Yanks for Stalin
Interview Transcript

Feodor Chinchenko  (cont)

Q.  Was Ford offered as an example for others to follow?

A.  These machines were obsolete by 1933.  They were no longer being built in America, and they sent us these obsolete machines in order to prevent competition.  Ford factories were producing different machinery.  But these models were good enough to enable us to complete the factory and begin production and for our people to learn how to run the machinery and equipment that had been delivered.

Q.  The first cars built here were called Soviet Fords. Do you remember that?

A.  That's what they were called.  By the way,  your question reminded me about one important incident.  We placed Ford emblems on the inside of all the parts we made.  The emblem usually fell off before reaching its destination.  Just got lost on the way.  I was blamed.  Then our stampers began to make a new emblem, but the word "Ford" was not on it.  Instead the word "NAZ" was on it, meaning the Nizhny Novgorod Automotive Plant.  At first that's what the plant was called, not GAZ but NAZ.  When we made these emblems, we made them with a larger weld area, and they didn't fall off.  The emblems would remain on the part until reaching the destination.  That's how we turned the Ford emblem in Russia into NAZ.

Q.  I heard that paintings were made with Marx, Engels and Ford together.  Is that true?

A.  I don't remember such a thing.  Maybe that happened in other places, but not here.

Q.  Was Ford a communist?

A.  No, Ford was not a communist.  They say that Ford wanted to help Russia to develop its automotive industry, since he created it in America, and reduce the time necessary to develop that industry here.  He also wanted to help America out of its crisis.  In 1929 and 1930 there was a continuing economic crisis.  Since the equipment and tools were pressed in America, he thought that Russia, or the USSR, would be able to help America out of its economic crisis.  That's what I heard.

Q.  Have you heard the expression "Fordization?"

A.  No, I never heard anything like that.  Fordization, no.  That word appeared later.

Q.  Did the famous Riker brothers work at your factory?

A.  They could have worked there, but I didn't know any of them.  As I said, I only knew those with whom I worked, Duman, a Frenchman, Honter, a Ukrainian, but he worked for Ford, and Yuvashek, a Pole.

Q.  Where did the Riker brothers work?

A.  I don't remember exactly.  In some machine shop.

Q.  How many people worked for Ford?

A.  500.  By contract.

Q.  Did foreigners join the Party?  What were their political convictions?

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