Borvendég Zsuzsanna: Fabulous Spy Games. How international trade networks with the West developed after 1945 - A Magyarságkutató Intézet Kiadványai 24. (Budapest, 2021)
‘FABULOUS’ IN HUNGARY - The powerhouse of industrial espionage
'FABULOUS' IN HUNGARY still in Frankfurt, at a time when the decision was not only secret, but had not yet even been made. What is more, the German businessman even believed he knew Sebestyén had no intention of accepting the position of president, but was expressly trying to land the deputy’s office.328 The top man in an institute that also plays an important role in international relations is obviously kept busy by diplomacy, representing the office and plenty of public appearances, so making actual, operational decisions and controlling the work would be left to the deputy. This is why Sebestyén consciously opted for the second rung of the ladder. Throughout his term of office until his retirement in 1988, he put a lot of work as the deputy head of the OMFB into increasing imports of West German industrial products: “Even though he moved to an area other than foreign trade, he is very actively involved in various foreign trade negotiations and travels to western countries on a regular basis to independently make agreements on business deals. Sebestyén has relationships with several high-ranking persons in foreign trade and industry. It is through these relations that he turns his foreign trade ideas into reality.”329 All this, of course, was part of his official duties, the hysterical suspicions of counterintelligence appear less than justified, as it was the OMFB s responsibility to ensure availability of the technologies required for the technological development of the country. His tasks included elaborating an economic development plan for the country, coordinating technical and technological research, and acquiring advanced technologies, so it is fair to say that the institute became the most important customer for technical-scientific intelligence. The OMFB budget was rather substantial, the technical development fund allocated to the institute was raised every year, so it had a budget of 300 million forints and 5 million US dollars by 1973,330 which provided ample opportunities to select trade partners and purchase the desired technologies. 328 ÁBTL 3.1.5. 0-12344/2 p. 93 Report, 15 March 1961 329 ÁBTL 3.1.5. 0-12344/3, p. 72 Summary Report, 28 November 1961 330 ÁBTL 3.1.5. 0-15829/1 Report, 20 March 1974, p. 119 In terms of acquiring various technical specifications, West Germany was the target country of choice, and not just because it was at the vanguard of using the most advanced technologies as Europe’s leading industrialised nation, but 123
