MAIL CONTROL IN RUMANIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A005600490006-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 23, 2007
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: December 27, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2007/10/23: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005600490006-4
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
SECRET
COUNTRY Rumania
SUBJECT Mail Control in Rumania
PLACE ACQUIRED
This is UNEVALUATED
Information
This material contains Information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States within the mean-
Ing of the Espionage Laws, Title 18, U.S.C. Secs. 793
and 794, the transmission or revelation of which In
any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited
by low.
REPORT
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT NO.
REFERENCES
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
27 December 1954
3
RD
Internal Mail
1. Internal mail in Rumania is accepted in the following forms:
a. Ordinary or nor..-registered;
b. Registered;
c. 'Registered airmail; and
d. Spec4.al delivery.
This mail may be sent in the form of sealed letters, open cards, illustrated
cards, congratulatory letters, etc.
2. Ordinary or non-registered mail: Ordinary letters are stamped with 0.55 lei
for the first 20 grams and the stamps are obtainable from every tobacco stand
in Bucharest as well as from any post office. Letters can be mailed in any
of the numerous letter boxes inside'and outside of each post office, and in
post office boxes located in-various parts of Bucharest. Mail is collected
once or twice each day, postmarked, and forwarded to its destination. It is
believed that'letters addressed only to persons on a watch list are censored.
It takes about four or five days fora letter to be delivered and as long as
seven or eight days if the distance between cities is great.
3. Registered mail: Registered letters are delivered to a special desk in any
of the several'Bucharest post offices, Stamps are purchased at the post
office after the letter has been weighed. These letters can betaken to the
post office after they have been sealed. After the letter has been stamped,
it again is presented to the special desk; this time accompanied by the
STATE Y, ARMY NAVY
j AIR
(NOTE: Washington distribution indicated by "Z", Field distribution by ".#".)
FBI AEC
UST RI x -1
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sender's identity card. Registered letters are accepted only from the
sender.in person and his name and complete address must appear on the
envelope. This entire routine is carried out in a fairly casual manner.
However, both the number of the identity card and the number of the
militia office from which it was issued are recorded. A receipt is
given to the sender of the letter. The receipt includes the name of
the sender and the addressee, the addresses of both and the cost of
mailing the letter. The'post office retains a duplicate of the receipt.
The letter also is registered in a separate book maintained for
registered mail and the serial number of this book is placed on the
envelope after the envelope has been stamped with a capital "R", meaning
registered. It is believed that mail addressed to suspect individuals is
censored. The postal costs for a letter weighing 20 grams which is mailed
to a city further inland (sic) is 1.75 lei.
4. The same procedure for mailing a registered letter is followed also when
one sends a letter by registered airmail or by special delivery. However,
the cost of both of these services is somewhat higher than for a simple
registered letter. The same routine is followed in mailing a post card,
although open mail reportedly reaches its destination quicker because it
is more easily controlled.
Foreign Mail
5. In Bucharest, letters destined for foreign countries must be taken to
one of the following post offices:
a. Post Office of the Grivita Rosie Section: It is located in the
building which was formerly the town hall of Green Sector on Boulevard
N. Titulescu. It is a rather new and attractive building which also
houses the Number 7 telephone center.
b. Post Office on Strada 'Viitor: This building is on Strada Viitor near
the first streetcar stop after Gemeni Square.
c. Post Office on Stefan Cel Mare Highway: This building is located
near the Dinamo Stadium.
6. Letters are presented closed at these post offices, where they are first
weighed and stamped. These letters have to be presented together with
the sender's identity card. It is not possible to have letters mailed
by intermediaries, even if they are close relatives, and the authorities
check carefully the photograph on the identity card. These letters are
then registered in a special book'in which the sender's name and address
are recorded. No other identifying document is accepted in lieu of the
identity card.
7. The cost of mailing a letter or card abroad depends on its destination.
A non-registered letter weighing not more than 20 grams may be mailed to
Greece for 1.25 lei. Registered letters, which are controlled in the
same manner as ordinary mail, are more expensive to send. A registered
letter to Greece, weighing not more than 20 grams, costs 3.50 or 3.75 lei.
Since there are only three post offices which accept foreign mail in
Bucharest, there frequently are lines of people waiting.
8. Foreign mail, both outgoing and incoming, is taken to the Gara de Nord
(North Railway) Station where it is opened and censored. Letters
containing derogatory information about the Rumanian Government are
destroyed. Until 1953, correspondence from abroad was not-always
regularly received. This fact could be determined from the contents
of subsequent letters. Since 1953, however, letters which are not
considered to contain anything suspicious are delivered regularly.
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-3-
9. Until early in January 1954, the addressee of a letter from abroad had
to go to the post office to receive it in person. Since that date,
letters have been delivered directly by the postman without formality.
Registered mail is delivered by postmen, but has to be signed for on
special forms. Although registered mail is supposed to be delivered
only to the addressee, postmen frequently deliver them to other members
of the same family.
10. Special files are maintained on individuals sending or receiving mail
from abroad. Many people who correspond with individuals residing outside
Rumania have been called by the militia and questioned on various points,
with no mention being made of their letter-writing habits. Consequently,
many people are afraid to send letters abroad and most of those who do
stick strictly to family affairs. It also has been noticed that there
have been frequent occasions when'letters from abroad which were addressed
to friends, rather than relatives, were not delivered.
11. In applying for a job in a factory or institution, one of the items on
the questionnaire which must be filled out is whether or not the person
corresponds with anyone living abroad. If the answer is in the affirmative,
complete details are required.
12. Members of the Communist Party do not maintain correspondence with people
living outside Rumania because of the fear that they will compromise
themselves.
Approved For Release 2007/10/23: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005600490006-4