CONDITIONS IN CONSTANTA: TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES/LOCATION OF IMPORTANT OFFICES/LOCAL OFFICIALS/FOOD/PRISONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00926A006200030001-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 11, 2012
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: March 12, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/12/11: CIA-RDP80-00926A006200030001-1
LOIUNTRY Rumania
SUBJECT
U.S. officials Only
CONFIDENTIAL
SECURITY INFORMATION
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGEisICY
INFORMATION REPORT
CohditiOns-inConstanta: Transportation Facilities/
Location of Important Offices/Local Offieiais/Fpod/
Prisons
THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
OF THE UNITED STATES. WITHIN THENCANING OF TITLE IS, SECTIONS 79$
AND TIC OF THE U.S. CODE, AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR REVS.
LATION OF ITS CONTENTS TO OR RECEIPT ST AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
;REPORT
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DATE DISTR. Mar 1'151
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NO. OF PAGES 5
NO. OF ENCLS..
SuPP. TO
REPORT NO.
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Transportation
1. "Many streets in Constanta have been renamed,. The Strada Carol is nov.the Strada
Stalin, The Strada Vintila Bratianu is now the Strada Mihail Dunitru. The
Boulevard Ferdinand is now the Boulevardul Republicei. The Bulevardul Donito
Ileania is now the Bulevardul Karl Marx. The Strada Mihail Viteazul is now the
Strada Olga Banic.
2. "One of Constanta's worst problems is municipal transportation. There are five bus
lines, all of which have their terminals at the Plata Ovidiu:
(a) The Constanta-Anadolkioi line operates three ancient buses which are in a
deplorable condition. People using this line are often without transportation for
days, because all three buses are frequently out of operation at once.
(b) The Constanta-Uzina Electrica line gives the best service.
(c) The Constanta-M Corciu line operates two ancient buses, each with a capacity
of 20 persons. The service is similar to that on the Constanta-Anadolkioi line.
(d) ,The Constanta-Bratianu line gives quite efficient service but has too few ?
buses.
(e) The Constanta-Fifth Kilometer line has very old and small buses.
3. "As these transportation facilities are not nearly sufficient for the 100,060
inhabitants of Constanta, most people have to walk to work, getting up as early as
5 am. People who live in the suburbs have to walk two hours before starting the
10 hours, working day (the eight-hour working day exists only on paper), followed
by CP and TU meetings until 10-11 pm at which time the buses have stopped running.
Consequently the workers have to walk another two hours to get home.
4. "The shabby condition of the Constanta railway station is typical of the state of
the entire city. Except for two tracks for freight trains, there has been no
U.S. Officials Only
CONFIDENTIAL
SECURITY INFORMATION
'DISTRIBUTION 010 'STATE A FBI
This report is for the use within the U134 of the Intelligence components
Agencies indicated above. It is not to be transmitted overseas without
? originating office through the Assistant Director of the Office of Collection
ARMY
NAVY
AlAIR
I I
of the Departments or
the concurrence of the
and Dissemination, CIA.
50X1-H UM
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construction improvements or repairs at the station since 1939. When railway
employees brought up the disgraceful state of the station at a recent municipal
council meeting; the Mayor of Constanta explained that the constant war-threats
by American imperialists have prevented any large-scale improvements and renovations
in the city.
5. "Two passenger trains arrive in Constanta daily: at 9 am and 5 pm. One scheduled
freight train'leaves the city every other morning. It reaches Bucharest the
following day. There are also unscheduled freight trains.
6. "The Militia has a checking point at the station to inspect the identity papers of
travellers and search for black market goods. Black marketeers have little difficulty
in getting past this inspection. They simply bribe the Militiamen.
7. "The station restaurant is operated by the State Railway Company. It has a good
wine cellar; but the food is very poor.
8. "After 1945 the porters at the railway station were classified as unskilled State
workers. They received such poor wages that most of them managed to get better jobs
elsewhere. As a result the station found itself without porters. The government
Intervened and organized a porters' union, called 'Maria', which all porters are
compelled to join. Up to April 1952, the porters in Constanta managed to make a
tolerable living due to the continuous exodus of Greek, Turkish and Jewish emigrants
through that port. When this stopped, they were left with a salary of 400 Lei per
month; which is far from enough to live on. The only train passengers nowadays are
peasants and a few workers; who have no money to spend for porters and carry their
luggage themselves. Among the porters are many ex-officers, judges, and other
professional persons, who, being 'reactionaries', have been assigned this most
unprofitable job by the Labor Office. The union collects all porters' fees and
distributes them equally among its members.
9. "About 10 taxis and a few horse-drawn carriages, driven by Turks, wait outside the
station. They have very few passengers because the average ride costs 20 Lei, which
ordinary people cannot afford. As a result the number of cabs and carriages grad-
ually decreases. An attempt was made to nationalize these vehicle's, but the plan, had
to be abandoned because the moment they stopped working for themselves, the drivers
stopped caring for their horses and cars. Now the vehicles are driven by drivers
employed by Sovromtransport. They are paid on the basis of the number of trips made
per day.
