSMIP membership. Waldmann lived in his villa 4 _innGraifewalcLe til back to V.tute sone t laterime (It is of-inter-', nst to note that Waldmann's decision to leave the Institute and the Russians , has not always been firm. FromOay,to4uty, 1945 he even prevented other In- stitute members from fleeing to the West. He then wanted Close cooperation m: with the Russians, and When Dr. Traub, technical manager Rohr and chief mechanic)" Ahrns decided to flee and chartered three ships to take equipment with them, ei Weldmann threatened to shoot everybody Who tried to leave the island,), Bentpra= Since 1945, the Russians have shown an ever-increasing interest in the Insti- � tute.and have given very efficient eupport to the Germans in rebuilding it, providing coal and technical equipment and returning to it an exeerinental farm near Koeall on the mainland ;luet opposite Rime Island. The Russians f have ordered no specific work at the Institute and have not assumed in any � way its scientific direction, although Russians come there continuously to 7 c(11129t information. Amongtfie more notable Russian visitors is Professor clhnRakov� Stalin Prize winner, from the Moscow Institute for Research on 4 Brain Disease. He came twice in 1947 to obtain information on choriomenin- e gitise).. , rho Institute has done no research for war purposes, although it can be easily ,and quickly used for such work at any time. In three days it can produce 3enough dried TIED virus ImeehIckeneeeleeor in beefetoneuep_to_attack an one ,country by dropping the virus from the air. (the Russians eagerly collected Arr' 4nformation on this possibility. In, mid-1947;-Rube1an Col, s ,Chief of ."enen7 cthe SNA Cattle Breeding Division, came to Riemseaed asked - 1.ild not try to drop the virus on the United States uring the war,Aldding eee ieerieve. r,that this would have constituted a proper ansmer the indiscrimnate bomb-( dace �, /ling of German cities be American planes. (b)(3) X ei., 1 4, it, ctir -A ei,q, 00% +- 10., The Felesiane have-also shown an inters-stein-thee,--prduction-and spreac1tngof � neefteepeet. Whenethe Russiansefirot came to Rieme in 1945, they maintained that -during the mar the Institfite had done research on humaniessit with a view 'f to spreading it in enery countries. It was very bard to convince them that n actually the Institute had never engaged in such research. The only bacteri- � )logical (not virus) researdh ever done during informant's stay at Rieme was on seine erysipelas and brncellosio. trreee) - Tor 3ECRET I Approved for Release: 2023/04/17 C03157285 Approved for Release: 2023/04/17 C03157285 -49?-4ifeRET-- CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGLWCY 4 1,,Q1 Their interest in the war potentialities of the Institute has been proven, - but, informant believes, the Russians may also be concer with its peace- 7, tine potentialities. The Germans first reestablished laboratory for veterinary diagnosis, then took up again the production of vaccines, bacteri- ological research, and work on new vaccines - principally against swine erysipelas, in which the Russians showed much interest. By the end of June -1948 Riems again had a micro-biological research department working mainlY on UMD, swine erysipelas, brucellosis, and dog distemper. It also had a 4department working on chemical aspects connected with its research, as well sas a department for the production of vaccines - mainly against HMD and New- castle's disease. Informant estimates roughly that the Institute had by that 0-time regained half its former capacity. (None of the equipment provided for ,the resumption of work was the same as that dismantled in 1945.N sieleee 12. Between /945 aud%294$ the Riems Institute had a staff of about twenty scient- ists, someerWhom were there for only brief periods. The permanent staff had sometimes changing personnel of about twelve scientists. The maximum number of Rims personnel, including technicians, machinists, aids, etc., was 140 prisr to and during the war; it is smaller now. 13, The present director of the Institute, appointed 1 November 1948, is Profes-' sor Heinz Roeherer, former head of its pathological department. He had been - an NSDAP member since 1931; the fact that the Russians kept him at Riems and I have now made him director is an indication of the urgency they feel for keep-- � ing the Institute functioning. Two other staff members disrissed in 1945 haveH been recalled: Dr. Hubert M8hlmann, former production specialist for HMD add � Noweastleadimetinb vaccines, who had been jailed in a Neu-Brandenburg concen� tration camp, has been made head of the production department; Professor Gott-, fried(Pri)is supposed to return to Riems shortly to resume his former position, \ as head of the chemical department. Before working at Riems, ryl had worked \, with IG Farben in H8chst; from 1947 he worked with the ASID firm in Dessau pro- ' Ye_Oucing vaccines. Informant considers him the best scientific head of the Riems 'Ibtaff members now available to the Russians. Veterinary Georg Tschaikaysky con- (b)(3) tinues to work at the Institute. He is the only SED member among the entire , scientific staff. k4 24... Former Institute staff members are: ,Pft_l.g Id 44+ / Dr.' Helmuth Rusks, formerly with the Berlin-Buch Research Institute; e � e .7.71t. ei) Dr. Gerhard Schramm of the VI for Biology, hormone specialist at Riems in 1944, now working at the institute of bio-chemistry affiliated with libingen University; c. 3r. Hobahm� chemist and assistant to Professor Pyl in the chemical depart- tent, and Dr. Petermann, specialist on HMD type differentiation, working witi lrofessor 'Jaldmann in Argentina. d. ?rofessor Richard Roemer is not working at the Institute; his connection with it is merely that of providing cattle from his cattle-raising insti- tute in Dummerstorf near Rostock. Resparsli br Traub / - 15. 'Informant claims that he has lavventill a hitherto unknomn method which Immo -4quick differentiation of HMD virus types by complement fixation* (durch.Koms- 5plementbindung). This method, he says, makes it possible to determine in a _,eeriod of two hours any Testicular kind of virus causing HMD. This he says e'to be of utmost importance because counter measures against HMD depend entirely TOP SECRET Approved for Release: 2023/04/17 C03157285 Approved for Release: 2023/04/17 C03157285 TOT SECRET CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY (b)(3) on the type of virus causing it. Other methods of HMD virus type determina- ,,tion require an averale of five weeks which is such a long period that the disease would spread before the proper kind of vaccine could be found. Only -with his methods, he claims, is it possible to fight HMD successfully from A., c,its very beginning. He has also succeeded indmiwitagAseriie&tt tyre' of HMV-�-V//4 �virus in chicken eggsreb-oseisheel-scr,teavunknooll and is arplying thn method - ,-at his present place of work, the HehringAierks in Marturg/lahn, a serologi- �cal and vaccine research institute; He hasoboombed a non-infeetious vaccine against swine erysipelas; them-tatbutertki -pectilliaritietOnsisting of- killed-or cf4Lead,vaccine not coming from a live culture. 