EDUCATION, RELIGION, AND SOCIAL WELFARE IN KLAIPEDA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A000200200016-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 31, 2002
• Sequence Number: 16
• Publication Date: August 7, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
COUNTRY
SUBJECT
DATE OF INFO.
PLACE ACQUIRE
SOURCE:
,
Thopoculpeptcontalps inforrqatton affecting the Na-
itoria1.A4fense of the fliiited.States, within the rnearr-
ing, 94 Title 18, Sections 798 and 794, of the U.S. dOde, as
&Aerated. Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited
liy 10: The reproduction of fhis foy tit prohibited,
SEM. 7/
25.?(
SECURITY
INFORMATION
USSR (Lithuanian SSR) REpORT NO
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Education, Religion, and Social DATt DISTR
1. Aug. 1953
:Welfare in Klaipeda
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1)G!ES
uutEmENT NO. AO
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1 &di,
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS ,ftEP9RT ARE , pvit5grivt.
THE APPRAISAL Of CONTENT Is TENiitnifie
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
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Education
1. In Klaipeda? the Lithuanian gymnasium and the training college for teachers:
are on Simano Dacha Street, in the former gymnasium of lorytautas'the Grpat. The
Russian gymnasium and training college for teachers is opposite the railroad
station in the building formerly used as a-training college for teachers of the
Klaipeda area.1 The Lithuanian primary schdol.and,seminary are in al:louse which
vas built before the war and which is locatpd:OA P044 S't'ree'nearAle4eall4ro
Street, There are primary schools in the former LUisen gymnasium on Tpepfer
Street and in Smelte, Melnragel and Giruliai, The kolkhozy have schools and
landergartens, but they are as much as 18 kilometers apart and, as a tesult,
sometimes only a few children attend them. .Since Most of the people are poor;
children have to look after the cattle and help support their parents-..
-2. Primary schools are nOt obligatory, but anyone is alloWed to attend sghool.
Children enter school at the age of seven, spend four years in,ptitary school
and eight years in the gymnasium. InstructiOkib according to notms,:and a
certain program has to be completed each year. tto consideration is given to
a chiles inability to follow such lessons. In the first year, everything
taught it Lithuanian; later, everything is t.alliglat. in Russian. Lithuanian is then
used only in Lithuanian language coutsesiwhiWAte like any other 'foreign lan.i
guage courses except that they are given more fteqUently: Other languages taught
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at 'school are English, French/ and German. Teachers are Lithuanians And Russians
and earn 300 to 600 rubles per 'month.
3. Political education is essential. Patties are 1*.4 in the schools only to com-
memorate political events. Teachers must be Party members and, being activists,
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they must make propaganda for the Komsomols and Pioneers. They are often accused
of being ,enemies and not knowing how to attract children in the Communist Youth
rankii. Without exception, the -many Russian and Jewish school children are Com..
monnist Youth members. According to source, they are forced to join because their
parents are officials and activists and are interested in maintaining the exist-
ing 'regime. Lithuanian parents prohibit their children from join i ng the Pioneers
and the Komsomol, and thus there are only a few Lithuanians among them. Often
the children like to join the Pioneers, because then the door is open for inter-
esting military training. Por example, in Giruliai, Pioneer camps are set up
under the -leadership of Russian officers and the children receive military train-
ing, even learning how to throw wooden hand grenades.
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Sixtyi.eive rubles per ,month are charged for each child in kindergarten. The
children receive very good food in the kindergarten, and source believes the
purpose of this is to cause them to lose interest in their parents. Por breaks
fast they receive two rolls With butter. Every day for lunch they receive ?milk,
soup, and. meat. In the afternoon they have two pieces of white bread with butter,
sausage or cheese, and cocoa or milk. For supper they receive four pieces of
white bread with =eh butter and cheese or sausage. That the children are edu-
cated in a Communistic spirit can be seen by their play, during political education
lessons, and on Soviet holidays when they have to carry pictures of Stalin and
other Soviet officials. They are taught from their fourth year that Stalin is
living in their hearts. They are allowed to celebrate only Christmas and New
Yeses, In the kindergartens, children are questioned about their parents by
the supervisor. Pupils must tell teachers where their:parents work, what they
do at home, to wham they speak, and who visits them.
Reliqion
Eivine services are held in Klaipeda for persona of all faiths. ' A. Russian
church is now located in the new prewar cemetery chapel on the left side of the
Klaipeda cemetery. Services for Catholics and Lutherans are held On Palangos
Street near Tuodzin Street, in the former Baptist chapel. Services are conducted
in Lithuanian and the church is always overcrowded. Most of the people who attend
areyaan.!gymnasium pupils. A priest named Baltrlmas (Thu) and a preacher Lame
not give7 n conduct services in private homes for the Memellaenders. The Russians
dislike this because they suspect that political meetings are held.- Baltrimas is
from Krettaga and. was officially appointed by the government to his position in
Klaipeda. Moat of the Klaipeda churches were destroyed during the war, includ-
ing the Johannes church, the Catholic church on Puodzin Street, and the Reformed
chureh. The former so-called. English church on Malku Street is now a Store.' A
restaurant is located in the rooms on the left side of the former church and a
steam bath in the rooms on the right. The priest seminary is closed.
People are not officially prohibited from going to church, and no special permis.
sian is. required. However, there are always militiamen and MI/D agents in' plain
clothes who follow people going to church and who draw appropriate conclusions.
Officials who are seen in church are tmmediately discharged. Also, when the
half-yearly lists of deportees are made up, people who go to church are taken
into consideration. There are no religious lessons in the schools.
The churches are supported by voluntary contributiOns. They have no farms nor
any Other property. As far as source knows, the churches pay no taxes.3 However,
the priests are looked upon as blackmarketeers and therefore have to pay more for
everything. Por example, a priest has to pay twice as much as others for living
quarters. Priests are not prohibited from visiting the dying but must do so by
their own means,
Health
There are Lithuanian and Russian doctors. There are enough doctors but, because
their salaries are comparatively small, they treat patients carelessly., It is
dangerous for them to treat persons privately and to take money for it.' There
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is. no charge for treatment, but people have to pay for medicines. Medicines
are delivered from Russia and the people say that they are good but very expen.,
sive. Medicine can be bol4ght onj.,with a prescription. There are still the
same hospitals as'before Zthe war including the Red Cross hospital. When a
person is very ill he is transferred to a hospital, but many sufferers of chronic
diseasel are visited at home by doctors or have to go to 00 hospital forlFut..
patienI/ treatment. Dental treatment is free. Metal is used for 'prosthesis
work but, by. paying 200 rubles, a person can obtain better dentures.
41?,F10171, Welfare
There is no social insurance, and. .51d a7 pensions are not paid. However,
pensions are paid to medal holders and. wounded. veterans. For example, holders
Of the Order of. the Red. Banner receive 50 rubles per month and disabled veterans
receive 120 to 130 rubles per month. Because they cannot live on these amounts"
many invalids beg on the city streets and display their wounds.
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? doctors may treat patients privatelyandl although
they may charge no fee, are permitted to accept whatever the patient offers.
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