Rudolf Mosse Code
The Rudolf Mosse Code was a code adapted for international telegraphic trade , with which messages could be standardized and, above all, transmitted inexpensively. In addition to compression, simple encryption and, with the supplement, automatic translation into other languages were also possible. The code was developed by Rudolf Mosse Verlag and introduced by Martin Carbe in 1922. A corresponding code book was published in the same year.
Cost savings
The code and the cost reduction it brought about were essentially based on the internationally customary fee structure for telegrams at the time . The so-called tax words were counted for the transmission price . Words with a maximum of 10 letters were counted as a tax word, with numbers a maximum of 5 digits were counted as a tax word.
- In Morse code , digits are always 5 points or lines long, while letters are represented with 1 to 4 points / lines.
In the Rudolf Mosse Code, almost one hundred thousand commercial phrases, terms, quantities, units, numbers, company names, ship lines, etc. were represented in groups of 5 letters each. For further compression, standard messages were defined in the supplement in which the variable quantities could be taken from long code tables. Two code words were combined to form a tax word with exactly 10 letters. Numbers were also coded with letters for error detection and higher fees.
The code was legally binding due to commercial usage. In most cases, the quality of a product was defined as precisely as it could otherwise only have been described in several sentences. The cost savings were enormous, trade was simplified and legal certainty increased. Since the code was internationally oriented, the books of abbreviations appeared in different languages and clearly defined facts.
Encryption
Without the code book, the groups of letters themselves were completely incomprehensible. In addition, special codes could be agreed between two business partners. In part J of the code book, a special encryption method was also described, and this could be modified several times.
Fault tolerance
The code had several properties that were supposed to make it easier to correct errors:
- the letter "q" never occurs
- all code words differ by at least 2 letters.
The code book contains various instructions on how the correct code and thus the correct plain text meaning can be recovered from garbled Morse messages.
Codebook
The code book has 592 closely printed pages. It consists of the following parts:
- A - General part (codes abaal ... to ukdas ...)
- B - Blank part to fill in yourself for special purposes
- C - numbers, dimensions, currencies (unoot ... to yftir ...)
- D - Special lists for goods, technology, medicine, shipping companies, banks, railways, industry, insurance, geography, sports (yftna ... to zoear ...)
- E - tables for phrases with variable numerical values (zohol ... to zuzyv ...)
- F - three-letter key (zwaag etc.)
- G - Rudolf Mosse special part for the individual subcompanies of the publishing group (zyeac to zyzsa)
- H - panels for deciphering garbled code words
- J - Secret script part (zyzup, zyzyf ...)
- K - Mosse-Condenser for further savings for numerical values in connection with parts D and E.
Code samples
aksru... Wenn Alleinverkauf nicht erhältlich aksso... Wenn wir den Alleinverkauf erhalten aksua... Werden in den nächsten 12 Monaten für ungefähr ... bestellen, wenn für entsprechende Zeit Alleinverkauf erhalten
Supplement
The supplement has a further 266 pages and contains over 130,000 phrases, quantities, measurements, weights, currencies, product descriptions, names of vapers, companies, etc. in German / English / French / Spanish / Portuguese.
Examples from the supplement
A code word can represent a complete message:
PWIOV = Verladungen von je 15 Ballen, 4 monatliche Verladungen, erste in 2 Monaten
= Shipments of 15 bales each, 4 monthly shipments, first in 2 months
= Embarquements de 15 balles chaque fois, 4 embarquements mensuels, premier en 2 mois
= Embarques de 15 fardos cada vez, 4 embarques mensuales, primero en 2 meses
= Embarques de 15 fardos cada vêz, 4 embarques mensuales, primeiro em 2 mezes
NSYFU = Betrifft Euren Brief vom 7. dieses Monats: Einverstanden
= Concerns your letter of 7 of this month: agreeing
= Se rapportant à votre lettre du 7 de ce mois: d'accord
= Concierna a su carta de Vds. del 7 de este mes: Conformes
= Concerna a sua carta de 7 do corrente mez. D' accordo
Web links
literature
- Julius Kähler: Rudolf Mosse-Code with Mosse-Condenser written on behalf of Telegramm-Kürzer-Ges. mb H. with the participation of the Continental Telegraph Company and the Rudolf Mosse code department . Rudolf Mosse, Berlin 1922.