Captivated German engineer about the USSR in the late 1940s

In 1946, more than 200 German engineers from the Sudeten radio engineering plant were transported to the USSR. In the Moscow region of Fryazino they invented Soviet television. Engineer Walter Hass describes what struck his Soviet population and the police.

In October 1946, as part of the execution of Order No. 011, about 8,000 German specialists of various profiles were evacuated from East Germany to the USSR. Only a few of them left voluntarily (mainly - the Communists and the victims of Hitler).

The move to the USSR was a complete surprise for 2500 German families. At exactly 2 hours and 30 minutes the counterintelligence officer, accompanied by an interpreter and a group of soldiers, knocked at the door with insistence, entered the house and read out to the Germans that they had been lifted from their homes, ordering them to be sent immediately to continue their work in the Soviet Union. At this time, railway stations were already ready for loading at the stations. German engineers and workers were allowed to take with them family members, as well as all household items and even furniture. Some Germans agreed to go voluntarily, others were taken by force. Each was given a food ration and a cash allowance in the amount of 3 to 10 thousand rubles, depending on the position he occupied.

More than 200 German specialists LKB "Obershpreye" (Berlin) and "Fernsee" (Sudety) were delivered to Fryazino in 1946 to work in electronics and radio engineering (NII-160 and SKB-883). On the basis of their developments, they invented for the USSR the first-in-the-world broadcasting equipment with 625 lines, created electron-ray tubes (kinescopes, super-neoscopes, etc.), semiconductor detectors, microwave devices for radar. Interestingly, for the inventions made by the captured Germans in Fryazino, the three groups of Soviet specialists who worked with them were awarded the Stalin Prize.

One of these German engineers was Walter Hass. His memories of life and work in Fryazino were published in the book "German specialists in Fryazino. 1946-1952 ", published by the Fryazino club" Historian "in 2011.

"I worked for Fernseh GmbH, the main part of the company that moved to the Sudetenland during the war years. Of course, the production program was supplemented with important directions for the war. One example of the military application of such peaceful technology as television was the following program: a radio-controlled bomb dropped by an airplane with the help of a television camera installed on it gives the pilot an image of the target, on the basis of which he directs the bomb through wireless remote control.

By the end of the war, part of the plant, the foundation of today's "Fernseh GmbH" in Darmstadt, was evacuated to the west - to Bavaria. After the war, the Sudetenland withdrew to Czechoslovakia. The incoming Red Army captured the German factories located here and placed Russian orders on them, and in the development departments, in most cases, industry officers or informants were appointed. They spoke German well enough. On my site - the development and manufacture of picture tubes and special CRTs - I contacted 12 officers.

As a result of the "inventory" a long freight train was assembled, and a group of 21 Germans went to Russia. Good treatment, good work and return home were guaranteed to us in 2 years; besides, we could take our family with us and transport the furniture. The escape of our families from Czechoslovakia, by this time really chauvinistic, looked tempting.

I would like to make short sketches of the main moments of our stay in Russia. Of course, they all reflect the subjective impressions left from that time.

Population. Describe the Russian population is very difficult - so much it is many. There is a big difference between party and non-party. In addition, people from one and the other group behave differently in the team and in personal communication. On occasion, it was possible to talk openly with party members quite openly and even discuss some painful ideological questions or the difficulties of the party line. Nevertheless, the face of the interlocutor changed dramatically, if another Russian joined in the conversation: the mask was again dressed and, if the topic did not completely dry out, the interviewee would return to the old official stamps with which no communist can part with witnesses.

Partisans willingly boasted that membership in the party, deserved exemplary behavior, is a particularly honorable award. It was never possible to find out anything essential about their personal principles and worldview. In addition to a few propagandistic sayings about the path of the country's development from socialism to communism in their naive variant, nothing could be heard from them. And conversations on the themes of repression or Stalin's "purges" in general were taboo.

Unequivocally, party members made their careers much faster and, with the rise of their posts, they received ever-increasing and more comprehensive material benefits, such as buying scarce goods at a low price, benefits in obtaining apartments, and the like. In addition, their caricature, pronounced use of the power given to them was evident, especially in relation to the lower; sometimes in a really obvious and disgusting way for their own good.

I also assume that the general interest in slogans and posters was applied to a sort of justification of these privileges. This role of the CPSU is still not discussed, since the new members must be sure that these advantages will continue. And it is they who, perhaps, will most convincingly present to you the real "party line".

A special social status is enjoyed by certain groups of the population, to which, besides party members, natural scientists, doctors, high-ranking officials, recognized writers, artists, specialists with state awards also apply. These people, along with honorary status, also received significant economic benefits.

The nonpartisan majority population makes an impression of humble, friendly, disciplined and reserved people, wherever you meet them: on the street, on a shopping trip, on public transport, on cultural or recreational activities or at work. In their personal lives they are simple, cordial, ready to help, very fond of children, simply enveloping them with care, attentive, hospitable.

Most of them also retained a deep Faith in themselves. They love their homeland without any conditions. They talk about everything, but not politics. They like to dance and sing, but their songs are sad, even when they are very fun. There was an impression that their customs do not allow to invade politics in their calm, measured private life. At the same time, they are not in the least hostile, not oppositional to the government. In communicating with the Germans, as we happily noted, they are open and courteous and do not show any hint of hostility, unlike some members of the party.

