What
THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1949.
Stalinin tends
Stalin demands a ‘round
the world' rocket
It
would
make it easier to talk to
Truman A secret conférence
in the Kremlin: What Stalin's
son is like: The round-up of the German scientists
by
Lieut.-Colonel
GRIGORI A. TOKAEV
a highly placed Soviet officer who fled
to the West to fight for Freedom.
сап-
T the end of the wor rocket scienco in Germany ahead of ita was petitors. In jet propulsion Germany was leading- the world up till 1944,
The collapse of the German armles was the signal for a race among the Allies for the sccrot blue-prints.
I was one of the principal Soviet technicians involved in this operation, and, therefore, I can truthfully say "that I know something about it..
The Inst is the one I should like to describe môre fully.
It was located at the far end of Jaegerstrasse, and was head. ed by Colonel General Shebimin. Its staff was tremendous, and its activities acquired savoury reputation.
an un-
The task of this II.Q. was to organise the despatch of Ger- man property under the guise of war booty, reparations, etc.
Everything movable in the Soviet zone was labelled "war booty," even ladies' underwear.
My job was to comb out Ger- man industry and scientilic
favourites.
VASILI, son of Stalin...a physiologically incomplete human. Cordially. hated for being a scandalmonger ·
and a Kremlin informer.
Serov is Deputy Minister of From the outset of the Occu- establishments for information the Interior (MVD). He is much
A body scarred by pimples second on the scene in the second by all the Kremlin
I first saw Peenemunde in the pation, there were three Soviet on everything relating to jet the
propulsion, rockets, aircraft con- dies" and is one of Stalin's and boils; rotten black teeth, place
and the hysterically high summer of 1945, and went to headquarters in Germany.
struction and atomic power.
pitched voice of a conceited Bleicherode a day or two after the
Americans left. and spoiled child.
By that time the Americans had atripped the works of everything they deemed of value.
(1) The S.M.A. (Soviet Mili
lary
B.Q.
Administration)
Berlin-Karl-
at horst, which was known to everybody.
(2) The ILQ. of the Soviet
Armed Forces Occupa tion Group in Germany. at Bebelberg.
(3) The H.Q. of the the Soviet Army
at Potsdam..
Vasili Stalin is a painfully STALIN'S SON
thin young man, who does not Looks Unpleasant.......
resemble his father in the least. His face, shoulders, arms, and ALTHOUGH I was often an in-
dependent agent on special general appearance remind one the Politburo, of a patient in the last stages Soviet General Staff. and the of tuberculosis. Soviet Air Staff,
missions for
at the Inst He may best bo described as
ΣΕ stage of my stay in Germany I physiologically incomplete Colonel-General human, with dull, reddish hair, Rear of worked
Group, Serov and Major-General Vasili and an unpleasant look in his
Stalin, the son of Stalin.
with
eyes.
BERNARD WICKSTEED tries on Hans Andersen's hat
DID something the other day that my children and grandchildren may like to hear about. I put on Hans Andersen's top hat.
Seriously, it really was his hat. It has been brought over to London for the Danish Exhibition that was held at the Victoria and Albert Muscum.
I happened to go along when they were unpack- ing it and one of the chaps said, "Try it on." I think it must be a magic hat because even though it too didn't ft (it was small) an urge came over- me to tell a fairy story of my own. So here goes.
Once upon 11 (1805) a son was born to a poor shoemaker and his wife (at Odense in
time
And he says
I'm glad it didn't
to be awarded it was Montgomery: Wellington had it, too, for beating Napoleon.
One of the tapestry ligures is be- lieved to be that old friend of our schooldays, Tycho Brahe, the astro- nomer. I've forgalten what he did
for astronomy, but I remember the -story-of-his-nose....
He had an unfortunate
mishap
the art of In spite of all "Court" tailors which is lavish ed upon him, his uniform fits him about as well as it would a telegraph pole..
were
But all the rocket stands
teating towers. intact, including the three great V2
to
The Soviet authorities also found
relating He drinks and smokes to ex- Incomplete materials
modified V2 rockets, including ceas.
certain amount of data on a project
capable for a winged rocket reaching the American continent,
of
At the beginning of the war he was attached to the Inspec- torate of the Soviet Air Force, The only Important loss was that where he was cordially hated the leading German specialists who for being a scandalmonger and developed the V2 headed by Profes For von Braun, could not be found. a Kremlin informer.