16. In October 1945, when Dr. Traub and other Riems Island scientists were invited by the Russians to work in Russia, he asked and received a 24-hour period in Which to formulate his conditions for accepting the Russian offer. He pur- posely made conditions so rigid that the Russians would not agree to them; he requested, for instance06hat he be put under the diplomatic protection of a Eurorean or overseas rower while working in Russia and While Germany was un- able to give diplomatic protection. In November 1945, MVD officers pat addi- tional pressure on him to accept the Russian offeri., but the president of the Russian Zone Central Administration for Agriculture and Forestry intervened successfully with the Russians in favor of Traubls staying in Germany. TOP SECRET Approved for Release: 2023/04/17 C03157285 _ Approved for Release: 2023/04/17 C03157285 - � ODUNTRY SUEJECT PLACE 4CQUIRED PATE OF INFO. CLASSIFICATION �Beata-- ...cm* 777 Inn-wen,* m rewi Garnasy (-Russian. Zone) REPOT NO 1,10. DATE DISTR 2,3 /47 1953 The Batteriolcrieal Re:-.eareh Institute on the re O'PAGF3:. 5 Isiind of Rime Gtr tery, Karlsruhe 1 riovkny;ber 1148 NC.O ENCLS. :LISTE) '.�:t!OTII,EMF.,IT IC FEFIYiT - -- .2.2222.-reavav 11:F' ,f1101 AI ELTING Trf11�FUON.11,01,, AR, O. G.., ors reasexesstes us 2 GY ,CE PI IT I` , F Lt. rvF rave! r.r.O. OF TtFI reev 222 'roil: 1U .. SOU7CE. clessifiection THUS IS UNEVALUATE) INFORUATION ccr.T.17.Tior hes blen ehied fro Top Seervt Cr....11111! (b)(3)_ " 4 I (b)(3) STATE 1 t.^4Y NAVY AIR 1 1 %SRO � 1 otcrelatmota 1-1 Approved for Release: 2023/04/17 C03157285-7- - . .Approved for Release: 2023/04/17 C03157285 CLASSIFICATION CENTRAL iN ELUGENCE AGENCY INFORMATION Ft EPORT 0:)UATRY Germany (Russian Zora) SUBJECT The Bacteriological Research Institute on the Deland of Ries PLAC:E Geary, Karlsruhe ACQJiRED DAM OF INFO. November 1948 v,D.77E.12 1.i TM: :C C? L1571,,,,C AZT SO hi+ LCV.,,, Cs t!tt CCC cn 1,2 it Cn t.,...:Nrt CC�o rie CV L.L.7. Z.,:lOCCtrrICA .GT 11, }TZi IC11S7,1,77.-G. SOURCE by 'REPORT NO. CD NO. . DATE DISTR. 15 Februal^} 1949 Mo. OF PAGES 5 NO. OF ENCLS. (LISTED EELow) IS UNEVALUATED INEOCUATiON (.7oshirgton Conrleuts Uhile it in realizei that the folIcrsing rerort data- � c:.t-a to P se,.?.?T+ .1.nforLst-on diusen4rated in it is,..o(nt to you in itC entirety for the salos.of clersty ana natter unperstandink) . 1. This report is the result cf an interrogation of Dr. Erich.Traub, a special- lot in research on hoof and mouth. dis7ase (EM)), uho was a leasing figure in the Ris_ns institutecfron 1945 to 198. Traub 1ms born 27 Zuna 19OS in Anpercelon, 1:arttenbsrg, studied philoflopay and veterinary medicine at : TU.bingen, 1-1Unich, Berlin, and Giessen Univernitics. From 1932 to 1938 be uaua fellow of the Rockefeller Foundation in Princeton, New Jersey, vbere� he states, he was advanced to assistant pre:C'estor and ansociate profeseor, he did not trio olltain U.S. citizenship. He returned to Germany in 1918, vast at Giessen University as a lecturer, :r.ostly ongagJd in research on PCM� and Wa5 drafted into the Grman anny in 1741. In 1942. he was released from the art to work at the liens Institute. 'Ihrie there he was appointed a fall professor of Berlin Unj.vereity an a specialist in veterinary hygienics and micro-biology. (He traveled �betkp.ea Riems and Lenin to fill both jobs.) He .an head of the Rieraa inrtitata's micro-biological department until bn was appointed Director of 'sive Institute in 1948. ,:ror!7. ct the Rion Lutitute 2. The Forsohungsanstalt Issel Riems (virus and bacteriological research inr stitute on the-Baltic Sea inland of Rioas) was founded in 1909 by Frofe0S0:- Friedrich nffler, discoverer of the dirhtheria bacillus.. In 1942, ita tame was esangsa to Eoichsforachungsenstalt Insal RAems. In 1945, it uas taken over by the Russians, uho dismantled it, had it rebuilt and reequipad. It is now under the ndninietretiva authority of the German Economic Commission. 