Borvendég Zsuzsanna: Fabulous Spy Games. How international trade networks with the West developed after 1945 - A Magyarságkutató Intézet Kiadványai 24. (Budapest, 2021)
ATTACK ON THE OMFB - The Siemens lobby
FABULOUS SPY GAMES ranking consideration in trade policy that it should not account for the missed opportunity to import the latest technology to Hungary as soon as possible.”461 The OMFB still opted for Siemens. 461 ÁBTL 3.1.5 0-15829/2 p. 67 Status report, 23 June 1969 462 Sebők 2017 p. 138 463 ÁBTL 3.2.4 K-3000 p. 180 Note, 22 January 1979 The spectacular expansion of the West German conglomerate Siemens into Hungary can clearly be attributed to Sebestyént years in Frankfurt. At the same time, however, Siemens’ increasing market share in the country cannot be regarded as a unique situation: in 1971 a cooperation agreement was made between the company and the Soviet Union for the exchange of expert delegations and for joint manufacturing based on Siemens licences.462 (This may also indicate Soviet support behind János Sebestyént extraordinary soft power.) It was only later, in 1973, that Siemens and the OMFB signed the framework agreement governing the terms of technical and scientific cooperation between the parties, and establishing a body to meet annually to coordinate cooperation. Needless to say, János Sebestyén was appointed to head the body. The group also helped Siemens establish companies to increase its market share in Hungary, with this support provided by Intercooperation Kereskedelemfejlesztési Rt. Intercooperation was co-founded by the Ministry of Foreign Trade, the OMFB and several trading and industrial companies, primarily to set up cooperation projects and establish joint ventures, and to conclude licence and know-how agreements.463 Apart from electronics firms, it also covered heavy industry and the chemical industry. From its founding in 1968, the company limited by shares played an active role in procuring sensitive technologies for the Eastern Bloc. It was also used during the establishment of various joint ventures to lessen the impact of the states role and to make it easier to gain the trust of the western partners. Intercooperation was for a long time headed by György Oblath, who played a part in the late 1940s in the aforementioned Swiss network under János Nyerges’ control and guidance. Oblath, who started his career as an agent of the Ministry of Interior, clearly worked for military intelligence as the trade 166