To the description of the population it is also necessary to add such phenomena specific for Russia as the black market and left work. Obviously, both (and the black market - even with a certain connivance of the state) form a necessary complement to the state economy. The black market offers products of small producers and new or used daily items, including clothing. However, it seemed to me that a significant number of products of the so-called "gray market" were also sold on the black market.

The left work is what in the free economic model is called independent handicraft production. It is clear that a significant role in this play a "tip". They are required whenever you need to get something.

A special article is a love for alcohol, which probably depends directly on the rigidity of the winter, which increases in the eastern direction. Russian drinks a lot, in most cases, without our usual cozy-communicative atmosphere, trying to be in the desired state of dope as soon as possible. The damage to the national economy from drunkenness can not be described; cases of frostbite are frequent in winter. All the propaganda that began as early as in the youth work of the Komsomol, and the threats of punishment at the enterprises remained practically unsuccessful (at least in our time). Drunk Russian should be persuaded as a child. And if intoxication is strong, then it becomes in most cases unpleasantly unceremonious.

Russian customs, customs and rules of etiquette. Russians greet each other only once for the whole day. The form of the greeting does not contain any indication of the time of day (in German the most common forms of greetings, such as "good morning", "good evening", etc.). The repeated greeting during the day is treated as a desire to attract attention.

The society does not show any emotion. Joining the queue (for example, on a bus) always occurs with the same words: "Who is the last?" - "I" - "I will be behind you."

It is forbidden to photograph public buildings. In discussions, one should never raise the tone; idealistic arguments are useless. Preparing to leave the chief's office, the subordinate politely asks: "Can I go?"

A clear balance in the visitor's glass indicates that he wants to leave. The old customs of hospitality are still being fulfilled. So, at home reception the mistress sheds a glass of red wine on a white cloth so that all guests can feel at home.

Perhaps the most beautiful old Russian custom has survived: when a family member leaves for a long time, he is escorted by several minutes of general pensive silence.

Legality, the police. Russian laws, as well as instructions for behavior in the workplace are strict, strict to cruelty. However, there is a very wide threshold of tolerance, restraining their use, so Russians can live with them. However, if the mechanism is launched, then the law is strictly adhered to.

I will give an example of such a formal court, which looks directly incredible. In the large central design hall, everyone is considering a caricature of a German designer. Everyone laughs, but he does not understand the reason for laughter. One of the Russians has a copy in his hand. The German says: "Let me at least see!". And snatches this copy. Russian selects, the German grabs again, while slightly touching the head of the Russian, and asks for forgiveness.

The deputy head of the department writes a memorandum: the German arranged a fight with the Russian in the workplace. The sentence: a forced labor camp or, as a substitute, a high monetary penalty. The German designer asked me to talk to his department chief. The head of the department agreed with my argument that three of his children should not be punished simultaneously with the father, and I, in turn, agreed that the act of the guilty, of course, was an incredible stupidity. In the end, he agreed with my proposal to approve, as punishment for this designer, the necessary number of overtime jobs. Thus, the verdict could at least be relaxed.

For the following illustration of the Russian character, I would like to tell you the following, in some ways even pleasant history: one German colleague on his way to the institute on a mirror-free mirror-coated ice broke his leg and lost his ability to work for five months. During this time, he was paid only 64% of his salary. All the questions were answered that this is the law, and the salary was always calculated in this way. I asked the chief accountant for the text of the law and found there that it was not 64%, but definitely 80%. The somewhat confusing text was once misunderstood, and the misunderstanding remained without criticism. My German colleague, as well as the Russian head of the institute, received the missing difference. After this story, I was joyfully welcomed at the enterprise by even unfamiliar Russians.

Since it is easier to tell than to formulate any critical assessments, I would like to recall additionally two more small cases that should show that when you meet with the Moscow police, everything can end happily, even if you do not have any identity card - with the right behavior.

It happened not long before our first Christmas in Russia. I had to buy something for Christmas baking and asked the policeman where the central market is. My pronunciation obviously aroused his suspicions, and he arrested me, taking for a German prisoner of war. At the police station, everything was taken away from me, and dressed in the civil commissar began to question me. It turned out that he was not completely aware of the use of German specialists in Russia. I told about the institute, and also that we are registered in Moscow, in the Ministry of Textile Industry. Soon I got my things back, and he took me to his car to the Ministry, where my quite fantastic story for a prisoner of war was confirmed. At parting he apologized and politely shook my hand.

And the second example: We decided to visit our middle son, who underwent tonsils surgery in the Moscow hospital. We rode in a crowded tram, and my wife suddenly exclaimed: "There is no purse in the bag!" And there was a good one hundred rubles. I told the conductor that we were robbed, and asked to leave the doors closed and call a policeman. She did so - the sound of the whistle is still in my ears. The policeman enters. A sudden crush, the young man opens his hands with the door next to the driver and disappears with the policeman. The tram started off again, and we could not see the detention itself because of the construction site. We left at the next stop, and one of the passengers pointed to two policemen and a young man. We approached, the policeman turned to us with the words: "Here it is!". After that, we all went to the police station. The young man in his pockets had only one hundred rubles, a small bundle of twine and a dirty handkerchief. The policeman returned the money to me and began to find out the situation in a friendly conversation, after which he dictated to me the protocol that I signed. And everything, although I did not have any documents with me. We really enjoyed this breadth of nature and the effectiveness of the police.

As a result, I stayed in the USSR instead of two years - six. We left back to Germany only when we completed the entire cycle of works designed for us.

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