30 The only war research dons in Riels during the Butler rpgirs wan a series of projects on FtD and rindaryeat, doscrihad below. In 1942, a secret committee colanoned of reliable nazi scientists and technicians in the Rions Institute .6r;s assignod to study possibilities of imparting HID into countries, parti- cularly the United States, known to ho unfamiliar with thin dieease because 1.; -k`stt4- C7---T-46-Q-12N) APR 21 1949 'PP SECRET': ci_Assin4-noN i a I 1 DIE 7111BUTION xl C1R �I-Approved for Release: 2023/04/17 C03157285 (b)'(3) Approved for Release: 2023/04/17 C03157285 "=,;.i?T'T CL7T.F.AL BTTELLI'lL'IME -2- it deas not eI:ist there. Dr. Traub uas not on this committee, but ues kept informed on its ,lork by sena of tne nc7:nerr,. Professor :Jaldnann, director of the institute, 1.en a member, b�L'; rather delayed its ,Jork; he rainly 0c0- plind the Daci requeet for rozes.:-ch in order to obtain W-lAnt equip- ns7lt 7.-.1torial for his Institute. according to Dr. Traub. The committee worked closely ith officers and y:ficinis of the Reeresaffenamt, parties, 1ar17 Inith one Dr. Stantien, Berlin (ercahouts r_aknove). In spring 1943, t7ic committee smdtdAtod the ect'cluion that any enemr. country could be � attacked with Z�D virus; the Virus cold be dried, flown over enemy country, and dropped. This scheme Ins rover practically applied because it require Germn air superiorty. L. In the sprinl of 1944, high SS �Moors cane to Piano and requested large mar711es of dried 17.1D virus to bc :eft behind the retreating German arrdes in Aussie. :Tnes the Institute r;--fusai this reouest, the natter was taken to high suthoritios in Berlln, 1:i-t the scheme was ance4oned after the Insti- tute proved that the proleet vruld have the boomerang effect of sPreading the disease fron M.,Assia to Gera-any.- 5. Detsen 1942 and 1944, the committee did research on rinderpast with an eye -to introdueinr this disease into the United States as. vell,as protectng Gerimu.T in ease enerles should introduce it on a large scale into Germany. No practical results cane from this pro3ect. . ly,,r7Nnt71.i7Ir oLke In7titute 6. When on 2 nay 1945 Marshal Rokossovsky's troops occupied Pines Island, they sta7f.to,..1 to pilfer the Insvitute. ihey vere informed a few days later that the InAitute had been placed unrlsr tha personal protection of Stalin. At that tine the institute was IT.":71,17 mainly on the production or vaccine arpinn f,Newcastiels disease, and human influenza, in close cooperation wilKi the IZa1ser-Uilhelm-Institit7: for 3iolory. Betusen July and October 1945, the Institute x7es cem.-oley dismantled by two commissions - one arny and onc civilian. The army co-.7.17..ssion took away about 10,000 guinea pie; thro ultma'centrifures with 40,000 to 50,000 revolutions per minute, lidoh scrod the Tux-pose of thro.ing Tat snail disease bearers; a quantity of chezdeal-nhysial apparatus, for instance, Tiselius apparatus for the study of the effect of electrical ch�ir7as on virus substance; electrical 'Tamp- fun7st,:aagen"; loly-tenoeratrve refrimerstors; electrical refrigerators; spenial arparaus for the production of vaccines and serums; thermostats; water-bath equipment, etc. The dismantled equipment was loaded on large hares, shippd. to Swinenfirde