Information
10. "There is only one daily newspaper in Constanta) the 'Dobrogea Noua'. A propaganda
sheet; in the form of a bulletin, is also distributed daily. There are so-called
wall-newspapers almost everywhere: in factories, schools, offices, even in churches.
11. "Another information and propaganda channel in Constanta is the 'Coltul Anus'
(Arlus corner). This term is used for the wooden booths set up on street corners
by ARLUS (Soviet-Rumanian Friendship Society). Pictures and articles on life in
the USSR are displayed.
12, "There are loudspeakers everywhere) blaring Communist propaganda) slogans, songs and
marches all day long. Anti-Western and particularly anti-American posters can be
seen everywhere.
Location of Important Offices
13. "An acute housing shortage exists in Constanta. This is due chiefly to two
circumstances: (a) Most of the administrative and technical personnel employed on
the construction of the Danube-Black Sea Canal are accommodated in the city; and
(b) the best buildings have been requisitioned for Soviet offices and military
establishments and for public offices and CP organizations.
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14. "For eximple? the following buildings on the right-hand side of the Bulevardul
Repablicei (as one approaches from the direction of the Plata Ovidiu) have been
requisitioned:
Soviet Army headquarters
Regional Party headquarters
(Regiona la de Patrid)
Forestry Bureau
Peasants' Front headquarters
(Frontul Plugarilor); affiliated
with the CP)
Concentration Camps Command'
(COMMandementul Colonillor de
Munca)
Ailus (Soviet-Rumanian Friend-
ship Society)
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21. "The president of the ARLUS (Soviet-Rumanian Friendship Society) in Constants is
, Jean Jane% lawyer. The Chairman of the UFDR (Dem)cratic Women's League) is
Nee (Nu)makovici,
22. "The Chief of the Prefecture i (Thu) Ciocan.
Churches
23, "Despite the existing religious 'persecution, Constenta churches of all' denomination
are full to capacity on Sundays and religious holidays.. Many soldiersp.CP members
And UTM yeuth0 can be seen in church, though the V'24 youths actually are forbidden
to go to'cburCh. Whenever .a Communist 'priest' beginato'deliver.a propaganda
'sermon', the whole congregation usually leaves immediately.
Beaches
24. "The only beaches open to the public are the 'Modern' and NKamaia' beaches, The
formerly popular beaches, 'Tataial, Tibuberg' and 'Trei Poptei".are within the
military zone of the port and strictly 'off Constanta's waterfront is out:
of bounds to civilians after dusk.
Food
25, "The main restaurants, all State-controlled, are:
the May I Restaurant (formerly May 10)
the Restaurantul Dobrogea (the former Candlovici)
the Restaurant Mares. Heagra (former Kapatil)
the Restaurantul Constants (former Kounind) and
the Restaurantul Dux ea (former Central).
Another restaurant, the Vraja Marii, is open only in summer.
All menus are poor: fit?. sausage and cheese are the mai courses. No meat has
been served for months as of autumn 195E7. An ordina27al costs about 20 Lei,
which is rather expensive. Due to improper refriiirationAilightly decayed food
is served quite often during the suMmer months.
26. "The main clientele of the Rumanian restaurants these days are security officials,
Party functionaries and employees of the Danube-Black Sea Canal construction project.
The Soviets have their own restaurants and are seldom seen in Rumanian establishments.
The waiters are forbidden to accept tips, but obviouely expeCt,them. As they are very
poorly paid, it is the general custol that they serve the customers very small
portions and divide the surplus food among themselves.
27. "The Soviet commissary is located on the corner of the Strada Stalin and Strada
Mangaliei. Here Soviet soldier and civilians can buy top quality food products at
very low prices, much of which they re-sell on the black 'market. Soviet nylons
can also be bought at the commissary, but are not in great demand. Soviet women
prefer to wear Western nylons and have difficulties in sellin! the low quality Soviet
nylons on the black market.
28. "Most Constants housewives have to get up at 6 am to be t*tme for queuelug up at 'the
market. After 10 am, when the trucks have left with loads of best quality foods
requisitioned for the Army and the personnel of the Canal construction, the market
begins to sell to housewives. There is not much left by this time. Whatever little
does remain for open sale is mostly of the lowest quality. Many housewives have to
return home after hours of waiting empty handed.
Prisons
29. "One of the worst prisons in Constants is in the Banda Romanespea building, where
also the Securitatea headquarters are located. All cell windows have been sealed off
and the cells get their only ventilation from the interior corridors.
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The top floor rooms and the basement have been converted prison cells. There
are 20 cells on the top floor, ti.x5 m in size for eight p ers each, and. 3xli? m
in size for four prisoners each. The 10 cells in the basement are 2x3 m in size
for two prisoneri each. There are a number of ce 2x1i? m in size, which are used. as
torture chambers. There is no light in these cells \ the inmates stand. in ankle-
deep water all the time.
30, "There is also a prison in- the firmer Hotel Bristol,
the Strada Stalin. The cells are for priso
awaiting trial or deportation. A Militia post is boa.
31. "A third prison is the old. Tataia prison, halfway be
This has been considerably enlarged. More and more p
there."
site the Hotel Grand, on
er investigation,
the same building.
-end.-
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a and Const.anta.
are being taken
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