EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES AND CURRICULA FOR GERMAN CHILDREN AT GORODOMLYA ISLAND

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81-01030R000100230001-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 23, 2013
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: September 8, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

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CENTRAL INTELLrGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
This Document contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States, within themean-
Mg of Title 18. Sections 793 and 794, of the U.S. code, as
amended. Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited.
SECRET
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SKURITY INFORMATION
COUNTRY USSR REPORT
SUBJECT Educational Faciiitiea and Curricula - DATE DISTR.
8 September 1953
for German Children at Gorodomlya Island
NO. OF PAGES
8
DATE OF INFO.
REQUIREMENT
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PLACE ACQUIRED
REFERENCES
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
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2. Following are corrected spellings for some Russian names
attached report:
I, STATE 1
Page 3 pan 12: Alelcsandr Alelcsandrovich Galachov
Antonina Tranova Bezobrazovna
Antonina Feodovziyevna
Agayenkov
Page 6, para 24: Karamzin
Griboyedov
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appearing in the
#x
ARMY
#X
NAVY I#X
AIR
#x
FBI ,
AEC
(Not.
Washington Distribution Indicated
By "r; Field Distribution By "#".)
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COUNTRY:4
SUMO! ? Js.
PLACE -
ACQUIRED
DATE
ACQUIRED
DATE 0 lh
cuitgYarpiciAti;:i
USSR
Jgducational nail/Mee. and.Curriculalok ?
German Children- itl-Gorodomlya Island- -*
REPORT
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RATE DISTR.2q,P4753
Nat?OVPAGM8' 7
NO. OF ENCLS. 50X1 HUM
AWED-? BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
? REPORT NO.
.? ;I: ?
THISOSWNEVALUATED?INF.ORMATIOSE: .
50X17HUM
oz44$ Apasummuom /4114-1940 AT 20RODOWLIA I21.42/0
1.
educational facilities
were extremely primitive. .30th sohool home and tesehere were 'came. 50X1-HUM
0 assure some type of Snrmai4iaining-for,theitchildreno the
;man Arent' otganledta sohooradminitiOation 50X1-HUM
Professor rAnSmilsai apPoihted_direotor and_a_etaff .of Snstrao;.
014 0940004 lirlOY OtW4ss litepOdialiSti; were selected by the 50X1-HUM
parents. The natural sOlintee'verCtaugAt by,414w specialists.
2. the Soviet Znstitute adainistration4id not .interfere with these activities
.amd the engineers were lamised4 few hoursvaoh-week from their work in
order to giVe instrUOti94W-40Viet.diley in 'Providing trained inetruc?,
torso a planned ourriOUla and ?tier regular schooling facilities was
probably due to this organisational effort of the narents.,_ Since the.
411Sldren Were reosivinuseme.sort_oftraining, the Soviets law no need
to mike other provisidne.
I.
hours. ? 50X1-HUM ?
were very irregular and for the first six months, lessons were given
IthalTrer a plum was`avaititle. Most often this was the comminity day- 50X1-HUM
Otio* Alto this periedipmoved into a barrackssting of four
Hato two of which Sert Is class rooms. the German 50X1-HUM.
4hitOtenwireitie to Ittipitomflt these o ais rooms as the other '
4 4409.4 t44 ohliAdi ' ikaltiliktoanWimtlified On the Island. .: 50X1-HUM
Wm ,bAr oviet,children:attended sohool in Ostash(ov.)
e seamed 00A ow leadgethel. program was very limtteal
H 014,3400.110,ten'hon*slof knetructione per week 50X1-HUM
during Om early yam.
. ? ? _ 50X1-HUM ?
S. 0 R tT
(42ZEMAI Mouth Johanaft
?
1114.1111ITY INFORMAIION
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.SEC RET
SOVIET ADMINISTERED SCHOOL AT GORODOMIYA ISLAND (1948 - 1952)
.4. During the year 1940 or 1949, the school administration was turned over
to the Soviets. The Soviet personnel consisted or trained teachers,
some of whom had had a number' of years teaching experience while others
had only recently graduated. The nature of the training received by
the teachers is not knoWi
-
Orwenilation o'. Closes
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5. Under the Soviet administration the approximately gm German childrenw
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divided into top places. the,loweet three forms were
t'
administered as one unit'
?C.
i. Children between the ages of six and seven were enrolled in the lowest
form or Class 1. While the German parents were anxious to have their
children begin their schooling at an early ale,, the Soviet') frowned
on this practio0,-Oreferiing the age of seven as an entrance requirement.
'The'ages of the children-in the remaining nine forms were always one or
two years higher, so that seven and eight year Olds were in the second
'class, eight and nine year old children in the third class, etc.--and4
the tenth class was composed of children seventeen years and,Older.