and irom there to Riga. .Infornant learned fro:a narsonnal or the dismetling commission that the equipment was =Waled to o to the Soviet ::ilitsry Veterinary Academy located 50 kilometers (di- , rec ion unknown). from noreow. Luring the dismantling by the army commission, Rusvirm 1�Ta1or iiatner, a veterinary, took a twonenth course on veterinary re- sea:oh with Osman scientists. T17e civilian commission took what was loft ftr the dismantlinr by the env- - chiall7 equipment for the production of , vac,Lacs and ec,runs. This, too, was shipped to Russia via SIdnemande/Riga, desAned, memb-lra of the civilian comiarion said, for a veterinary institute on re island in the Lake Selioor. This institute had been destroyed by the , Ofer,ans during the !lir and was scheduled to be rebuilt and reequipped, al- tholTh informant .believes that this pinn was dropped, since Ilajor Ratner is 1-nr::fuir as an MID specialist in the 3c.,ntra1 Control Institute for Veterinary_ Vnoines in Noseow, airing ulth a Profogsor Swinzow, who visited Rican in Jane 194, and a former Lt. Col. Ostabeeks. (A Col. Tsherhatych works at the 'ovi MiLtary Veterinary Academy.) e%TRET Approved for Release: 2023/04/17 C03157285 Approved for Release: 2023/04/17 C03157285 .416, INTELLTII7CEAG7ICY -3- 7e Ilhan the dismantling, Ilas completed, the Russians invited the following Riern specialists to work in R7c.osia: � a. Profes,.sor Otto lalimonn, now in Argentina, who had worked with tho Insti- - tote since 1929 and vas itn 6..tr-ctor during the tar; Veterinary Georg Tschaikaysky, 7.b0 was in charge of the cattle belongine to the Institute. 7:a1drann refused the offer and was dismissed from the Institute; tT,e mason given for His dizroisral use hicVSD' membership. !!aldrann lived in his villa in Groifewald until called bsck in te Institute some tine later. It is of inter- cot to note toat ,!eldrana's Geo:,.sion to leave the Institute and the nussians h7s nst been firm. From nay to Ju.2y 1945 he even .prevented other In- stitute members fron fleeing to the 7:et. Ho than wanted close cooperation with the Runsins, end 'hen Dr. Trabe tschnicalnwng=Rohr and chief mechanic Ahrrs decided to flee and chartz,..red three ships to take equipmont with than, 'aldnann threatened to shoot averybecb.r lao tried to Imre the island.) Fgptratina 8. since 1945. the Rustians-hsve chown an ever-increasing interact in the Ineti- -Lute and have given ,:'cry- efficicot mupeort to the Gernans in rebuilding it, provldin7 coal and technical cquirment and returning to it an earerirental farm near Kowell en the minion just opposite Risms /s/and. The Russians have ordered no specific work at the Irstitute.and have not assured in any � ,.PT, its scieLtiCic direction, althouri're Russians cone there continuously to collet informo.tion. .-Iong the morn actable Russian visitors is Professor Tshz..,makev, Stalin Prize uLny.er, fron the n'ocow Institute for Research on Drain Disease. He cams tee in 197 to obtain information on chorionenin- anis.) 9. The-Institute hen done no research for vnr rurposes, althourth it can be easily and ,luickly used for Luch work at sr7 tins. In three days it con produce enou,!11 dred Tr7) virus in chicken or.gs or in beef ton7uss to attack an enemy coun�ry by drorr:Lag the virus from the sir. The Rusoiens eagerly collected info:::motica on this possibility. In rid-1947, Russian Col. Ifyssov, Chief of the it Cottle Breeding Division, cane to Rhone and asked Why the Germans did not try to drop the virus on the United antes durIng the,war, adding that this would have constituted a troller answer to the