360F.115 Int. Tel. and Tel. Corp./10–545: Telegram
The Chargé in the Soviet Union (Kennan) to the Secretary of State
[Received 5 p.m.]
3456. Embassy’s telegram No. 3064, August 26.74 Soviet Foreign Office replied on September 28 to Ambassador’s letter of August 2 & re protection I. T. and T. property in Czechoslovakia:
“According to information received from competent Soviet organs, the plant of the firm ‘Ferdinand-Oschard’ was quartered in a textile factory. The equipment of this plant, consisting of 154 units, was brought out from Berlin in 1944. 100 units of this equipment were manufactured before 1939 and 54 units after 1939. All the equipment of this plant, according to information received by the People’s Commissariat, has been left on the spot by the Soviet authorities, and no dismantling or removal of it is contemplated.
The plant of the ‘Lorenz’ firm for production of vacuum tubes began to be built in 1940 in Vrchlabi by order of the Ministry of Armament of Germany. The construction was begun on the foundation of a textile factory. The first section of the factory was reequipped and began to operate in 1941. The second newly constructed section began operation in 1942; the third section underwent capital re-equipment in 1943. The machine equipment for this plant entered into use by years as follows: In 1940, 57 units; in 1941, 73 units; in 1942, 125 units; in 1943, 417 units; in 1944, 678 units; and in 1945, 195 units. In all, 1,540 units reached the plant. This equipment was manufactured and was evacuated from German plants belonging to the following firms: Tekars, Koch, Leibold, Eindhufen, Bruckner-Korborg Siemens, Rudolf Geraus and others. By years of manufacturing the equipment installed is divided as follows: 1940, 93 units; 1941, 91 units; 1942, 307 units; 1943, 705 units; 1944, 344 units. In all, 1,540 units.
As is evident from the foregoing, the equipment of the above two plants was manufactured entirely by German firms and has no connection with American firms. The dates cited above of the installation of the equipment in the above plants indicate that the opening and development of these plants took place in a direct relationship with the military efforts of Germany. Therefore, the Soviet Government sees no foundation for considering the request of the Government of the United States that the equipment of the above plants be removed from the lists of war trophies.”