HEALTH, SANITATION AND EDUCATION IN GDYNIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A001700670008-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 16, 2002
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: August 5, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
SECR] E
SECURITY INFORMATION
25X'PATE OF INFO.
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Health, Sanitation and 31Iduciation in
Gdynia
This Document contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States, within the 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 NO.
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
REFERENCES
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OP CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERS!)
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5 August 1953
1. Gel
Before World War II, Gdynia was Polandle only port. It was one of the most
modern ports in Europe; construction had been begun in 192. In the last
year of World War IIn it was severely damaged, but reconstruction has proceeded
at a fairly fast rate. I cannot estimate the area of the city.
25X1 Gdynia was the home of the Dalmor Deep Sea 10 hing
Enterprise Przedsiebiorstwo Polowow Daleko brskich) and the
rka Fishing and Supply Enterpri a (Przedsiebiorstwo Polowow i Uslug Rybackich)
which fished coastal waters, j _j Central Fisheries, which had
a plant for the canning and the preserving of fish (refrigerators were used
for the storage of fresh fish). was also located in Gdynia. Gdynia had
facilities to overhaul and repair ships,. and constructed fishing cutters.
Gdynia was the main port for ocean-going passenger.,lines, and, at times,,
accommodated the Polish Navy. Only political ly reliable-Poles were allowed to
reside along the coasto
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Communications
2. Water communication was maintained between Gdynia and such ports, as, Szczecin, Poland;
Stockholm, Trelleborga Gotteborg, Sweden; Helsinki, SOtka, Turek, Firiland 'Oslo,
Stavanger, Norway; Copenhagen, Denmark; Murmansk, Odessa, PuSS1t ".;, Aberdeen, Glasgow,
Scotland; Liverpool. Newcastle, England; Rostock, East Germany; Hamburg, West Germany;
Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Holland; Le Havre, R?arseilles, France; Antwerp, Belgium; Genoa,
Naples, Italy; the countries of Albania, Bulgaria, and Rumania; Istanbul,' Turkey; and
the countries of Israel. Egypt, Pakistan, 1byssinia, China, Latin America, South
Africa, and the Caribbean area.
ARMY
SECRET
NAVY AIR FBI AEC
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3. Rail communications was maintained between Gdynia and the following
cities; Gdansk, Krakow, Bydgoszcz L3309N-1800, Poznan- 225N-1652
Przemyslj Lodz Z 145N-19287, Warsaw, Rzeszow, Bialystok 9330N-23002
Lublin, Katowice., and Wroclaw.
4. Commercial and passenger airline communications were maintained
tea',u, Lodz Szczecin,
between Gdynia and the following cities:
Warsaw, Katowice, and Wroclaw., by the Polish Air Lines (Polskie
Linie Lotnicze - Lot: P.L,L.-Lot).
Diseases
25X1A 5.
the population of Gdynia was approximately 25X1
I have no knowledge of 'irth rate, death rate, infant mortality.
rate, or the leading causes of death. I never heard of deaths from
.such diseases as typhoid., cholera, typhus, plague, yellow fever, etc.
I did hear of a few deaths from dysentery and tuberculosis, but 'I
cannot estimate how many. If there was a disease locally regarded
as endemic, I would presume that it was tuberculosis. About 30% of
the population was afflicted with tuberculosis; the principal.
causes of which were the lack. of a balanced diet, crowded conditions,
no hospitals for isolation, lack of soap to maintain cleanliness,
and lack of medicaments,
Water Supply
6. The city had a state owned water supply system which derived ite
supply of water from a river, whose name I do not know. The water
was distributed. by means of' underground water mains. I do not know
If any treatment was given this water. It always seemed to have a.
natural taste. I have never tasted any chlorine. I believe the water
supply system was adequate to serve the whole population . I do not
know for what reason, but at times the water supply was 'cut off for
several hours or for as gong as half a day. I do not know the daily
consumption of water,. About 99% of the population used the public
water supply. 1 do not., know how the sanitary quality of the water
was checked. The water was safe to use without further. treatment
such as boiling.. Shirts were also supplied from the public water
supply, but I believe the water was first sof?tene~ to reduce the
alkaline content In order not to damage the ships boilers . I believe
the public water supply had a hardness of eight degrees. I have'
never heard of other sources of supply in use in the city.
Food Supply
7. The Municipal Slaughter House (R:eznia Miejska) exercised control
over the slaughtering of cattle. The cattle were examined for
disease and given the official stamp of approval. I do not know
who controlled markets,, restaurants, or the handling of meats, or
other foods, although I believe fish were controlled by the Department
of Ichthyology,
Milk Supply
8. milk was distributed in sealed bottles or large cans. It was
sold either bottled or in bulk. I do not know if any officl.a.i agency
controlled the sanitary quality of the milk. I do not know what-per-
centage of the milk was bottled. The law stated that the" milk had
to be pasteurized; I have never heard of any violation of this law.
