Soviet-German Society "Culture and Technology"

The Soviet-German society “Culture and Technology” was an organization for the exchange of scientific and technical experience between the Soviet Union and Germany .

General

In September 1923, on the initiative of Professor SA Levitin, 8 German representatives from science and technology, including Albert Einstein and Conrad Matschoss, wrote a document with the goals and tasks of the company. On March 8, 1924, the constituent meeting took place in the "House of Scientists" in Moscow . Professor Levitin was elected chairman and Albert Einstein was elected honorary president. Boris Spiridonowitsch Stomonjakow later became chairman.

Close relationships existed with the Association of German Engineers , with which a cooperation agreement existed. In 1928 there were 42, 1929 75 and 1933 90 economic organizations in the society.

The company published two newspapers. From February 1926 the "Technika kustarju i remeslenniku", which appeared twice a month, was initially aimed at home workers and craftsmen and reported on the latest technology in the home and small industry. Later it was renamed "Technika kollektivnomu chozjajstvu" and was more geared towards agriculture. The circulation increased from 3,000 copies in 1926 and 4,000 copies in 1929 to 50,000 copies in 1933.

The second publication was the "Russko-germanskij vestnik nauki i techniki", which has appeared monthly since 1929 and was aimed at Soviet scientists and the technical intelligentsia and provided information about the latest technological advances in western countries. The print run rose from an initial 1,500 to 15,000 copies in 1933. The editorial board included Georg Graf von Arco , Kurt Hess , Conrad Matschoss, George Henry de Thierry , Franz Fischer and Georg Schlesinger .

There were regular general discussions between German and Soviet scientists and technicians. The company supported Soviet technicians in obtaining the necessary permits to visit German factories. She organized lectures by German scientists and conferences in the Soviet Union. In 1929 and 1930 there were a total of 57 lectures. In 1931 55 lectures took place. In 1931 two conferences on corrosion protection were held. In February 1932 an on standardization and production of new building materials. In 1933 there were four conferences. For the German specialists, the society organized lectures on the state structure and economic policy of the Soviet Union and other questions.

From January 8th to 15th, 1929, she held the "German Technology Week" in Moscow. After that, she held the "Days of German Technology" event twice a month.

After 1933, the contacts came to an almost complete standstill, and in March 1937 the company was dissolved.

See also

• Foreign Science and Technology Office
• Arplan , a study society of German scientists founded in 1932 to research the planned economy in the Soviet Union

literature

• Boris Venediktovic Levšin: The Soviet-German Society “Culture and Technology” in the years 1923 to 1933 . In: Heinz Sanke (Ed.): Germany, Soviet Union. From five decades of cultural cooperation. Humboldt University, Berlin 1966, DNB 456445161 , pp. 138-144.