 On 11 January 1939 the People's Commissariat of Defence Industry of the USSR ("Народный комиссариат оборонной промышленности") was divided into several departments, among which was the People's Commissariat of Munitions (shortened to NKB in Russian).It oversaw the work of 53 production plants and 12 design offices, five construction companies, 5 universities and 11 technical schools.In 1939 it employed 337,141 workers.