CIVILIAN MORALE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A006300130004-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 10, 2008
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: May 19, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2008/06/10: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006300130004-7
CLASSIFICATION S- -E-T
CENTRAL INTh1 AGMY
COUN Poload
,T Civilian 1+ie
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE OF
INFO.
e>ean only the u rest W* of life. Altitot 25X1
REPORT
CD NO.
DATE DISTR.
19 May 1955
NO. OF PAGES
2
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
individuals complained `4iafly about tlaa low standard of lira in in 25X1
lolsr8. '!lreir salaries acre as low in relsticn to pri si *b"11 tb4ky can ur-
Wt for ei
diaser !a a restsmrsat ere sMnt 1,000 slew. The svorage swWtly pay
wa salt 2,M~ asrt sMr o tdw i sd tot .s~si is a rest
with the present regime. The austerity of daily life, the almgat complete
absence of luxu items in the shops and stores, the lack of decent recreat-
ional faciliti sehe mental regimentation and the insecurity of life in a
Communist 'aolide state cause general discontentment even among affluent in-
dividuals. Sigxrs"of open resistance to the regime were not evident. Most
people seem much too respectful of the police to voice their ,dtssatisfact r
oI)enly or to oppose the government in any way.. The impressi,Pn,; was gained
however, that the people have no feeling of I salty to the xtegime, don't
associate themselves with it in any way am&" dl*s **rr}1 ?*e& he
is rspor d is to a penally suet aM to r.ocb slsesl a piewe
of the aia.i.et~ries. 1[ow , *wn MMe pes,osr iw Polsad low have 25X1
a goodly amount of money by fair means or foul are usually dissatisfied
'46odiipo list! especially if the behavior of the first
occupying troops were good.
3. Especially impressidg was the absence of anti-German feeling in the Polish
A
poptiation. Most people tried their Crest to be friendly with Germans an
An.ti-
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25X1
.n
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cut of suits, wrist watches, ball point pens, tie pins an;i bna:*pther
personal items were greatly admired by men holding high a1 Honsible
positions. It was believed that the Polish people covet a 3ecially these
small luxury items which are taken for granted in West Germany but which
are au outi unoozaina
friendly when they le
In general, the Polis&,:; ,~ D iii' as
the past despoiler of1'"!~!~'r' 6 rnTan('"f ' W "'A cot fl i'r Ffi .1i"ch there are no
scarcities, =: here the standard of living is high and where life is rich
and enjoyable.
in the area of 1'atowice in the old German districts of Upper Silesia, anti-
ommun i
iment a
Katowi
which
ment appeared to be especially strong and pro-German sent-
e population also ran high. The following rumor was heard in
the recent election in Poland: After the election, during
e allegedly tolerated spipe semblance of democratic choice
and the secret ballot, the vote was declared null and void in several Upper
Silesian districts. Rumors,.}ndicated that these elections were declared
invalid because a surprisiiri,y high percentage of voters had defaced. their
ballots or had written profane or obscene remarks across the front.
Adenauer and Ollenhauer were also said to have received a large number of
write-in votes. The accuracy of these rumors cannot be vouched for, bent
they are probably correct and are indicative of the general feeling of the
Silesian population.
S-F,C R-E-T
NOFORN
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Iq
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41
t
cup of ; ui.ts, wrist watchec, ball point pens, tie pins and other
personai items pore i;reatly admired by men holding high and reeponsiblo
pnr;iticns o It was believed that the Lolish people covet es ,ecially these
small luxury its which ;,re taken for granted in '.eat Germany but which
are till 'but unobtrairselli legally In 'roland., Loet people were especially
fr ^rth than they learned that', . was from :;eat and not Zoaet Germanys
In ;renera?., the Poli.uh ,eople seemed to regard '.','eat Germany not so much as
tho past despoiler` of their own land b; t as a country in which there are no
Scarcities, . here the standard of living is high and where life is rich
and enj^,yabla
in the;,crea of "atowice in the old Gorr an districts of Upper Silesia, anti-
t crr,untst qccrtiment appeared to be especially strong snd nro-German sent
iment a enig the' population also ran high. The following rumor was heard in
z:atorrica about the recent election in eland t after the election, during
which the rexpime allegedly tolerated some sambla nce of democratic choice
arid? the secret ballot, the vote was declared null and void in several Upper
3iiesie?i districts. R i acr ` , ndicated' that. these elections were declared
invalir because a surprisi~ Nigh percentage of voters had defaced their
ballots or ht! written ` profane or obscene remarks across, the fromt~.
bdenauOr and 0llenhau` ,r were also said to have.recei- ed a large number of
write-;in votes. The e4Leeuraoy of these rumorq cannot be vouched for, but
they are -probably correct and are indicative of the general feeling of the
Silesian population,
Approved For Release 2008/06/10: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006300130004-7