DAILY LIFE AND LIVING CONDITIONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00046R000500330008-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 25, 2013
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: October 7, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/06/25: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500336-508-2
- ?RN
INFORMATION REPORT INFORMATION REPORT
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws, Title
18, U.S.C. Secs. 793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-T-I-A-L
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COUNTRY Bulgaria REPORT NO.
SUBJECT Daily Life and Living DATE DISTR.
Conditions
7 October 1955
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NO. OF PAGES
3
DATE OF INFO.
REQUIREMENT NO.
PLACE ACQUIRED
REFERENCES
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SOURCE EVALUATIONS ARE DEFINITIVE. APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
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LIBRARY SUBJECT AND AREA CODES (30)
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INFORMATION REPORT INFORMATION REPORT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/06/25: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500330008-2
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/06/25: CIA-RDP82-00046R066560330008-2
CQNFIDENTIAL
COUNTRY Bulgaria
SUBJECT Daily Life and Living Conditions
DATE OF INFORMATION
PLACE ACQUIRED
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
REPQRT
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DATE DISTR. 14 Sept. 1955
NO. OF PAGES
REFERENCES:
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? The daily life of the city dweller in Bulgaria was a continuous fight
against misery. Women's lives were especially difficult because of their
struggle to maintain a household, care for their children, work, and ,
attend political and union meetings. Most married-women were obliged to
work because the monthly salary of their husbands was so low. The State
did all it could to increase the number of working women because workers
were needed so badly in industry. As a result, there were frequent conflict'
within the family and few opportunities for a wholesome family life.
^ In spite of the construction of new dwellings, ?poneoredby the State, all
cities and towns suffered from a lack of housing. L jlived with his
wife and small child in one room of a four-room apartment; ?,tree other
families occupied the remaining three rooms and four families shared the
same kitchen. For paid about 60 lova per month rent from
monthly salary or 000 leyas for eleotrioity,r--paid 20 stotinki per
mon h for each kilowatt hour. New unfurnished apartments which consisted
cof two rooms, kitchen, and a bathroom were avAilable in Sofia to CP members
only for 40 to 50 leva per month.
Thjere was very little entertainment in Sofia. The best entertainment was
the connerts.and the theater, but tickets for all performances were difficult
to obtain because blocks of seats were bought up by varioue Government enterm
prises leaving only the more expensive seats for the average citizen. lioviella
excursions, dances, and visits to the beaches were popular with most Sofia '
residents. Most films shown in Bulgarian movies houses were Soviet films
which dealt with life on the kolkhozy, Soviet industry, etc. 'These films
had very poor attendance because the population had become so bored With
Soviet propaganda. However, when Western films were shown, tickets were
bought up immediately and the movie houses were always filled. The most
popular sports were volleyball, basketball, swimming, and running. Out-
standing sportsmen had nominal positions in factories or enterpriseS but
were subsidized by the Govefnment to train only in their sports.
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in Part - Sanitized CODV Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/06/25: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500330008-2
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/06/25: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500330008-2
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CONFIDENTIAL
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in Bulgaria
there was only a slight amount of drunkenness. Although bribing
existed, it was not on a large scale. There was a campaign in progress
at the time to improve the morals of Bulgarians.
Jews and other minorities had the same rights, and privileges as other
Bulgarians; anti-Semitism was non-existent.
Health standards were not very high and, in general, the population did
not eat very well. Although medical care constantly improved, tuberculosis
remained one of the most wide-spread diseases. -Special psychiatric wards
were set up in many hospitals for the treatment of mental disease while
maternity homes were established throughout the country, even in the
smallest villages. Physicians who performed abortions were severely
punished if caughtjbut it was always possible to find a physician who
would perform such an operation. Medical care was avialable to all citizens
and the majority of the workers were given a 14-day vacation each year.
Because incompetent Communist scientists had job preference over more
competent non-Communist scientists, science and research continued to main-
tain a low standard.
Social origin played a very important role regarding privileges. The
specially-privileged were Party members, their children, and tersons of
proletarian origin. The two main social classes were Party members '
and non-Party members. Party members were considered to be the elite while 1
the favored group was made up of artists, writers, actors, and musicians.
The Church was not officially persecuted but measures were carried out to
hinder its work. Por example, couples married in the Church were looked
upon with disfavor at their place of employment; propaganda against the
Church was carried on by mass organizations and the press.
4med it was a
well-known ract that the were some priests tinge*I.th Communist ideology.
On holidays, churches were crowded with both young and old.
In many cases, the Party prohibited marriage between an important Party
member and a non-Party member, claiming that such ,a marriage wasUndeeirable;
however, such marriages did occur. When a non-Party member who was known
to be anti-Communist married a Party member, the latter lost his job and
the complete confidence of the Party.
CONFIDENTIAL
im,,,inecifiori in Part - Sanitized Coov Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/06/25 CIA-RDP82-00046R000500330008-2