CZECHOSLOVAK ELBE-ODER RIVER NAVIGATION COMPANY IN KOZLE

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Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP80-00810A005900140001-4
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RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
S
Document Page Count: 
5
Document Creation Date: 
December 21, 2016
Document Release Date: 
February 13, 2008
Sequence Number: 
1
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
March 17, 1955
Content Type: 
REPORT
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PDF icon CIA-RDP80-00810A005900140001-4.pdf294.15 KB
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Approved For Release 2008/02/13: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005900140001-4 PLACE ACQUIRED This material contains Information affecting the Na- ttonal Defen a of the United States within the mean- ing of the bWmage Law.. Title 18, U.S.O. Seca. 799 and M. the trsnamlulott or revelation of which in any manner to an Unauthorized person is prohibited by law. SEC RET NOFO Poland/Czechoslovakia REPOR Czechoslovak Elbe-Oder River Navigation DATE DISTR. Company in Kozle NO. OF PAGES REQUIREMENT NO. REFERENCES THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE. THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE. (FOR KEY SEE REVERSE) RD 17 March 1955 1. CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY INFORMATION REPORT The management of the Czechoslovak Elbe-Oder Navigation Company (OSPLO), Odor Branch, which is in charge of all Czechoslovak shipping on the Oder River and on the oann].a in Eastern Germany which run into the Oder, in at Kozle Port, near Kozle, on Stalinowa Street. It comes under thA general management-of the, CSPLO in Smetanovo nabrezi, Prague, which directs all Czechoslovak:'. 'Elbe and Oder shipping. The management of the CSPLO works closely with the Ministry of transport and with the state shipping company Metrans, whose Oder Branch is situated at Szczecin (5tettin) on the Ewa Peninsula. 2. The river Oder is navigable from;n7~1e Port for a distance of 738 inn. The voyage A from Kozle Port to Szczecin (Stettin),',ueually lasts 10-12 days. Ordinary navigation with a full load is possible if water in`t#e shipping canal is at least 1.80 m..deep. In shallower water, smaller loads must be carried. Shipping atops on the Oder only it winter when it freezes up. or when it is flooded. Ships usually winter in Szczecin'an. Kozle. 3. Trips to Eastern Germany from the Oder are very rare and ships only go to Oderberg (N53/v29) for repairs. The CSPLO does'not have repairs made by Polish shipyard workers, because their repairs are very expensive and of poor quality. when the water is very low, and railings from Kozle Port are not possible, Czechoslovak r- ft sometimes sail along the. western Oder, usually with cargoes of apatite for Hoho:'saatcn, and sometimes :for: Magdeburg andLEalt,~Berlin. The Czechoslovak barr!es, not usually navigate the canals which were built.for 3QC;tcn;harpee 'and~the cargoes have to. be.. trarrsferx ed ,to;c?a ler;:bargd6 in ' flohia era= i ' r .i rayago to Magdeburg or Berlin, the boats never"go'through West Germany. 4. The Czechoslovak Government'has been negotiating with the Hungarian and Polish Governments for the construction of a Danube-Oder Canal. The Polish any. Hungarian Governments have refused to participate and have stated that they would rather SECRET /NOFORN STATE X ARMY X NAVY ".t Ath X Ial, I., . ,.:,. , .., r; ,.;t? ..... ,. hV ire. Flat r..n...tAuttee b,. ARC Approved For Release 2008/02/13: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005900140001-4 Approved For Release 2008/02/13: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005900140001-4 SECRET NOFORN - 2 - pay duty when the canal is built. A new dam on the Oder is under construction near Ostrava; it is to be the first stop to render the Oder navigable beyond Ostrava, e coa mos y comes rom o en , an