BREAKDOWN OF THE POLISH POPULATION IN FRANCE AND ITS PERCENTAGE RELATIONSHIP TO THE TOTAL FOREIGN POPULATION IN EACH DEPARTMENT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-02771R000200390017-7
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 26, 1998
• Sequence Number: 17
• Content Type: REPORT

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Breakdown of the. Polish o ulation in France and its
.percentage relationship to the total ore oou a ion
in each department.
Department
Number
Ain
497
Aisne
10,553
Allier
3, 076
Alper Basses
10
9
Alpee Haute a
7
Alpes Maritimes)
1,074
Ardeche
179
Ardennes
1,932
Ariege
101
Aube
2,852
Aude
275
Aveyron
1,566
Belfort (Territoire)
309
Bouche a ,du Rhone
1, 356
Calvados
2,941
Cantal
.329
Charente
3
Charente (Inferieure)
442
Cher
2,1214
18.5
6.9
1.2
30.4.
6.1
x#9.2
36.4
2.1
2.8
1.5
4.2
25.8
0.9
34.2
1.1
15.9
21.2
11.14
35.1
Correze 325 9.3.
62 0.5
Coteed'Or 2,498 20.5
Cates du NDrd 33 3,7
Creuse . 803 29.1
..Dordogne 1$233 ?. 15.4
Doube 1,652 11.9
3.7
23.1.
21.7.
3a1
9.8
2.9
. 3.5
2.7
1.2-'
5.2
37.4
19.1
. 9
6.3
2.4
23.0
21.5
13.1
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Drome
259.
Eure
2,187
Eure & Loir
832
Finiatere
4
Gard
2,301
Garonne '(Haute)
1,340
Gera
803
Gironde
1,189
Herault
404
Ille & Vilaine
116
Indre
1,1450
Indre & Loire
983.
Isere
2,077
Jura.
269
Landes
129
Loir & Cher
628
Loire
5,725
Loire (Haute)
219
. Percentage
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Department
Number
Percentage
Loire (Inferieure)
608
13.8
Loiret
2#725
28.8
Lot
258
6.2
Lot & Garonne
1,50
Lozere
8
9
7.8
Maine & Loire
325
14.5
Manche
235
9.1
Marne
4,179
37.5
Marne (Haute)`
1, 300
19.8
Mayenne
77
10.4
Meurthe & Moselle
10,869
25.3
'Meuse
_2,161
27.8
Mortihan
25
2.6
Moselle
17,727
21.9
Nievre
1, 722
32.0
Nord
46,390
39.6
Oise.
8,588
42.4
0rne
300
10.2
Pas de Calais
68,9 60
74.1
Puy de Dome
3;406
25.1
Pyrenees Basses)
329
1.8
Pyrenees Hautea
1.8
Pyrenees Orientales)-
48
0.1
Rhin Bas)
10.3
Rhin (Haut)
5,490
21.5
Rhone
3
7
Saone (Haute)
, 658
13
Saone & Loire
7
5
38
Sarthe
, 163
.
96
Savoie
482
Savoie (Haute)
22
1.4
Seine
44,189
12.7
Seine (Infe rie ure )
1,452
10.3
Seine W "Marne
11,9314
41.6
Seine & Oise
13'
60
21.6
Sevres (Deux)
4
Somme
4,484
39.5
Tarn
2,894
12.0
Tarn & Garonne
490
3.3
'Tar
201
0.9
Vaucluse
324
2.1
Vendee
126
16.4
;Tie nne
916
27.1
Vienne (Haute)
21.2
Vosges
366
5.5
Yonne .
2,981
31.3
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1. Waves Polish Emigration
Polish emigres, composed chiefly of'Polish settlers after
The first homogeneous group came to France after
World War I from Westphalia, Germany. Because of poor,
post-war living conditjohe in Germany and lacking the
opportunity to . 'emsemigrate to war-ruined Poland, they
accepted, the invitation of the French Government to
migrate to France, which needed man-power.
The second influx to France occurred during the
first decade of.Poland."s independence and was caused by
economic depression and growing unemployment.
influx to Poland occurred in the early thirties when
layoffs resulted in a wave - of re-emigration.