I do 'not know the -percentage of dairy cattle tested for tuberculosis
by the Veterinary Department.
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Disposal S stems
9. The city had a sewage system which served the whole population .
The ultimate disposal of the sewage was in the sea o Human excreta:
was not _use+di for fertilizing land, I never heard of surface runoff
as presenting a. special problem; I never saw-open ditches or storm'
sewers. After a heavy rain, the water usually drained after a
period of two or three hours. There was .a general collection of
garbage and other, refuse, which were placed in large metal canal
but I do not, 11 sow how often, There was a Waste Salvage Department
which separated bottle-s, cloth, iron, bones, and any other re-
usable items from -t e garbage. The garbage was ultimately burned
and buried. There was a department for street cleaning, and .dead
animals were collected by the dog-catchers a Human cadavers were
buried rather than crear:ated o
Pest Control
10. I heard that ocroca.s.i.ona?:l asarnples of mosquitoes, flies, and lice were
taken for analysis? About once each year poisons were placed in
all homes, and some of the homes were fumigated to control-rodents;
I heard some people c oarment on the fact that the rodents in some
cases were unaffected,
Medical and Hospital Facilitles
11. I do not know how many nosp5..tals were in the city. For an
25X1 1 went to the oomprised of two 25X1
adjoining buildings. Each was four stories high and covered an
area of about 10(0 x ;O rn , I cannot estimate the total number, of
hospital beds, or the number of charity beds. Medical, surgical,
dental, nursirg, and obstetrical services were available, but the
big drawbacks were the lack of hospital space and medicaments. All
drugs were at a premiucr,; a great quantity of those used were sent
from relatives abroad or brought in by seamen for resale. There
were long ws,it x rsg, i.iet:s for admission to all hospitals and only
emergency surgical were acne ted immediately. 25X1
25X1 nd I had to
wait nine days to g'gain ~drnlssion to the hospital. People who were
not seri.ous'l r 'a 9.l and who yalled for an ambulance were sentenced
to '.Jai 7. ,
12. A'1I vary t o aW,
sec: rlfltt,111t pt I. a 1~ o ors who did treat private
patients do six on L,y on hrhae highest recommendation from a patient, or
friend previously so treated. There were doctors who specialized'
in eye, ear, nose, throaty heart diseases) venereal disease, tropical
diseases, and others I cannot remember.
13. There were not suf.f`':i e.ient materials for good dental treatment.
There was no ;ypsurn, gold, silver, nor platinum, and a person
could apply for dentures only if he had at least seven' teeth'
missing. This resulted in requests for extraction of one or two,
healthy teeth (if the person had only five or six teeth missing)
An alloyed steel, crown cost me 220 zlotys; this was a private visit.
Local Health and Welfare Administratiorl
l4. There were active cli Ji.sions for the control of tuberculosis, venereal
disease,, and sanitation, Trucks mounted with X-ray machines-
examined workers for tu.aberculosis. People who were not employed,
however, were on long waiting lists for this chest examination. How-
ever, tubercul.os:t..s was. not easily controlled, since as far as I
know there were -ao isoi.at1on hospitals; it was next to impossible
for an afflicted per cn-r, to obtain a private room in dwellings
even with a, doctor '~s cc.ert;i fi cate . Living conditions 'were so
crowded that the tuher,,^ular had to, sleep In a room with three or
four other people, About the only aid that the tuberculosis division
was able to render was merely informing the person that he had the
disease and that he needed care.
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15. Persons with venereal. disease had to report to a clinic until they
were cured. I do not know if. there were active divisions for
maternity's child health, or for. the follow-up of infectious
diseases. Cases 'of communicable diseases had to be reported,.
although the diseased were allowed to. remain at home for treatment.
I never heard-of non-government health organizations. that operated
in the city. I believe children were immunized against small pox
and typhus. Adults were also immunized against typhus. This took
place, I believe, at least once each year.
16. I never heard of a system of public assistance, but Ibelieve
emergency charity cases were accepted by the hospitals. I heard that
such persons would be given a bed, but that the.medical treatment
was limited if not rail..
17. In my opinion, health conditions and sanitation in Gdynia were'fair.
Available medical, dental, and hospital care as poor. The climate
had no adverse effects on the population. In order to supply myself
with the best food available, I spent about 8 of my above-average
salary of 1,500 zlotys per month on food, I 25X1
spent no money for cigarettes or liquor. Many children suffered-from
anemia, weak bones and teeth. I never saw a chubby or healthy looking
child.
Education
18. I am not familiar with the primary or high schools in Gdynia. English
was taught in the high schools, lyceums, and universities. It was
given preference over Latin but after Russian, German, and French.
Russian and Polish were required languages. One could study English
for four years in the high schools and two in the lyceums'.
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