They had found refuge in Western zone.
A time went on he successive- ly became O.C. Air Regiment, Air Division, and, finally, Air Corps of the 16th Air Army based on Germany, although he is most. unsuited for this post.
Most of his air school friends are still lieutenants, whilst V with it. Someone carelessly sliced Stalin is a major-general. it off with a sword, and he wore a new one made of silver,
The daggers that well-dressed period were men carried at this
scouts rather palent. Boy
Each have loved them. contained a knife and a
THE 'SANGER' Search for him
Moscow and, as far as I know, he is not particularly pleased with his lot. A group of German experts was killed at the end of 1040 in an alr erash. The Govlot aircraft which WEB taking them to the US.S.R. crashed at the M.V.D.-M.G.B. Air-" feld. at Bykovo, nene Moscow.
In Apill 1047 I was summoned to Moscow for important conferences al the Kremlin, The following were present at one of the frat:-
MALENKOV-Member of the Poltt
the buco Deputy Chairman of -Council of Ministern, U.S.S.R. VOZNESENSKI-Member of the Politburo, Chairman of the State Planning Commission.
MARSHAL VERSHININ - Depuly Minister of the Armed Forces, U.S.S.H. C-In-C. -Soviet Alr
• Force.
KURUNICHEV-Minister of craft Industry, U.S.S.R.
MA
WITH STALIN. 'Explain to us'
Air-
ALENKOV announced harshly that rocket development must be spaded up. Khrunichev' remark- ed that it would be better to finish with the V question before starting on new commitments.
.!
Do you
American Column:
They Croon Over The Baby Car
By C. V. R. THOMPSON
NEW YORK.
AMERICAN men have fallen for a tiny British roadster. Although it is only 11 ft. hava 7 ins. long, 2,000 already paid £598 16s, for it.
Now they are forming clubs all tours over the country, to go on together. They love is whippet-like showiness and speed-03 miles haur.
an
And Life magazine has devoted three pages of pictures to a tour of the San Francisco club la 18 cara.
The climax of tour woa the drive of two doredevils beneath and through a towering lumber carrier," with the carrier moving at 15 miles an hour and the roadsters at 35.
ive inches of They had only
the corrier's clearance between wheels on each side.
A
FTER ten years of parts in Hollywood "B," or second-grade not plctures, Patricia Morison did have enough money to fly to New York for a final audition to win the Me, leading lady's role in "Kiss Kalc." The army agreed to fly her
"V2s, cried Malenkov, "un Tatto Broadway in a bomber, and she repail by appearing fry Gilve satisfied with your V25
Christmas show. She got the part. tho Kreatest think we are going to fight Polnud?
The critles say it is What we need are afrecaftcapable musicnt since "Oklahomal" and Miss of crossing the Atlantie.
Morison is Booded with offers Hollywood. stardom.
This meeting had an extraordinary sequel: A Politburo session, at which I was the principal speaker.
Stalin presided, Sitting around, a long table were Molotov, Malenkov, Zhdanov, Beriya,
Mikovan, Voznesenski, Voroshilov.
Electric
of
that commer-
THREE planes spiced at intervals Aivo iniles in the air may bo of able to telecast to every corner
Westinghousa under the Britain
Corporation's stratovision Bystem. Westinghouse, says stratovision "is ready for clai development." American ground stations can televise only about 30 miles because of the earth's curve. 'The subject under discussion: Ger-Westinghouse says its planes, hove 10 screena 250 miles nun rocket experiments in generai sent shows and, specifically, the "Sanger pro-away. Ject"
I sat at the end of the table, foc- choir throughout the meeting. ing Stalin. Serov stood behind my
In front of Stalin was a bound Aychiatrist Louis Verdot with
the Russian
which was volume. translation of this-project.
