CZECHOSLOVAK ELBE-ODER RIVER NAVIGATION COMPANY IN KOZLE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A005900140001-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 13, 2008
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: March 17, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

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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
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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,
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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
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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
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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.
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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 ,.
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