indiscriminate bomb- ing of German cities by Arericon pions's. 10. The Russians have also shown an intdrest ix the production and spreading of human rest. - "Pacn the Tb.innians fir7t came to Risme in 1945, they maintained that during the nr the Institute .hnd done research on human at with a view to srreading it in enemy countries. It vas very herd to convince them that -.xtunlly the institute had never engaged in such research. The only bacteri- ological (not virus) research ever ,lone during informant's stay at Pines wan on swine erysipelas and brucellosis. vat sscrw Approved for Release: 2023/04/17 C03157285 Approved for Release: 2023/04/17 C03157285' CS...TRAL IhrTaJleME ACY - 4 - in the 'oar motent7:o7lties of the Institute hae been prover,. eaf:m e believes, the Rune-ions my else be cencerrred with its peace- The Germane firet reentehliehed the laboratory for e7asede, - then took em am-In the predectien of vaccines, Iceteri- ane eork on n, e meccines - rzleci-pal]zr against seine ere: - m".leh the Runsienr rheesd much interest. Ay the end-of Jilne e-Tio 1ead a micre-hiele-deal rersarch do-mart-set ',Jerking mainly bracelloris, am: deo dIstemmer. It also had a ou chenimal armee-tr. cceeocted :eith'ite'research, as uell emetett for the mreducien of vencines - moielv aeminst MD and Now- Tnfoltment e- as mn7ehly that the Inetitute had by that f rellf its former ceraelem. 17one of the ezlenent provided for efrrh was the reele an thst dismantled in 1945. ;Iteff lcv,8 the Reams 7ertituto had a staff of about tuenty scent- --re there for c-ia7 ezief merisis. The- remanent staff had 7 ocrsenrei of seret tvolve seLeatiets. The =elms number izeludirg tecialcians, machinlets, aids, etc., was 140 the-var; it le smaller nee. . The mrnzaee liracter of the Inetieete,-srTelnteed 1 7oVember 1948, is Profsp- _SseSerear, former head ceT its tathciceical department. He had b-en eines 191/1 the f-at that the Reslians kept him at Rieme7and 7 df_recter Is an Lndipatien of the ezoency they feel for keep-. feestionlee. T--n ether mtsff momere deseiseed in 1945 have Eaerert 1-_.:211.-z -z, former rzedentien specialist for }11170 and ates vaccines, e,e, "ele been T,ftileei in a Feu-Brandenburg concern-. tratee'. �7"ar. bean rade head of the prlesetet depertment; irefeasorGott- mmoeSi to return to 7.:I.Ena rhs,rt17 to rerems his former petition devrrtnate. Bofors ,mr:vine at Rises, Pyl had wefeed 7 :7. H5chet; from 19e7 he merked eith the ASIR firm in DaSall pro- .. Informant coneieeme him the best ccientific head of the Risme n7e.: available to th reeeninno. Teterinery Georg Tschaikoveey cen- t nt the Institute. re is the or az member sueong the entire - eeeeei::e ets=f. Ferns:. :Loa:le-eta staff menhere arel e. Le. -..Ssieeeh Reska, formerly udtl: the Rerlin-Beeh Research Institute; Zarherd Schramn of the T4: for BioloPe, hormons specialist at Rims ese eer.eing at the ieseitute or hle-chemistry affiliated with -elvereity; e. Sp. Fem.ame chemist and'aonisteet to Prefecsop Pyl In the chemical derart- Petermann, speefaliat on "ei; type differentiation, 'meting wite --nidnnno in ArTeotira. . Pr-e:semsr atehard Roemer is net eerkine at the Institute; his connection it in 7nrely that of provieine cattle from Ms cattle-raising insti- eee, ta Lteeneraterf near Rentec%. 71101"h 15. :aft:mete eleime that he has inveneed a hitherto .nr1r-iamn method which :Lff7:rstiation of 1-fil.) vimn trnno oolement fixation" (durch Ilem- mlemeeeeer-e). This method, he -'- -s, meeme It pessible to determine in a- 'ours any rartioular -And of -air:3 cauning MID. This he says in� "be :ezost Importance tecaues reuniter meas.:zee apaint VD depend entirely 4111r ;Ca-a App-roved for Release: 2023/04/17 C03157285 Approved for Release: 2023/04/17 C03157285 4111,...77X-n7 C.T.FIBILL INT3LT,IC.;MC11; A.