APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R00020011022-9
CW defense. A number of institutes are conducting research on CW detection. Research on new detection techniques involves the use of paper chromatography, thin-layer chromatography, enzymatic assays, and luciferin-luciferase luminescent systems. Excellent results have been achieved on detection, protection, and decontamination equipment, which has been standardized for the East German and other armies of the Warsaw Pact countries. Along with the Soviets, the East Germans are leaders among the East European countries in the development and improvement of chemical-biological-radiological (CBR) decontamination vehicles, but no recent developments have been reported. East Germany has been assigned the leading role among the East European countries in the development of decontamination ointments.
Research is underway at several institutes in CW prophylactics and therapeutics, including antidotes for nerve agents. Under study are the effects of cholinesterase reactivates such as toxogonin bromide—N, N'Trimethylene-bis (pyridine-4-aldoxime) dibromide (TMB-4), pralidoxime (2-PAM)—and other pyridine aldoximes.
Detection equipment efforts have included the development of a neutron dosimeter for personnel. The technique employed allows the incident neutron to interact with a uranium foil. The uranium nucleus splits, yielding fission fragments which are collected in a mica foil. The fission fragment principle is not new, but its use with a mica foil is a recent development. The main advantage of mica is that the etched traces can be easily identified because of their rhombic shape.
3. Atomic energy (S)
The nuclear energy program was initiated in 1955, but all nuclear research was curtailed in 1962. It was heavily supported and strictly controlled by the Soviet Union. Although achievements lagged behind those of West Germany, they were on a par with or better than those of other East European countries; during this period the East Germans made some significant contributions in the production and utilization of radioisotopes. The major factors underlying the accomplishments were the considerable Soviet financial and technical assistance, well-developed industrial support, and the availability of German scientific and technical personnel repatriated from the U.S.S.R.
During the early stages of the program, emphasis was placed on the establishment of a nuclear research center and facilities for training personnel. The first and only significant nuclear research institute established in the country was the Central Institute for Nuclear Research at Rossendorf, near Dresden. The equipment for this institute, including a 2-megawatt (MW) research reactor and a 25 million electron volt (MeV) cyclotron, was provided by the U.S.S.R. Although most of the research concerned radioactive isotope production and utilization, some effort was devoted to power reactor development.
Nuclear research probably was curtailed at the direction of the U.S.S.R. In June 1963 most of the training programs were discontinued. A major reorganization occurred in 1963 which dissolved the Office of Nuclear Research and Nuclear Technology and transferred its functions to the SFT. Many of the nuclear scientists and technicians were assigned to nonnuclear tasks. Although the U.S.S.R. has continued its assistance, the East German nuclear program remains under severe curtailment.
East Germany has a small nuclear power program which is viable only by Soviet permission and because of massive Soviet assistance. The first power station, a 70-MW electrical (MWE) pressurized water reactor, was built at Rheinsberg, north of East Berlin, and started operation in early 1966 (Figure 4). The Soviet Union provided the reactor and fuel for it and still retains control of the facility. All spent fuel elements are returned to the U.S.S.R., thus depriving East Germany of access to the plutonium produced in the reactor. East Germany does not have any plans for the construction of fuel reprocessing facilities. A second nuclear power complex is under construction at Greifswald near the Baltic coast. This station is to consist of at least six reactors, the first of which is to be operational in 1974-75, and the remaining five at 12-month intervals. The first four reactors reportedly will be 440-MWE pressurized water units identical to the third and fourth units at Novovoronezhskiy in the U.S.S.R. The two final units (supposedly operational in 1979 and 1980) are to be 1,000-MWE each. The reactor under construction is being provided by the Soviets under conditions similar to those for the Rheinsberg reactor: the fuel will be provided by the Soviets and the spent fuel will be returned to the Soviet Union for reprocessing. Preliminary studies are underway for locating a 1,000-MWE nuclear power facility in the Merseburg area to serve the chemical industries there.
There are no indications that the Soviets have relaxed or will relax their control over the East German nuclear program to such an extent that military-oriented research has been or will be possible.
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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R00020011022-9