is roug ere y rai . om zczecin to Kozle Port cargoes are generally iron ore, pyrites, apatite concentrates, and small quantities of certain foodstuffs. It is not possible to ship foodstuffs or more valuable goods by the Oder, because Polish personnel steal most of Y.t. 6. Cargoes -re usually loaded or unloaded on the Ezra ?aenin'sula in. Szczecin. Half the peninsula has been bought by Czechoslovakia, w1-i._;;h has two cranes and some build- ings there. River shipping may not remain in this harbor overnight and is-anchored at night, or while wai.l ng, in a river harbor before Szczecin called Regalica. 7, The Oder ranch of CSPLO. has about 50 barges; half of these are of new Czechoslovak production. only two of the barges are of 300 tons, the others of 500-600 tone. The company has the following steamers: PREROV, a screw steamer, new,500 hp OSTRAVA PRADED (former ODERSKY RESSL) paddle steamer MOSKVA, RIP and'SNEZKA, screw steamers, 500-750 tons LTBEN and TROJA, older steamers OPAVA and VITKOVICD, steamships,. 250 hp. 8, In 1949 a new screw steamer, the BOHUMIN, 250 hp, was launched. the steamship KARVINA, 100 hp, only sails from Kozle Port to Wroclaw (Breslau).' 9. The branch 'ias the following tugs: HANA, BECVA and OSLAVA.1 As a rule three barges a.:.? towed by tow rope behind the tugs. The crews on the barges are not permanent and change frequently. Even when the tugs are new, they look old and battered and so do the barges, for Polish crews often demolish the ships' equip- ment. There are bugs and cockroaches in most of the boats. 10. The Oder Branch of the CSPLO has about 250 men. Only about 50 of these are Czechs of horn 3~, are employed in the offices. The remainder of the crew, about 200, are mostly Poles, or sr-called Slonzaks (Polish Silesians from the Czech border region). In spring 1953, about 20 new barge workers, members of the Czechoslovak Youth League, came to Kozle Port to replace old men who were not politically re- liable. 11. The workers basic pay is 617 crowns a month. With overtime for night work the men could sometimes increase their pay to 1,000 crowns. The allowance for each day in Poland is 35 zlotys, and in Eastern Germany 10 DME. Where the allowances were exceeded, the exchange rate was 1.80 crowns for the zloty and 3,24 crowns for the DME. 12. The pad of Polish bargemen is about 500 zloty; Polish crews, 600 zloty; and Polish mates, 750 zloty. Unlike the Czechs, the Polish sailors were paid by the kilo- meter and on long voyage; could earn up to 1,800 zlotys; 35 zlotys per diem was sufficient to cover the minimum food requirements of Czech crews in Poland. 13. Prices in Poland were as follows: 1 kg. pork 36 zl. 1 kg. butter 40 50 zl. 1 kg, sugar 15 zl, SECRET NOFORN Approved For Release 2008/02/13: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005900140001-4 25X1 Approved For Release 2008/02/13: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005900140001-4 SECRET NOFORN -3- 1 kg. bread 1 kg, potatoes 1 kg. salami 1 kg. 7Ard 1 kg. flour 1 liter pure alcohol 1 egg Average meal in restaurant Boots Better quality ready-made suit Men's underwear Shirt 8 zi. 5 zl. 28-50 zl, according 40 zl. 608 zl. 80 zi. 1.40-1.80 z1. 7-9 zl. 400 zl. 1,500 zl. 20 zl. from 100-200 zl. to quality 14. At present, Czech sailors do not. buy anything in Poland, since things are much cheaper in Czechoslovakia. On the contrary they often sell their boots in Poland when they run out of money. Czech crews are allowed to buy things in Szczecin, in the purchasing center for Soviet sailors. The merchandise is 50% cheaper here than in other Polish stores. the rouble, but the Czechs could pay in zloty. The currency used in this shop is 15. In Poland, the Czech crews must wear the CSPLO uniform. required to go into Szczecin, issued by the so-called CSPLOsSzczecineAgency, on Sacztoua Street in the former customs house. This agency and unloading of eargoer. There is another Czechoslovak agency vonethe aorading peninsula, the Metran, International Shipping Company, ? is Ing. Oprchalsky, age 35, tall. Czech crews have leave oonly aingtheiwinteresea- son, when there is no sailing. 