'EXPLAIN'
He said
LTHOUGH one of Stalin's official
Alles is "Coryphaeus of Science," he knows nothing about the theory rocket propulsion, and he could not have understood more than a fruction of the technical volume his elbow.
at
MAZING results are reported by mental group of 100 "hopeless"
Nertholt©X~ pätients at the Servicemen's hospital. Many have in been discharged, and some are full-time jobs. He kept them busy -
night with in- from morning teresting work or play which left no time to mope or brood.
to
who
· of
PRO-ZIONIST reader,
bear cannot
the thought Britain getting U.S. Marshall dollars, sarcastically wrote to the New York Post muggesting that Americans pay their income taxes direct to Britain. The Post handled the letter careful-
"Send taxes, to (ironie)."
He picked up the book and, look- ing at me, asked, "Comrade Tokaev,
ly. Tho, heading over the are you familiar with this work?"
MONG the prizes turned up was scientific work nebulous known as the "Sanger project."
a
ol
* I answered, "Yes Comrade Stalin,
1 am."
"Will you please explain to 113 what it is all about?"
My report on the "Songer project lasted for about 40 minutes.
During my report, Stalin slowly It tonsisted of a compilation.
paced up and down the length of physico mathematical chemical and the table as if lost-in-thought- gas-dynamics, theoretical data for a
From time to time, he came close super powerful, super long-range,
stratospheric rocket up to me and, looking me straight in In spite of this, his old com- supersonic, rades have not changed their propelled bomber capable of non- the eye, asked a question.
Not until I happened to mention, would opinion of him, and still consi- slop flight around the world.
The first reaction of some Soviet in answer to a question scabbard der him as one of the dullest
scienfists was to scoff at the idea, the people present, that some of the fork, and
but, after delving more deeply into most essential German scientists had the West, did. Stalin the subject, they came to tho con escaped to clusion that "Sanger's" bomber was emerge from his reverie. feasible in principle.
you could use the blade for getting
stones out of horses hoofs.
A favourite
ex-pupils of the air school.
Vasili Stalin left Germany for Moscow in 1947, and I do not know what official post he holds now.
the slender boy on THERE'S THE
right who put on weight after
When the war ended the first the tapestry was made and became
hearty,
King and most feverish search was, the
enormous Christian IV. You wonder how
for plants and such a small boy could grow so fat of course, until you see his drinking cup. It's scientists working on atomic mired them the harder he worked as big as a bucket.
Christian IV. (1688-1048) is to achieve his other ambitions. But
fit me...
the Kingdom of Denmark). They were so poor they lived in one room, but were happy because a child meant more to them than gold.
power.
the
In spite of the fact that the
they didn't come off, and he died at Danish schoolboys favourite king.
ours. He was! Soviet zone was combed out for the age of 70, honoured throughout as Henry VIII is the world as an Immortal teiler of very brave, and distinguished himself months, the search yielded the
to Politburo practically nothing. If that doesn't move you I recom- Queen Elizabeth. She turned him When the boy was 11 the
of story down, but gave him the Order shoemaker died, and his widow-mend you to read again the
of "The Ugly Duckling."
But Hans fancied himself as
children's tales.
by losing all his battles.
One of his dukes proposed
It is pure the Garter to make up for his dis-
to
appointment. Ite was so delighted
ON ROCKETS Soviet progress
Serov and myself were ordered by Politburo Stalin "himself" at a
and to meeting to find Sanger
hhm to Moscow in "bring voluntary-compulsory manner."
Serov, Vasili Stalin, Academician
0
Keldysh and myself looked for San- fer everywhere for months,
one of
Britain
it reads: suggestion
ON the ground that Wilhelm Furt- wangler, conducted before Hitler a group of top- during the war, ranking musical artists bus warned the Chiengo Symphony Orchestra not to hire him as its conductor. Planists Vladimir Horowitz, Artur Rubenstein, and Alexander Bral- lowsky, operatie soprano Lily Pons, Kostelanetz and conductor Andre say they will not appear with the orchestra i Furtwangler Is engaged.
and
HOW business: The Hollywood stampede to make a Berlin air- litt picture"Berlin Air-lift" "Berlin Blockade" are already copy- righted as titles-grow when actors Dennis O'Keefe and Louis Hayward registered "Operation Vities" for a film they want to make in England. European .Just back from his GI entertaining tour, Bob Hope is All this Ume Serov was standing flying to 30 American cities with a behind ine..
troupe of 44 shows.
