CITY DESCRIPTION OF KOLOMYYA [KOLOMYJA] LOCAL CONDITIONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000600060176-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 1, 2011
• Sequence Number: 176
• Publication Date: July 20, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/01: CIA-RDP80-00809A000600060176-1
CLASSIFICATION COHFIDEhTIAL _
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
,ism DATE DISTR.7,o Jul 1954
SUBJECT City Description of Kolomyya ffolomyja7/Local NO. OF PAGES 3
Conditions 25X1
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE
ACQUIRED
DAB OF INFORM&TION
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
1. The city of Kolomyya Eoloeyja7 until 1939 had a population of 50 thousand.
There were 20 thousan persons of Ukrainian ethnic origin, 20 thousand of
Tevish and 10 thousand of Polish ethnic origin
2. However, during the Soviet occupation, 1939-0, the Soviets deported., shot
or jailed 'zany Polish nationals. During the German occupation of the city,
from 1940-", the Jewish population was reduced from 20 thousand to a Pea
hundred.
In 19441 the city had a population of 30 - 33 thousand.
The usual means of transportati',n were bicycles, horse and wagon, taxis
fliyarkas7,, horse drawn buggies, and busses which ran through the city
enroute to other cities and villages. The busses carried about 30 - 3:
passengers. These busses were built during the Polish regime end were still
being used in 1944. There were no street cars.
5. A railroad station was situated west northwest of the center of the city.
Traffic was both passenger and freight. One double track line went to
Lvov another double track line went direct to Cher;vavtsy,;;nd another double
track line went via Przemysl to Krakow. There way. also a main double track
line from Kolorprya reading west to Delyatin,'there south through to Keresh-
meze gpig7 via Rakhov toward the Transylvanian area of Rumania. It was
a single track from Kolomyya to Gorodenka.
6. In the area south of XoloByya fruits are grown and a vast area of corn is
raised and brought into the city for export. CLttle, horses, and a Large
number of hogs were wised in this area, and the area was also a producer of
dairy products which were brought into the city for export or bartering.
7. In the region north of the city wheat, rye, barley, buckwheat and other crops
ware grown.
CLASSIFICATION CO>~IDr~7~L
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/01: CIA-RDP80-00809A000600060176-1
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/01: CIA-RDP80-00809A000600060176-1
COPIFFIDMT.IAL/
8. There were two large Greek Caiholic churches in the city. Both churches
were about 40 - 50 years old and were of brick construction. One church
was located near the railroad station and the other was in the northern
part of the city.
9. In the center of the city there was a very large public square Lenok7 which
was both a market place and a park. South of this park there was a large
four story brick building with a tower. This building contained various
offices of the city and government administration. There was a clock atop
this tower which would chime.
10. All the city and government buildings and schools were of brick construction.
Homes and apartments in tbecenter of the city were ci brick construction and
each average home had about four to five rooms. Homes in the urban areas
were built of wood and clay.
11. The administration and apartment buildings had gas furnaces which supplied
the heat. A lsj?ge gas tank was near the railroad station. Private homes
were heated by wood which was brought in from the Carpathian mountains.
12. The center of the city was electrified. This included homes, business
buildings, institutions, the railroad station, the jail and courthouse,the
streets and the factories. The suburban areas were not electrified. The
electrical plant wac located near public square.
13. Business buildings, city and governmental administration buildings had water
faucets. In the basement of each building there was a small water pressure
pump which forced the water to the floors above. Scattered about the city
were also many spring-fed public wells.
14. A telephone station and post office was located north of the square. It
vas a three story brick building.
15. There was cna huge four story brick building north of public square which
vms used for a irymnasium. It was a Ukrainian-Polish combination gymnasium.
One half of t're building was used by the Ukrainian students and the other
half by Polisa students. Each half would aeacio odete approaima?ely one
thousand etudents.
16. South of the rai?road atation,near the road that went to Peo}msshin there vas
located a Ukre,::::en National Some which also served as a training school for
teachars. a t three hundred girls attended this school to study literature;
songs and drawing to prepare they to teach is the elementary schools.
1?? Vest of the city flow the Prut River. It flows down from the mountains and
1s iery clear, clean, and cold. The river varies in width and depth in
places. It also has an abundant supply of trout. Fishing is done by pole,
fishing nets, or by hand. Trout would hide under the rocks in the river and
the people would catch them with their bands. To crosc the river in some
places, rafts were used, and pulled from one side to the other by ropes.
18. There were many fishermen's homes on the river. Whenever it rained the river
would overflow its banks and come almost into the city. The river is five
kilometers vest of the center of the city.
19. A woolen mill was located on the main street near the post office. It was a
four story brick building. A large bravery and yeast factory vas vest north-
vast of the city. A few flour mills were scattered south of the city near the
Prut Ribr. There were a few small furniture factories in the city.
coRTIE AW
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/01: CIA-RDP80-00809A000600060176-1
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/01: CIA-RDP80-00809A000600060176-1
CONFIDENTIAL/
20? There was a small railroad shop near the railroad station. Here minor
repairs were made on locomotives; sai.Sar*- the shops also housed rail
repair crews. There was also a small factory near the railroad station
that made agricultural implements.
21. A cement factory was located near the railroad station; also a small
factory that made roofing material. All these factories were concentrated
near the railroad station as it was much easier to get transpcrtatior..
22. A large hospital was located on the northern outskirts of the city, It
consisted of a few scattered buildings and an administration building,
three stories high.
23. There were two movie theaters in the city. One was the Marx theater located
north of public square. It had a seating capacity for one thousand.
24. There was a large military Laserne7 camp west northwest of the city. This
camp was built .ring the Austrian regime, The camp was square, about six
hundred meters on a side, surrounded by a stone wall three - four meters
h gh. Inside the wallc were brick buildings which were used for living
quarters, stabling the horses, administration, warehouses, and kitchens.
25. A jail and courthouse were located west of public square and near the rail-
road station. The courthouse was two stories nigh and the jail was three
stories high. Misdemeanor cases were tried in this courthouse and prisoners
who received short sentences were inmates of this jail. The serious cases
were sent to Stanislawow where they had a large penal institution.
26. One mein highway ran east southeast from Kolomyya to Chernovtsy via
Suyatln. It was four cars wide, paved with stones and gravel, and solid
enough for busses to use. Another road ran from Kolomyya northwest via Ivanovt-
ayo "si&7 through Delyatin going northwest to Nadvornaya. It was also
stone and gravel surfaced and four cars wide.
27. From Kolomyya to Goredenka going northeast it was three cars vide and
stone and gravel surfaced. From Koloeyya to Pechenezhin it was four
cars wide; also stone and gravel surfaced.
28. All the roads Mere constantly maintained by road crews. Stone and gravel
for the : s were obtained from the rrut River.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/01: CIA-RDP80-00809A000600060176-1