PRISON CAMP CONDITIONS IN THE MINSK AREA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00047R000200760005-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 15, 2013
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: May 12, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part- Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2014/11/04 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000200760005-0
CLASSIFICATION CoNFi.UTIAL/SECtJRITY_I1ORMTI0N7,2
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
COUNTRY USSR
SUBJECT Prison Capp Conditions in the Minsk Area
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE
ACQU I RED
DATE OF INFORMATION
THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE sATIoNAL OEFENst
Or THE us ITCH STA,Es, WITHIN THE mEANING OF TITLE IS. SECTIONS i97
AND 794, OF TUE U.S. CODE, As DOODAD 0. ITU TRANsiliSSIoN 055500.
LOTION or ITS CONTENTS TO OR TAO ITT Sy AN uNAUTHOsIS00 PERSON IS
FROHISITED LAW. THE REPRoDUcTION OF TR" FoRy IS sROHIRITED.
DATE' DISTRIA
NO OF PAGES 2
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(LISTED BELOW/
SUPPLEMENT TO
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THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
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1. In 1949a4tlere were still three or four POW camps in the Minsk area.
prisoners rapidly and
had been closed down and the buildinas
There were 400 Austrian POWs there
be quite close to capacity..
This camp was reloatriatAng it
by the end of 1949
"remodeled" into workersi dormitolie6.
believe that huribe- to
2. The next camp to held about 600 Germans and about 20 or 3C� aautrians.
This camp was located in the heart of the city about two blocks from the cit;yls
main square. The buildings we occupied were former German barracks, SODE -f
the prisoners at this camp had been working on a penicillin factory 1-uilajnc.
nearby. They described the operation as merely experimental in the FatL cf L9,
but said that they were expanding for full production. The prisonerf cr,bcd
the growing of mushrooms at the factory laboratoriea. Of courses at that idne
none heard of penicillin and did not take the Soviet acti,cties
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too seriously.
3.
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The main camp in Minsk housed over one thousand prisoners. These
Hungarians, Rtuanians and representatives of other German allies, includir
captured members of the Isnarish -Blue Division.
includeo J.4ermans,
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Security measures were quite similar in all three camps. At that50X1 time tlea
was little desire on our part to escape as expecting immediate reptatria-
tion and not interested in risking an. escape +i:c.nint. Nevertheless, the
camps were fairly well guarded. The most typical,
was the German camp in the center.of the city. Here there was a wooden 4all
about two. and one-half to three meters high with barbed wire strung along the
For about four meters on each side of this wall were sections of turned soal
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neatly raked so that any footprints would show up if these strips were walked on. There
were towers on. the corners with guards in them at all times. . These guards aere armed
with rifles and submachine guns. Floodlights were kept on all.night and speltlights
were available on each tower if needed. The guards; all NVD men, kept a greep of
bloodhounds handy, but these were never used. Thea precautions were nevegdm
tested, however, as no escapes were attempted
5. The treatment of German prisoners deteriorated soon after World Wee II when the Soviet5617
troops were replaced as guards by MV]) men. At alj capps the MVD guards, who were
rumored to have had some "special training," would yell constantly and. Push/ 50X1:
or hit when compliance was not satisfactory. 50X1
6. While IF�at Minsk there was some beating of prisoners going on and some of the
Wermacht officers organized their groups for a hunger strike. This strike was surpri-
singly successful. It seems that it was neceSsary for the camp commandant rePort50X1
the strike. High ranking political officials came to the camp and asked our officer
spokesman about the trouble. After evidence of the beatings was shown the officials
left and soon the beatings stopped altogether. The success of the strike may save
been due to the fact that repatriation was under way at the time, although the high
officials at Minsk actually did seem interested in keeping up the appearance -teat we
were well cared for. 50X1
7. One time in the Fall of 1949 a high official of some health and sanitatioa office 50X1
making an inspection trip. For his benefit issued clean white bei ebeets.
These were put on our beds for the inspection and a half hour later r] had to ;urn them
back . to the guards. Another such instance occurred in the mess hall mher the German
colonel, who was go-between for the Soviet guards and the prisonersowao sinElel out to
pose for a brief sequence for a propaganda moviag picture. In this shut he vas, seated
at a table with a tray of food in front of him. The meal was a complete feast compared
to our usual diet. He had a full course meal with two chops of meat on the pLate. He
was allowed to take one bite of the meat while the picture was being taken sad the tray
was immediately snatched awayefrom him.
8. The worst problem of the POW in the USSR. was getting enough food- This, of aourse, was
also true for SOviet civilians during the postaMorld War II period. Many prisoners died,
directly or indirectly)of starvation and nutritional diseases were common- The main-
stay was cabbage scalp, which was received twice. a day along with 600 arams
of "heavy bread" No fats were ihcluded in the diet, � 50X1
9. The saving factor was the fact that each prisoner was rationed 15 gram e of tobacco and
200 grams of soap per week'. It was significant that few prisoners were: ever Jeen
smoking. The tobacco could be better bartered for food.. The barter trade Lit eoar and
cigarettes remained good e Medicines of all kinds
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were also 'primemedia of exchange when available. In each camp in. Minsk captured
German doctors were assigned to care for the prisoners Their activities we::e directed
by one Soviet doctor at each camp-and he was in charge 'ofdisbursing all drucT� 7tnd
medicines used: 'by the German doctors. Naturally, the German doctors obtained as ml,ch
as possible and Some of the medicines were "saved" and diScretely:entered int he
barter trade. During the years 1946 and 1947 in the cities, and later in the rural
areas; absolutely anything could be bartered with the Soviet civilians. The extent of
their PovertYcatnot be exaggerated., Clothing was at a Premium-end all part of our
uniforms were good barter items., �
10. Political indoctrination of POWts gradually� tapered off after 1947, probably .eas to
poor results. During 1946 and 1947 weekly neetings werc held in the cam'. PciLeicee
officers would tell of the glowing success of the Soviet Union and the invincibility
of the Soviet Army. Holidays were also frequent and these days were given over ac
parades, propaganda movies and more meetings. Hardly any of the German POW's were won
over although there was the usual small percentage who turned informer in order to gain
small privileges or extra rations. Typical of these were the members of the mu-
Fascist committees. These were formed soon after' the war with innocent enouah aims for
the preservation of peace. Soon, however, their real purposes became known. rhey were
set up to get the members of the "committee' to inform on their fellow prisoners who had
been in the 3:3.!, or Abwehrlor who had been very ardent Nazis. These groups became quite
unpopular after 1947 as their members were pressurized by fellow prisoners.
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2014/11/04: CIA-RDP82-00047R000200760005-0