ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS IN THE USSR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A001300910009-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 26, 2010
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: June 4, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
SECRET
SECURITY INFORMATION
COUNTRY USSR(Kuybyshev Oblast)
SUBJECT Economic and Political Conditions
in the USSR
PLACE ACQUIRED
This Document contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States, within *.e mean-
ing 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.
REPORT
DATE DIStR.
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT
REFERENCES
tr. June 1953
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THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
n.the small v age of pravlencheski approximately 10 to 12 km
north-northeast of Kuybyshev, USSR, food, clothes, and other
necessities of life from the Soviet economy, either in Upravlencheskiy or 25X1
in Kuybyshev. After the currency reform in the USSR, conditions improved
steadily, and by.19I9-1950 all'commodities'were available at all times without
any rationing. The only exceptions were sugar and flour., which were not
rationed but rarely sold. Once-or twice a year, the Soviets decreed price
reductions for various articles, which always produced a great buying rush
in the first days. However, after a very short time prices went up again
to the former level. Also, most food prices, for example, of milk, eggs,
and meats, underwent seasonal changes every year. Shopping was done in state-
owned stores and bazaars,where people often stood in line for advertised bargains.
Only Soviet party and government officials vore entitled to enter the shops without
waiting in line, a measure which was silently tolerated by the other Soviets. Most
STATE; ARMY
AIR #X FBI
(Note: Washington Distribution Indicated By "X"; Field Distribution By "#".)
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Soviets complained privately about prices in comparison to their
earnings. Woxkers in Zavod :o.2 made 500 to 800 rubles per month
on 'the average, engineers 1,000 to 1,200 rubles per month, much
leas than t1.
-1,66d prices:
Butter
Vegetable shortening,
White bread
Black bread
Sugar(powder),
Roasted coffee
White flour
Gray flour
Millet
Eggs
Milk.
Beef
Pork
Liver
kg,
kg,
Icgo
kg,
kg,
kg,
kg,
kg,
kg,
38 -40 rubles
22,-24 ti
3.50
2.30
12_
70
9
5 -6
5
doz. 24 -36
liter, 5 -6
kg, 12 4.18
kg, 18 - 25
kg, 8
Cigarettes were very good, and cheap]
rubles for 25 cigarettes.
Clothing:
a good
brand cost two
Men's shoes (mostly imported from Czechoslovakia.),' leather,
200 - 250 rubles
Men's shoes, cloth fabric with rubber, solo, 50 -60 rubles
Ladies shoes, leather (mostly imported from Czechoslovakia)
25,0 - 300 rubles
Men's suite (imported, good q,uality), 1,000 rubles
Material for menfs.suitp ~;' m ;iyrted, good 'cquality), 250-
300 rubles per meter,'
Coats (padded), 800 - 1,000 rubles
Silk stockings, 30 -40 rubles
psis s.
rent prices were the same. for
.Soviets. and Germans, in this settlement. 'The rent was calculated
per square meter, plus separate charges for ela tri6it
oanalization nand perhaps one or: two ctser itama
a bedroom and, .& living
room a out 4.5m a er,s.x 5mitere each),a kitohen a
(which was not installed), 'and a 'small hall.
was 183 ru es,
In this particular
housenplumbing and water supply'was good, eleotrtoity very weak in
the winter months. The water closet, like all sanitary installa-
tionsn`in this area, was very primitive. and bad.
Mew _oarea experience with Soviet hospitals and
doctors was very satisfactory,
in every
n the hands of competent doctors and nurses, who
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attended. to their dutiss.with personal human interest. On other
occasions =children.were treated for minor ailments inthe.came
way',. All drugs, including penicillin, were readily available and.
were extremely lhexpeheivee, Doctors, hospitalization and dentists
are frea.of charge since every working person. pays compulsory health
insurance through payroll deduction. Dentists in this area opsrst?
with old and outmoded equipments and. their treatment is rather
primitive and not up to western standards.