7, ina?i the Soviet administration
instruction per weekq the number o
Classes. For the first seven years
Beyond the seventh Year, ',however, a
neilrear.
8. Attendance was compulsory, although
their children to the Island school
The price charged for textbooks and
P?
,
,
received, between 30 and 34 hours ot I
hours increasing withthe higher 50X1-HUMic
of training no tuition was Charged.
tuition of 150 rubles was charged
parents had a choice of sending
or the Soviet school in Oetatihkoy.
writing material was extremely law.
A class teacher, who was responsible for attendance and served as advisor
to the class, was assigned to each elass. Students dealt With the
school administration through the class teabher. The class teacher
did not necessarily instrat his class since each teacher taue50X1-HUM
or more subjects of,hisilipegialty only.
Examinations. Grades
10. At the end of each year of instruction, tested and graded in ,
'
every subjeot. The grades ran from 1 to 5 the higher the numbe 50X1-HUM:
greater the achieVement. At the end of.the seventh Year class
re0Aived a Comprehensive examination in every subject
;
studied.
1
4
This examination encompabsed not only the last Year's work in the. i.
. 4
aubject bUt all aubject'matter covered in the .preceding years in the ,y
respective discipline. Vpon satisfactory completion Of these compre-1
120401,ve exawi4W441C--repeived a diplome.on,which grades were 50X1-HUM
listed, Succesetul completion:ea the seventh year examination was a
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requirement for further -study. It was also possible to discontinue
educational training at this stage. Girls leaving school after the
- . seventh year were qualified, with some additional cemmercial and
technical training, to work as_secretaries or draftsmen.
11. Most of the German children*: however, continued their education past
the seventh form. At ,thond'of the tenth ea s
to pass another ooM.re.
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similar
we e g von A .0 Soviet school in Ostashkov, ligxamina-
tions are standard thronshoot.the,PovietAinion and are given on the
lame dated Having passed the tenth year examination, the student
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is qualified to enroll in a. higher technical institute or university.
..The tenth Year examination, therefore, compares in a sense with the
Getman "Abiturm, though the Soviet student has not; at least, at this
-stage, approached AuintitatiVely:the'sameleVel Of training as the
German student", ? ? ?
_SOVIET STAPP AT GORODOIMULECHOOL 50X1-HUMC
I?2?
students were required to address teaChera,? inoludi the ?
principal, by their own and their father's first names, listed
below several instructors who taughi'at Gerodomlias
Alexander Alexandrovitsh GALACHOV Principal of Island. School.
Y.4 His, permanent residence isl%
"probably Odtashkm;?Specialty 19
mathematics,
She
She recently gtadhated
Antonina Iyanova.mppwon#
Anna poodoroVna SPIROTNA
? :t ?
Nina Ronstantineyza
t ::: ?
Antonina Kikitishna
/NU Grekorievna SAVIRA
Antonina Peodovoievni.
BUIE, PEDAGOGIUk PRACTICES.
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I
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specialty! Russian grammar
and literature
.She held the post.pf.princiPa1
Prior to the arrival of GALACIT"kw
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SpeOialtyf 'History
4'.
Specialty! Constitutional
history
,
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She recently graduated.
Specialty'
.Biology and.GetogreSY
'
Specialty! Getman 50X1-HUM
_She was married to
.AGAIBREOV9s successor as police
,ohief on the Island.
13. On the whole, the German children approved of. the change from German
Anstructors'to.SoViet.tepohers even .though all class work is well as
14,) work was henceforth In RUSSian. At first, this was very difficult
for Us due to the requitement thatWisr the first year approximately,
the level of instruction for,PIRussian" Wee to be the Same for German
classes on the island as for.i reipsotivs Soviet -class. I
,
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InRussian language class received .50X1-HUM,,
only elementary Russian sinoti-feW of the children had any knowledge of
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71111 language. sixth and seventh form, however,
wore requirel to have retailed the same level as the sixth or seventh t50X1-HUM,
form in a Soviet school. This was neilessary, as required to ? 560-HUM;
take the same oeivreheisiTe iiventh year examine on fltb no allowance 4
made for, the fat thatr
----Mothsr. *gas was not Ruesian. ? 50X1-HUM
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141. Except for this difficulty, however, we found that the Soviet instru0-
= ' tors were somewhat more lenient in regard to grades, discipline and on
the whole more friendly than-the German teachers. For example, Soviet
instructors did not 'resort to a reed and corporal punish-
silt was strictly prohibited'. In additioril could always approsoh the
teaeher after hours for'apecial assistance. While instructors would not
come tohOmes, they Were always ready to return to the cilia's roc50X1-HUM
'after hours in order to give supplementary leeeens.