(773GY ork.the tyte of virus causing it. ntherttethois of MI:1 virus ty deternir_a- tion require an avera.--.e of TI_Ve ;Mel: in suCh a. long period that no ase orread before the nroter kind of vaccine could be found. Only th his M3 t`riodz, he �loins, is it nosAble to firht RID successfully from its very banning. Ele. he also succecd'ad in raising certain tee of MI) virus in chicken eq!..1, a method no for unIcnom, and is arplying thin method at bin ..nresent place of ',Jerk, the 1.;ehring %Torl',..3 in 11.artrarghn, a sorolof_si- oal and vaccine research institute. tie has invented a non-ir.fectioue vaccine w,ninst sine erysipelas; the latter is peculiar in consisting of killed or deai -raccins not coning f-roin a lire celturs. 16. In October 1_945, then Dr. Traub aki other Rieno Isleni scientists wars invited by. the T....issians to ,.-nric in Russia; ha seced and received a 24-hour peeled in to formulate his conditions for acceptinr the tussian offer. He par- pesc-4,1. nede conditions no rigid that th3 Rrssians 1,nuld not agree to them; he . rscunsted. for instance, that he be rut under the diplonatic protection of a Euronean or oVerSAA YX)Var ..-!hi le V orkin,, in Russia and. while. Gerrany was an- able to rile cliplonntic pi.otectionc. In Novenber 1945, 1.7D officers rut addi- tionol pmrsure on bin to accept the Russian offers but the president of the icansian Zone Central arininietratf.o., for Agriculture and Forestry intervened success:N.11y the T:uasians in nvor of Traub's staying in Garnany. 10 =MST Approved for Release: 2023/04/17 C03157285 / Approved for Release: 2023/04/17 C03157285 --r� oLtinLI � SIGNATURE RECORD AND COVER SHEET DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION REGISTRY SOURCE: TSCO DATE OF DOCUMENT: 15 Feb 1949 COPY NUMBER (5) : / CIA CONTROL NUMBER: 28333 a DATE DOCUMENT RECEIVED: LOGGED BY: . (b)(3) -NUMBER OF PAGES: 5 DOCUMENT NO. NUMBER OF ATTACIHMENTS: N e , ATTENTION: THIS FORM WILL BE ATTACHED To EACH TOP SECRET DOCUMENT RECEIVED BY THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY OR CLASSIFIED TOP SECRET WITHIN THE CIA AND WILL REMAIN ATTACHED TO THE DOCUMENT UNTIL SUCH TIME AS IT IS DOWNGRADED, DESTROYED OR TRANSMITTED OUTSIDE OF CIA. ACCESS TO TOP SECRET MATERIAL IS LIMITED TO THOSEHNDIVIDUALS WHOSE OFFICIAL DUTIES RELATE TO THE MATERIAL. EACH ALTERNATE OR ASSISTANT TOP SECRET CONTROL OFFICER WHO RECEIVES..AND/OR RELEASES THE ATTACHED TOP SECRET MATERIAL WILL SIGN THIS FORM AND INDI- CATE PERIOD OF CUSTODY IN THE LEFT-HAND COLUMNS PROVIDED. THE NAME OF EACH INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS SEEN THE TOP SECRET DOCUMENT AND THE DATE OF HANDLING SHOULD BE INDICATED IN THE RIGHT-HAND COLUMNS. REFERRED TO RECEIVED RELEASED SEEN BY (b)(3) OFFICE SIGNATURE DATE TIME DATE TIME NAME .1_OFFICE SYMBOL / (b)(6) -,ATE // CIA/OSI _ _.--� -11 A i 1 i ' ( 16/2 1.330 8/14.1 Cif , , / )i Cr:-. (..... IIU.' Lq:1-- ----,',�. � 1 , 71� ...1-------- � I nt: 1 � _.i',..) I . 1 1,-7--1- 1.4.1.� _ 1 - ,.. __ -- NITICE OF DETACHMENT WHEN THIS FORM 1ET ROM TOP SECRET MATERIAL IT WILL BE COMPLETED IN THE APPROPRI- ATE SPACES BELOW AND TRANSMITTED TO CENTRAL TOP SECRET CONTROL FOR RECORD. The Top Secret material detached from this form was: DOWNGRADED BY: (SIGNATURE) DESTROYED � DISPATCHED (OUTSIDE CIA) TO: (OFFICE) (DATE) Tge,staIT FORM NO. 38.13 PREVIOUS EDrrioNApproved for Release: 2023/04/17 C03157285 I APR 1948