I mentioned a number of names, including those of Professor Tank and Dr Sanger,
up.
With every name I mentioned, Stalin's hooded eyelids Lew "And where are Sanger and Tonk now?" he asked.
Finally, we arrived at the conclu- sion that Sanger was working with
where in France, the group of Professor Georg some certain, but that there were reasons
With him disappeared his ablest assistant, a Frau Bredt, an apparent- ly outstanding mathematician. No trace of her was ever found.
ed mother said: "Hans, my son, autobiography. I read it aloud you must choose a carcer. How the family, and when we came to about this that he went home and
the end, where the duckling found ordered a new breastplate for his MOS
MOST of the leading atomic were ever printed: they were about, the tailoring trade?" he was really
ព swan, we were gult of armour with the Garter en- scientists had fled to the almost crying.
You could see this at the exhibi-British or American zones. tion, and also his old breastplate,| However, the effort was not her completely wasted. One of the
graved on it.
I take of his but to him. I the
his
a dramatist, and went on play- ing with his toy theatre, dress. hat had anything to do with ing his puppets, and reading ordeals, I'm glad it didn't fit me. Shakespeare.
Rescue rope JANS ANDERSEN had a fear of fire, and always carried a rope for getting out of windows if the place cought alight.. The rope was brought over for the So were a couple exhibition, too.
At 14 he set off to seek his
the theatrical HAN fortune. (in world), and presently came to a big town (Copenhagen), where on his travels ho asked for work (as an opera singer, of all things).
Wicked fairy
which he kept as a spare.
Denmark has
It hos OWL.
no metal of
bc to
von Braun, etc.
Some must have undoubtedly found their way Weat.
I replied that I did not know for
to believe that Sanger was in France And that Tonk was somewhere the British zone.
'MUST DO IT' Stalin's order
in
TELLING TALES
of the world
we live in...
Only 60 copies of the "Sanger pro-
Y M snswers had put Serov in a CARLO, the Italian, complained: Three times I have tried to distributed to people like Goering. dificult position, from which ho
poison Milch, Messerschmitt, Prandtl, Tank, tried to extricate himself by putting dle. The rape broke, the
the blama on others.
made me only sick, and the gas had been cut off"
your After I had
finished my report,
His friend advised: "Wear Stalin called Sokolovski on a direct
Communist Fascist uniform in the quarter. They'll kill you.".... ment commission would be 'nrriving "What, still alive?" asked the in Berlin that very day, and that it friend when they met again. of was to be given every facility for "Yes," replied doleful Carlo. "I In my opinion the realisation
'did just what you said, but every- possible in prin- carrying out the tasks which, had Sanger's idea is
one who came by alapped me the back and zald: 'Ah, those were ciple, but it is also my considered been aloited to it." opinion that the U.S.S.R. does not He also said that the S.M.A was
the good old days. " nt to pay means to realise it possess the
particular attention to air matters from then on, present.
Imported. finest, prizes was the physicist, Only three copies were found in line, and advised him that a Govern- -Nowadays the Danes pay for It Dr Herz, of the Herz Institute the Soviet zone.
with butter and bacon, but in, pre- at Charlottenburg. historic times they traded from the Daltle shores,
Early necklaco
amber
Herz was bundled off to the U.S.S.R. without being naked whether he wanted to go not.
or
his
was
walking up and
on
п
of his trunks, his umbrella, some HERE is more early Danish am-
British and American frm en- original MSS and a letter from Dic-
bor scattered about the rest of
Late in 1945, the Soviel authorities Just before the meeting broke up, Atered a race to be first to build kens.
