WAGES AND PRICES IN THE GELENDZHIK AREA

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02748111
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: March 8, 2023
• Document Release Date: August 13, 2019
• Case Number: F-2018-00127
• Publication Date: June 2, 1953

Approved for Release: 2019/07/30 CO2748111
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
SE7ET
1.147RRITY INFORMATiON
This Document contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States, within the mean-
ing of Title 18, Sections 793 and 794, of the U.S. Code, as
amended. Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited.
COUNTRY USSR
SUBJECT Wages and Prices in the
Gelendzhik Area
DATE OF INFO. 19/47 1952
PLACE ACQUIRED
REPORT NO.
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT NO.
REFERENCES
RD
(b)(3)
2 Jun?. 1953
3
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
SOURcE:
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
1. Rs far as I can remember,. prices (in rubles) for consiamer goods and other basic
commodities in 190, 19490 and 1952. in the Gelendzhik (1144-34.9 E38-05) area
were as follows:
Food (per kilogram or liter)
1947
1949
1952
Breads Black
3.20
2.5
1.80
White
5.80
2.70-3.20
Meats Beef
20
2.5(sic) 16-19
Pork
30
20-25
Sausage
20-70
13-56
Sugar
40-50
10.20
Potatoes
3
Cabbage
1.20
Milk
3.50-4
Vodka
90
70
Beer
3.20
Wine (cheap brand)
35
20
15-18
piET
(Note: Washington Distribution Indicated By "X"; Field Distribution By "*".)
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Clothing
4 1949 1952
Man's work suit 250-300
(better quality) 800
Woman's work dress
� (better quality)
Man's work shoes 250
(better quality) 400
Man's boots, untreated leather. 125
calf from 300 up
Cap 40
2. The transpOrtation costs in 1952 were:
a. Taxi fare in Gelendzhik from Gelendzhik to Novorossiysk: 90 rubles
b. Bus fare on the ZIS-162 from Gelendzhik to Novorossiysk,
depending on the accommodations of the bus; 15 to 25 rubles
c. A truck seat for the same destination: 10 rubles
d. A steamer ticket from Gelendzhik to Novorossiysk: 9 rubles
3. Rent in Gelendzhik for a family apartment of one room and kitchen in
1952 was 100-150 rubles. Rent for a single room in town was 80-100
rubles monthly. Rent for a single room in a workerts settlement was
18 to 20 rubles.
Examples of monthly wages were:
a. Director of the Gelendzhik Rest Home
b. Porter in the rest home: 360 ,rubles.
o. Truck driver: 450-475 rubles
-d. Stevedores in Gelendzhik port: 800 rubles
e. The average wage of a worker in Gelendzhik: 400.-500 rubles
Taxes ran as follows:
800 rubles("3)
a. Childlessness tax (Nalog za Bezdetnost1): six per cent of the
Monthly'salary starting from the age of 20. All male and female
persons 24 years of age and older were subject to this tax. � 4
. State Loan: Applied to those in the wage bracket of 400-500
rubles monthly: 10%.
c. Income tax (Podokhodnyy Nalog): seven to eight per cent.
d. Trade Union fee: one per cent.
6. There was one hotel of approximately 20 rooms in Gelendzhik. Since
most visitors came to visit one of the Gelendzhik rest homes or
sanitoriums, this hotel was not overcrowded and it was quite easy
to obtain a room. I have no information on prices.
7. There was always a sufficient supply of fresh meat (beef, pork, and
fowl) on the market. I do not remember seeing any canned meat or
corned beef; sometimes there was smoked meat.
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,8. Fish (fresh and pickled) was in abundant supply throughout the year;
very often there was also canned fish such as pickerel or sturgeon
(sevryuga, beluga). There was plenty of black and red caviar,
although I never bought it and know nothing of its price. I think
that in 1952 a kilogram of red caviar cost 18 rubles. '
Ural and Rodina radio receivers were always available in one of the
two radio stores in Gelendzhik. At le st� I remember that whenever
I went into one of these stores there were always radios for sale.
Cameras, especially of the Xbmsomolets make, were also available
for about 60 rubles. Leica cameras were not always available, and
there was almost always a short supply of 35 mm. film.
10. The normal daily menu of a worker's family consisted of:
a. Breakfast: tea and black bread
b. Dinner soup or boriheil;the second
potatoes-or macaroni twice
twice a week it was boiled
some vegetables. The rest
course consisted of either
Potatoes, or cabbage.
course was meat and
weekly; and once or
or broiled fish with
of the time the second
gruel, home-fried
e. Supper consisted normally of one course; this was either
warmed-up meal of leftovers or some gruel and potatoes, or a
glass of milk and a cheese sandwich.
11. One first-class restaurant in Gelendzhik served dinner of soup or
bordivaila meat course with potatoes and one vegetable for 11 to 12
-rubles.. One hundred grams of vodka in this place cost 5i to 61
rubles. The second-class restaurants served the same dinner for
6 rubles; and 100 grams of vodka sold for 4i to 5i rubles, depending
on its legal price. .Such second-class places 'normally Aid not make
any profit on beverages.
12. The social life in Gelendzhik was quite well developed. On Sunday
and other holidays there were Usually many family parties attended
by relatives and friends. Tea and some cheap wine was usually served
on such occasions. The young people at their own parties usually
drank vodka and beer.
13. There were two movie houses in Gelendzhik. The price of a ticket was
from 2 to 4 rubles in the evening. The children's matinee cost one
ruble. In :1952 there was quite a rash of Czechoslovak, Hungarian, and
Polish pictures. I remember well one Hungarian picture 'which showed
the activity of Hungarian Secret police against. capitalist sabotage
in their country; it was a wonderful movie, and I enjoyed it
tremendously. I remember also one Tarzan movie which was presented
in Gelendzhik as war booty taken from the Germans in World War
Soviet:pictures were quite rare and they were always old. I remember
only two of the new Soviet movieb, "Soviet Miners" and "Kuban
Cossacks",which showed in 1951 and 1952. They glorified Stakhanovism
and the kolkh9z life in the Kuban' region.
14. There was one Russian Orthodox church in Gelendzhik; it was visited
on Sundays and religious holidays. by older people. Young people went
to'ChUrch only occasionally, for example, at midnight on Easter
Sunday; they went then just out of curiosity. my own generation,
and even much older people, did, not care about religion and Were
(4,14te indifferent to it. However, I never heard any jokes made by
the young people about the older churchgoers.
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