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 - Ties running deep
FABULOUS SPY GAMES French company was actually the Siemens lobby The two companies agreed to take over each others representations in their own countries, and the next step in the cooperation would be marketing a computer they developed together, so the equipment purchased from the French company was designed to implicitly open up markets for Siemens.498 In 1972, the Lenin Kohászati Művek steelworks was forced to purchase a Mitra-15 to control metallurgical processes according to the same considerations, but they did not have compatible software, so it could not be used.499 Overseen by the SZKI, programme development started immediately and Videoton also received its first French computers, which were used to progress development tasks assigned to Hungary within the ESZR. The RIO computer they built and which was successfully used in the countries of the Soviet Bloc illustrates the expertise and resourcefulness of Hungarian engineers. 498 ÁBTL 3.1.5 0-15829/7. 84-85. Information report, 31 March 1972 499 Ibid. p. 84 So the development of the Mitra and Siemens computer ranges began and continued in Hungary, but the scandals erupting in the background had to be smoothed over and dealt with somehow. According to information from state security, it seems that it was only Simon who was still trying to carve out substantial advantages for the West German company in 1973, based on the signed framework agreement, but his partners of old turned their backs on him. At the beginning of the year, the Ministry of Health announced a cardiology programme and instructed a foreign trading company called Medicor to purchase the necessary equipment. ‘ Fábián was determined to make Siemens the winner of the bidding process, because it was obvious that, when it came to further development, the company whose computers were already present in the market would be at an advantage. When the offers arrived, however, it transpired that Phillips had made an offer of the same technical content for 20 percent less, and would consequently be awarded the tender. As shown by Endre Simons telephone conversations tapped by state security, Simon also called Robert Geist to ask for his help in obtaining an import licence for Siemens, but Geist, refuting the statement made during previously tapped conversations that 180
