Overview and Introductions

The end of World War II, coupled with the state of technology achieved by Germany during the war, posed a significant challenge and opportunity for the two new world powers, the United States of America and the Soviet Union.  Germany had excelled in several technological areas, and aerospace particularly stood out with respect to advanced developments not yet achieved in the USA or Russia.

Both nations responded similarly, gathering up German engineers and scientist, and re-locating them to their respective nation to begin not only a transfer of knowledge, but in some cases even having Germans lead projects heavily situated in the ‘national security’ realm.

The story of ‘operation paperclip’, initiated by the USA is well documented and available for review by the public (most famously, this includes the ‘move’ of Wernher von Braun to the USA to support the US rocket program).

The much less publicized story is the one of Junkers aerospace, and the move of its workforce and families in October of 1946 to Russia.  Junkers can easily be regarded as the most advanced aircraft manufacturer at the end of WWII, with such concepts in its repertoire such as the discovery of the area rule, operation of jet engines on its aircraft, cabin pressurization as well as futuristic designs involving forward swept wings.  With an on-coming cold war and arms race, technological know-how was a coveted prize to be capitalized on by both nations in the aftermath of the war.

The key object of desire from Junkers was the Junkers 287 and the subsequent Junkers EF131 / EF140.  Despite Junkers being a key military supplier during the war, the Soviet government did not seize operations post occupation (also a violation of the Yalta agreement prohibiting Germany from armaments production), but in fact had the Junkers factory rebuilt and the workforce retained and even expanded.  By June of 1946 the factory was re-built employing 3,325 employees.  Employees were under strict orders to secrecy as to the work being performed, breaches being punishable by death, which focused on the EF131 project under the leadership of Rudolf Baade and his leadership team involving Fritz Freytag and Hans Wocke.

Junkers 287

Unbeknownst to many, and far from initial appearance, keeping Junkers in Germany was not the Soviet plan.  The full plan was a secret ‘re-location’, at its peak reportedly involving up to 4,000 Soviet secret service and military personnel that were charged to move all equipment and personnel associated with Junkers.  Initially, with flight tests of the EF131 approaching, the runway in Dessau was found to be too short to conduct the test, and alternate plans to test the airplane in Rechlin were made.  While in the process of modifying roads and bridges to accommodate the move of the aircraft, alleviating fear by Germans of deportation, the demands to fly the airplane apparently became substantial and Baade proposed testing the aircraft in Russia or Poland, which officially was deemed absurd as it would require a large presence of German ‘specialists’ in Russia.  The aircraft was finally loaded onto a train headed for Rechlin, but then diverted to the Soviet Union after all.  Subsequently a team was assembled at Junkers in Dessau to conduct testing in Russia.  This team left on September 9, 1946 in a Ju88 headed to Moscow.   A second group of Germans left on October 12^th, and during a ground stop in Posen it became evident that this mission was no longer limited to tests, but rather amounted to a deportation.  Soviet directive No. 874-366 from April 17, 1946 actually made the intention clear to re-located all German personnel and associated equipment to the USSR.

During the night of October 22, 1946 Junkers was essentially re-located to the USSR.

The new location was Podberez’ye, approximately 100 km north of Moscow, on the shores of the Volga river and the Moscow Sea.  (Podberez’ye has since been integrated into the city Dubna, it is known as Dubna III).  Podberez’ye had previously been an aircraft manufacturing site, originally built by American companies for the assembly of an amphibious aircraft.  It consisted of a village (the center being multi-story apartment buildings), a hotel, a theater / cultural center, the factory and two schools.  An assembly of more traditional wooden houses could be found on the outskirts of the village also.  Shortly after the arrival of the Germans, additional housing was added and was know by the Germans as the ‘Finish’ homes, getting their name from the fact that they were pre-fabricated homes built in Finnland and shipped to Russia.

First Day of School

Snow White — Gebrueder Grimm

Finnenhaeuser — the ‘Finish Homes’ (shipped in as kits from Finnland post arrival of the German specialists)

The workforce at this point was made up of 519 German engineers and technicians and 1500 Russians.  Despite initial comments of a short duration of the stay in Russia (2 years was mentioned), the last Germans left Podberez’ye in 1954, 8 years after their arrival.

EF-140 Model in the Museum in Podberez’ye / Dubna

The move to Russia did not only include the engineers and technicians, but their families. The complete re-location essentially created a German island in Russia.  Many children were either included in this move or were born during the German tenure in Russia, making Russia their ‘home’ as they were raised in Podberez’ye.  This unique situation also created a cultural phenomenon, as many elements of life, particularly entertainment were ‘hand-made’ during these 8 year.   While technically being a deportation, families also look back upon the times in Russia with many  fond memories.  Hardship led to creativity as well as ingenuity and close relationships.

It is the purpose of this web-site to be a conduit for the assembly of information of the German stay in Podberez’ye, so that it is not lost over the generations.  Recent trips by family members have been meet with great interest and incredible hospitality (see recent trips tag), and we hope to motivate the generation that has grown up in Podberez’ye to engage,  visit and establish dialog with those living in Podberez’ye today.

If you are in any way associated with, interested in, or have information to share associated with Junkers in Russia, please contribute via the blog.  Of particular interest are personal stories.