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15. Differences between the Soviet and German teachers also existed in
regard to methods Of instruction. Soviet instructors relied almos150X1-HUM
exclusively on the text .uagd in the class. Class discussion, too,
was strictly confined to the text. not Asked to seek: examples
or inferences from exper;ence.to illustrate the Material under dis0150X1 -HUM
Sion. Nbr,would the instructor lead the students by a question and
answer method through nei.,fields. In contraetL German instructors;
both in Gorodomlya and usually in German schools, ',would guide th
new subject matter by meant of leading questions and thus stim 50X1-HUM
interest and train
oWere of reasoning, It is impossible to
statrwhether this difference in teaching method due to individual 50X1-HUM
:
differences in the instructor or reflecte basic differences between the
Soviet and German teaohisig.tethodolOgy;
16. A?differenee in diseipline,both in .reference t6 behavior in class arid
i4 4ttitu4e towardea400 wait also existed. Tardiness or failure 50X1-HUM
to promptly Comply with the_cempande of the teacher was not condoned
by the Soviet instructor* out at the Same time it was not met with the
Same censure as from German instructors.
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POLITICAL INDOCTRINATION
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were at no time subjected to any political indoctrination, 'in the
sense that were asked to join a yOung Communist group or otherwise
coerced if we disagreed With the acceptekCommunist views, Differences
of opinion between the: inetrubtor and his German plass arose 'repeatedly.
The 'students were not riypimanded for failure to *Sept the views of -
:the instructor, but genaralli'the disagreements ended on An inconclusive
tote with the inetructiseseerting that. hie vieWs constituted the
generally accepted POsi *Won the partioular question.
18. While Communism was not oVertly or forcefully propagandized,- never- 50X1-HUM
theless received some form of subtle indoctrination in the social
sciences, such as the course on "The Constitution of the USSR" (given
in the Seventh Year), andtreferences to current events whit* instruci.
.torewOuld inVariably interject into the lectures whether appropriate
or not in terms Of ihe'eubjedt:matter On hand. Thus for example, we
were given the Soviet interpretation of the origin of the Korean mar,
thflefeat of Chiang Kai llak and his position in Formosap_and the
? shooting down of an American airplane over the Baltic Sea.
Constitutional History
19. During the seventh yearrA,pourse on the Constitution of the Soviet
.14.1on, which treated theAevetahmente in the Soviet Union from 1917
to. the present, was adde&Ltp,,the ourriciUlUm, examined the ro;e50X1-HUM
Of ,the Soviet legislatupesthe,organizatioripf the judiciary System,
_ .
and the exeoUtive. .TheWoedure,for the'eleption of representatives'
from thelorest to the:Sineet,legislature-wafltudied, as was the
method of 4PpoilitmOnt eflPreeidiikMemberCend!other ministers and their
functioned-.
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20. Strong emphasis was placed on the role of the Soviet citizen in the
Soviet State, and particularly his relationship to the socialized
toroperty. The civil liberties of the citizen were examined as the
teacher elaborated on the rights of free speech and assembly in the
USSR. It was pointed out that these freedoms are guaranteed in tho
Constitution but that protection against their misuse is necessary.
Thus the right of free assembly exists, but permission must be obtained
:from the authorities; freedom of speech exists but the speaker must'
not misuse his platform to injure the nation. "Criticism from below"
is welcomed and channels'Or complaint and'eorrection-exist. ?Failure
to exhaust these ohannelS prior to criticizing the action of the 'state
constitutes a misuse of the freedom of Speech.. ' .-
21. Frequently the instructor would compare the conditions in the Soviet
Union with those of other nations. The democracies of the. West were
criticized as "sham" demooracies, and it was stated that it is a contra-
diction of terms to speak of democracy in a capitalist Society. The
tenefits of the citizens of the Soviet Union in comparison with the
West were cited. Unlimited possibility for advancement unhampered
by a rigid class structure; the existence of recreation and rest
centers for workers; social security which makes age a blessing and
not a curse; the greater moral inspiration and satisfaction which comes
from working for the common good instead of the selt, 'ffihe awkward '
_expressions of a Sixteen year old at this point had'been'reRlaced by
-phrases and concepts that clearly demonstrated rote memoryd
Hiatorynf Russia
22. In this class, given during our seventh year, the reasons for the lphg
history of Russian backwardness were studied. The invasions by the ?
Mongols, the Tartar yoke, and the fact that the Renaissance was halted
at the frontiers of Russia, were cited. It was pointed out by .the
instructor that other nations had wasted the opportunity that history
had offered them and that only Russia, which had been denied these ?
benefits; finally raised herself by her own bootstraps. With great
pride, the technical advances that had been made in the yearsnince
:the revolution were recounted, the miles of new railroad tracks; the ,
expansion of rolling'stook, the records established by Soviet fliers,
- the new tractor plants that had beeh constructed, and the increase in
the Soviet merchant marine. In addition, over much opposition from
the German students, the instructor would credit Russian citizens with
innumerable inventions and discoveries.