16. The following personnel compose the management staff of the Oder Branch in Kozle: a. Mangger of the Oder Branch in Kozlc is Josef Arabas b. The cadre official of the Oder Branch in Kozle is Leonard Ryska co Another official is Frantisek Tobicek d. Julie Krskova, a. Inspector of Oder shippin i Kremen(fnu 25X1 25X1 25X1 , 25X1 h. SECRET NOFORN Approved For Release 2008/02/13: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005900140001-4 Approved For Release 2008/02/13: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005900140001-4 SECRET NOFOR~ i. Names of some of the crew Nyc, Josef, Krivy, Stefan, Zitny, Karol, Karola, Josef, Nemec (fnu), Pazdiera, Hnun _ Blazek, fUNr 17. The management of the CSpI,O leas agencies along the Oder to look after shi s The f ll i p . o ow ng is a list of these agencies: a. Wroclaw Agency, 250 river km. from Kozle Port. Head of the a enc Harm sno A enev (river kn. 535). Head of the agency: Josef Cempl; fiver km). Head of the a~enc : Josef Cizmar d. Main Ac cv in Szezecin? Head of ''~^ r~c~enC s Miroslav Cihlar, e. Office worker: Klocek, (fnu), 18. Czech employees of the CSPLO, Oder ,Branch., have a seamen's book which is valid as a passport. It is issued by the Ministry of Trans ort and th MI 25X1 Interior. Visas for Poland and East p e nis try of Germany are not required with the book. Each man has to hand in his identity card to the SNB at his place of residence. When his wife goes with him, the pass is good for both. A special pass is required to travel through Poland outside the Oder route, and a special permit is also needed for Scccecin. This latter is issued by the WOP (Military Border Guard).. Every man received this permit. there is a forbidden zone at the point where the Oder forms the common frontier between Poland and East Lermany and from Krosno (Crossen- N52-03, E 15-05) to beyond Widuchowo (Fiddichow - N53-07,E14-23). Men are not allowed to go ashore. 19. The management at Kozle Port has given instructions that there should be as little 25X1 contact as ipossible with the Poles. Up to 1953, conditions were very bad in Szczecin. hefts and murders of sailors were u al occurrencese then, however, 25X1 several sailors disappeared, the authorities announced that the s ps would not come to Szczecin until order was restored. 25X1 20. The Polish inhabitants of Szczecin and people in Poland Penerally are very poorly dressed and they ask foreigners to sell them clothes ex d- bootas. There is a beggar on almost every cirner in Szczecin. Prostitution has reached such proportions in Szczecin that the police is racticall l S p y power ess. ailors are forbidden tn aobociate with Polish girls, uring the winter season 1953-54, most of the sailors in Szczecin were infected with venereal disease. In 1953, some sailors and officers were murdered in Szczecin and their flesh made into salami. In summer 1953, the gang responsible for this was discovered and all were hanged. SECRET NOFORN Approved For Release 2008/02/13: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005900140001-4 Approved For Release 2008/02/13: CIA-RDP80-00810A005900140001-4 SECRET NOFORN _5_ 21. Ships from all countries are usually at anchor in Szczecin and foreigners with permits move freely about the town. goviet sailors, however, are seen very rarely. 22. Czechoslovak bargemen live:in'their boats in the river harbor Regalica, and go into town for amusement, since they mess for themselves, In Szczecin they usually visit the Marysenka Inn, on Wojska Polskego Street, not far from the station, and also the dance hall Orbis, the Maly Teatr (Little Theater), the Dom Towarowy ( the former trading house, in which there is now a cafe) and the Liga Morska (Maritime League ,. SECRET NOFORN Approved For Release 2008/02/13: CIA-RDP80-00810A005900140001-4