The third migratory movement of Poles. to France
World War I and their" descendants, may be divided into three.
distinct groups=
deteriorating economic conditions in France causing.
was Apolitical in character as the result. of World War
included demobilized soldiers of the Polish Army,
former political prisoners, esoapees from Poland, former
prisoners of war in Germany, forced labor deported by
* A chart in icating the number of aliens in France as of.
August 1953 i$ given at th
d
e en
of Section G 1
..
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SECRET
the Nazis and. other civilian refugees. Intellectuals
and semi-intellectuals constitute a.large part of the
last emigre movement.
Those emigrating in the third group as a result of World
I-Tar II and referred to as "new :.efnigrants," work in.various
light industries while the "old-emigrants" are employed mostly
in coal mines and in the coal and textile industries. The
number in this third group, which comprises about 10 per
cent of the "old. emigration," includes some 30,00? political
refugees, although of the Poles in France, only five per cent
can be considered political refugees from Communist oppression.
The third group is considered particularly active and dynamic.
The division between the."old" and "newt' emigration is
not only limited to time of arrival and settlement in Polish
communities' but is also reflected in the mentality, attitudes
and social composition of. the two groups. The "old" emigrants
were by profession mostly miners. They were homogeneous,.
stable, highly conservative, and retained their traditions,
religion and customs. New emigrants, however, form a hetero-
geneoras social group,,, composed to.a large extent of unmarried
persons not yet stabilized in their profession and often die-.
contented.with their situation and prospects in France. It
is in this latter group that the danger of Communist subversion
is greatest. 9/
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An indication of the composition of the Polish labor
breakdown including both "old" and "new" .' ,emigration, is re-
flected in the 269,000 adult Poles in France reported working
professionally in the following. fields: 10
Farmers and agricultural workers
91,000
Miners
79,000
Processing industry
58,000
Domestic servants
17,000
Transport
11,000
Trade
.8 000
Professional people
5,000
2690000.
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ALIENS IN FRANCE INCLUDING PERSONS
FR M FRENCH OVERSEAS TERRITORTES
Thousands
3,000 r--
9% RDP78-02771 R000200390017-7
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2. Citizenshi and Naturalization
In the absence of exact statistics, it is estimated that
275,000-300,000 Poles have become French citizens through
naturalization and birth in French territory. About 450,000,
however, have retained Polish citizenship, which permits this
group a freedom of choice in deciding whether to accept Polis4
Communist consular Jurisdiction. I2 It should be noted that
the most active and effective. Communist operatives in 1952
were those Poles who are French citizens by naturalization
and thus immune to expulsion. 13
Naturalization appears to be increasing. While formerly,
the assumption or French citizenship was undertaken with
reluctance, naturalization by Polish emigres is now regarded
as a prudent measure compatible with devotion to Poland.
Irrespective of citizenship and a high degree of assimila-
tion, the Poles in France are reported to form a distinct cul-
tural group., conscious of origin and extraordinarily faithful
to its mother tongue, national and religious traditions. i/
D. Political Influence and Orientation
National and naturalized Poles, who constitute about 1.7
per cent of the French population, and Frenchmen of Polish
descent, who comprise about 0.7 per cent of the French popu-
lation, appear on the surface to exert little influence on
French life. Because, hov.ever, Poles living in France are
grouped in certain regions-(in some tovns and cities they
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constitute 40-50 per cent of the inhabitants) their influence
is in fact considerable. Twenty Poles hold municipal posts,
ten are factory worker council leaders and a son of a Polish
immigrant is highly situated in the Ministry of Interior. L5/
Gaston Palewski, of Polish ancestry, was formerly Minister
Delegate to the President of the Conseil in the cabinet of
Edgar Faure.. Furthermore, certain political and intellectual
members of Polish emigres represent an important sector in
French labor and have succeeded in establishing close ties
with influential French in intellectual, social and political
circles.
From the standpoint of labor impact and potential in France,
Polish emigres are employed in strategic and sensitive indus-
tries such as mining and metallurgy. Their influence is also
felt in French agriculture.
The existence of Polish emigres in France is evidence of
their opposition to the present Warsaw regime., Other than an
estimated 5-10 per cent Communists or fellow travelers, most
of the Poles are vigorously patriotic and resolutely anti-
Communist. Nevertheless, they represent a fertile target for
Communist propaganda and subversion, especially those dis-
illusioned with their present status who have little hope
for the future.
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