Geography
3.Fixoept for a very general treatment of the various continents, the
study of,geography dealt primarily with the Soviet Union. .The politi-
cal and geographic division of the land were studied, as well as other
aspects such at minerals, deposits, plant distribution, soil composi-
tion$ effects of rain, etc. A great deal of emphasis was placed on
the problem of diverse nationalities in the Soviet Union. Their
cultures were examined and we learned of their individual languages,
? pusic, literature. It was also pointed out that the po4cy of the
government is to encourage, the.development of these diverse-pultures
and that towards this end the., languages in particular are cultivated. ,
This was offered as evidence that the nationalities are not enslaved
teo'le, but rather free 'and equal members of the Socialist community.
If the nationalities are backward, their cultures are not inferior
And it was the duty of tha more developed to assist the others. ?
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CURRICULUM AT SOVIET ADMINISTERED GORODOMLYA SCHOOL
24.
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outline
of the subjects studied .and texts used in the fifth through eighth
year classes:
,Fifth Class:
_ .
Language of Instruetfon:, German and Russian; mathematics:
division, multiplicationfl-additicin end subtraotion; geography: a
? superficial treatment'ef-political and geographic divisiontof the
USSR; German: grammar and elementary readings; Russian: grammar
and Some elementary readings. (This *as the first year of Russian
for most Of the German.Ohildren); history: a cursory treatment of
the history. of Russian-from Rurik to the end of World War II.
Sixth Class:
Language of Instruction: Russian only; mathematics: interest,
, difficult fractionsl.expOnentials; geography: soil composition,
? elementary metereolegyjrainfali, etc.), cursory treatment of all
continents in regard to climaatic conditions, mineral and plant
deposits; Germans . Peter Rossegero* Collection of Essays; phkiics:
elementary concepts;hiatory; biology: study of plants; Russians
grammar and literature--intensified course in order to reackstan-
dard Soviet sixth class level (see above).
Seventh Class: io.
Russians grammar and literature, excerpts from classics by Pushkin;
Tolstoy and Lermontevi geography: detailed study of the Soviet
Union (see paragraph On 'Social Sciences); German: grammar, plays
by Schiller (Wilhelm Tell), excerpts from Goethe's vDichtung td
Edirheit" as well ai other works by Goethe; chemistry: _introductory
concepts; physies: _magnetisi and eleotricty; history: antiquity;
technical drawing; biology:. study of animals; mathematics: alge-
bra; constitutional history: the Soviet Constitution from 1917 to
the present (see below).
Eighth Class:
Russians grammar aid literature, Pushkin, Lomonosov, termontov,
Karamain, GriboldoVV GOg011'Tshikovekij, (Karamsin was presented as
a great artist whirr:I/led td plaOe his talents at the disposal of
forces of Progress llitudlia) 1 Germans literature, Minnesaenger
(Ti.eubtiOurs),' Keliiitytkiheubeich,!.13624zival; biology: study of man,
accounts oreilieitaiiii by renoined scientists, special emphasis on
Pavlov's response experiments; geometry; chemistry: elementary;
physics: motion, forces; algebra; technical drawing; history:.
middle ages, Russia to.Pugashovte.rebellion.
25. taught in the ninth and tenth 50X1-HUM ?
classes in addition to the above subjects,
instruction was given ins coulee entitled "Darwinism"
plAMILITARY TRAINING Alib PHYSICAL'OZETURE
26. Irortiitttle emphasis no placed on physical training in the Soviet
administered school at Gorodoilya. No more than two hours each week
Of general athletics, Onsisting of skiing, anr tresik and field exercises
were given to the studefttn of the eighth form.
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aliases ireibeivedmaiiallar training for the same number of hours each
week.. much greater .emphasis was Placed on physical
training in the Soviet school in Ontashkov. There, .children were
instructed among other thing's in the climbing Of trees and other
obstiteles,,,and also "teoeived:instivaction in the throwing. of simulated
hand 'grenades.
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1COmMents to. :overt indoctrination was
encountered at the. Gorodomlit School. . It is obvious,, however, that students 1 ,?
were PrOpagandised in a:mciniier which left the students unaware of this fact.
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This. was particularly trite in the teaching. Of history, constitutional his- ?k
tory and geography: Although the ichOol
was a hybrid institution neither 50X1-HUM i
PUrely German ?nor Soviet, it is likely that the Program was similar to and on
. .
the same ached/tinc. legal as .standard Soviet schools. This is reflected
. . ..
it the requirement that deimail . students at the Island school patila the .
standard all-Soviet examinations at the end. of the seventh 'sad tenth school
year2 . . -. . , . ?
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