&elisaw or heard of any obstacles against, exercise
of ''religious beliefs. Nevertlieless=observed very few people
going to churches in tIi'is areas and they were mostly old,
the state of Russian public and political opinion in the
locality.
the great majority of Soviets in the locality and the
istic
t
h, the Commun
plant agree in principle wi
system. hardly any real criticism aside from griping
about prices and wages in a way which is more or less common every
it
Soviets,
th
.
e._
where., In occasional discussions -.with
d out 0 that contrary to the capitalistic
t
oi
e
n
was always p
system A heir'system insures constant employment, income, housing,
medical careand old age pensions for everyone, and :that these
achievements and security outweigh by far the.higher living
standards of a "few" in a capitalistic country.- The Soviet
people are not hostile to Americana, Britishera,or even Germans
.but are afraid that those countries want to destroy the Communist
sys.tem.in.the USSR, and that the USSR would have to starve. for
the sake of capitalists again. The intelligentsia believe that
in the long r war will be inevitable, because. the capitalistic
countries are afraid of the awakening of their ' own people, who
sod the. working of a just.economic;-system for the masses in the
USSR:. Everyone seems to be s.ngerely convinced that the Soviet
Union is on the defensive agadiot capitalistic aggreseion, undoubted-
ly.the result of an incessant' propaganda by newapapore. .and broad-
casts. The yearly State loans, much disliked .by everybody:, are
always explained and advertised; in terms of defense against the
owing western armament and aggression "Peace" propaganda is
Is'ry effective with the average Soviet, even 'if'people areother
*Lee generally tired of all the political. propaganda' of. the party
line'and.hardly listen anymore. Naturally it has to be taken into
consideration that any Soviet opposed to the p .sent system would
hardly veins his'o-inious in, public, or tell - a. irman "forsigne.r",
ur,y the majority of: people ire this area do 'not want,,'a change of
political and police activity.
Political activity was direoted'by the Communist Party and labor
union offices located at Zavod No'.2., The Soviet personnel received
schooling along.party lined several.evenings:a week. Similar.edu-,
oa~JiQzal courses, were attempted for the Germans., but it.was easy
to evade them. F--= no information.,.regarding political activities
and workers
Clat
m
.. _-., - .
n the t.owno
_- V,..,,& C"A." two mar cent of the personnsll.
-Of,
in 6:Ae glt-usi~ ~IrV v.cyw+~1 .... - -- . -
were:Party members The Soviets in-general were aware of , the
attract-
lice
e
,
ex .awtence of ?ecre u po
*heirattention. A. certain Major KOL.YC!ENK0was. tbe'official
i
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.
MVD representative in Zavod No.2 where he had an office. He was,
also. the commander of the factory guards and supervised the pasts
control system and handled personnel quest:'.ons for the Soviets
and Germa s. His office investigated any suspected sabotage or
breakdown measures in the plant. He also issued the travelling
passes for day-'visits for Germans. to Kuybyshev.. There was not.
much: difficulty in obtaining such a. permit, exoep.t.when too many
Germans applied for the same day. many Germans also credited
Major'KOLYCHENKO with being the head and supervisor of the
informer system in..the plant. It was generally beiiex*ed that
$~rerhaps ten per dent of the employees' and workers; German and
Soviets, were used by the BLVD as epaes. They had to submit.
verbally or in writing reports of their observations. Germans
"hired" for this activity in the beginning reported about the
work performance of their colleagues in a certain section or
department. Later they could not get away from this so-called
"supervision". They had to.make frequent periodical reports
from this spying . calculation
about the others.) Ino harm evter'oame to anybody
engineer WIEMANN was known as collaborator and informer,, In the.
first years he. was befriended by engineerKLEINAU, also in the
same department. IaatOr 0these two quarreled and KLE.INAf told=
that?WIEMANN had not made his reports to Major KOLYCH'ENKO but
to anMVD civilian who lived in the Russian VIP housing seotion
in iprav].g:r~ lacss'i i, where he had a special office All KLEINAV
knew was that-,this man', an Asiatic type, was a superior to the
major and the head of the informer system. He was never seen
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