Europe than there is in Denmark Today, 'several score of Ger-
"export
the Besides fairy stories (and bacon) itself, for it was on the
n ̈now car. After five months man physicists, mostly small changed their tretler, and began to Stalin
days Americans cnbled "Five more THE townspeople merely laughed Denmark is famous for Hamlet, so only list then.
selentists high The provincial boy. He was the Danes brought
good fry, are working in the U.S.S.R. fer rocket specialists and atomic down the length of the table, suck-
salaries ond good ing his pipe. ancient an
and we finish." All the same, some pretty
"Fifty morÜ Castle stuff seems to have got on the on atomic problems, together homes if they would collaborate.
The British replied tapestry showing what the to young and no odd.
Not addressing anyone in particu- Only very few, and not the prin far and emphasising his words with
forms and we start." One day when he
was nearly of Elsinore looked like at the time Bronze Age black market, including with Herz.
a necklace almost big enough to use
ha right hand, he spoke starving he met two kind musicians that Shakespeare wrote..
I do not exaggerate when I say cipal ones at that, accepted. You can see the battlements as a skirt.
now servant care from who offered to give him singing les
that moment a where the old ghost walked and This isn't as impossible, 'as
THE It that the full weight and prestige
For those who refused strong-arm, thoughts aloud as follows:- concentrated sons. But just et
remolo corner of Scandinavia. worn of the Politburo areo the guards. sounds, because skirts were
methods sufficed.
We need aircraft of the Banger Sho was willing to work, but--inex- wicitet fairy waved her wand and scared the life out of the wretched boy's volco broka.
type, and, if this project can bo There's supposed to be a ghost in rather, short in Denmark 3,000 years on this enterprise,
When the Occupation authorities
The person wanted was bundled
realised, in practice, we must do it. The king (Feederick VI, 1803-30) the ruine ull. He sits at a table ago: About 18 inches from waist to
turned to rockels, jet propulsion, and off into a train or · aircraft, and heard about this, and, taking plly on and has been there, so long that his hem was the rule,
Several of these prolotypo skirts, aeronautical developments, they got despatched to the U.S.S.R. without "If we have such aircraft, it will the boy, sent film to a grammar beard, has grown into the wood..
Germans further odo.. school, where he stayed til he was
be easier to talk to Truman. We may The story is that when danger and some equally ancient blouses, practically everything the 22 (surely a record, even for a fairy threatens the State he will rise and have been dug up in Denmark with ever had.
The greater part of German acro- be able to quieten him down." with out. the
German rocket development was go forth, dragging the table
sign of a moth in thern. talo).
and concentrated in two main centres, nautical rocket and jet propulsion Ho hated every minuto. at school him on the end of his beard. But They were in old oak thesis,
pre- Peenemundo, on the Baltic, and exports, headed by Professor von because he didn't want to be a pre- when the Germans invaded he didn't the tormin in the wood has
Bleicherode, Un the Harz Mountains Bock, who fell into Soviet hands are fect. Ilo simply wished to be a even stir a whisker-much to the served the wool.
been of Thuringia.
working in groups in various parts great dramatist, or, falling that, a delight of Goebbels, who said It Older "Old Looks" have
The first was in the Soviet zone, of the U.S.S.R. showed there was nothing to worry found in Egyptian tombs, but they great novelist.
Amorican Professor von Bock, with a group second in the were 'designed for ceremonial occa- and the Hans Anderson, went on yearning about
of German experts, is working at
Aerodynamics Contral
and to be one or the other all his life, Worked into the design of this slons. These Bronze Age skirts were zone.
Thus, Sovlet search parties, though the and wrote fairy stories in bis spare. tapestry is the insignia of the Or for everyday wear, like Hans An-
they tried hard to be first, were Hydrodynamics Instituto. (Tragi) in. time only. The more people, ad- der of the Elephant. The last man dersen's hat,
[World copyright] -
NEXT WEEK: Stalin purges' his air force and builds
It up again
perienced, Bald her mistress, at last: "What can you do?”
The girl thought, then repiled: "I can milk an clk"
THE Czech Cominunist and the Social Democrat were angling on the river-bank. The hours pass- ed without success. The Communist became angry: "I cannot understand why they, do not bite."
Sald the Social Democrat: Take of
Party badge. They're
· Jour afraid to open their mouths."