FORCED LABOR CAMP AT ZBYSOV

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A008000110007-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 26, 2008
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: October 3, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2008/02/26: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA008000110007-7
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
SUBJECT Forced Labor Camp at Zbysov
DATE OF INFO.
PLACE ACQUIRED
DATE ACQUIRED
Thi material contains information affecting the
National Defense of the United States within the
meaning of the Espionage Laws, Title 18, U.S.C.
Secs. 793 and 794, the transmisslon or revel-
ation of which in any manner to an unauthorized
person is prohibited by law.
REPORT
DATE DISTR. 3 October 1955
NO. OF PAGES 3
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
REFERENCES
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
1? The Zbysov forced labor camp is situated 20 km. northwest of Brno. it
was established in order to supply a cheap labor force for the anthracite
coal mines at Oslavany. Another camp called "Oalavany" is situated about
6 km. south of the Zbysov camp. The Zbysov camp is subordinate, to the
Kra,jska Sprava Veznic Brno (Prison Regional Headquarters, Brno), and has
about 300 inmates.
2. The camp consists of three buildings used as 1
administrative building for prisoners, an
and a so-called "Kulturni sal" where a aindma
is louated. All these buildings are large old wooden fasts. As of
May 1954, a new big stone building was under construction.
3? The area of the camp is about 500 x 500 meters in slim. It is fenced of'f
by two concentric rows of wire fence on poles about four meters bdb.
The vows are about three meters apart. There are two ordina
located in the opposite corners or the enc t 954. woode ooden
planks were being ? As of Mty 195ti, n
affYxed to the outer fence to screen it off. The fence
was illuminated during the night and
towers. 3POUghts located on both sentry
4. The camp was guarded by Workers' militia (Milice)
the nea m
l
rrm mines. The militiamen wore black uniforms
-
i
h
r
eft
.
w
t
red bands
arms. On the band was a yellow inaorlption, Z8 on their left
They were armed with pistols and ~~ arras-Plant Guard).
>~'~lowtohitrt guns.
5. The conditions under which the camp inmates had to work in the coal mines
were appalling, as was shown by the state of `filth of
The prisoners had to work in heat rase Zbyeov llematea,
in water. Sere ring 55'C -4ostly up to their waists
very frequentlty precaution a were insuft14 t and aocidenta happened
we='e killed and y.' rin- tha.period of observstdm (one month) two prisoners
several badly wounded. in mine accidents. Prom wading
(Note: Washington distribution indicated by "X"; Field distribution by "#".)
25X1
*44
Approved For Release 2008/02/26: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA008000110007-7
 Approved For Release 2008/02/26: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA008000110007-7
constantly through the stale underground water without any adequate
protective clothing the prisoners developed boils which did not
respond to treatment. Many of the inmates were intellectuals from no
(university professors, lawyers, etc.) not used to menial work, and
consequently their health suffered irreparably.
7. After two other prisoners refused to work in the
the so-called "corrective cell", einss, they were put into 25X1
which is a solitary confinement 0e11.
Thpy were also thsstened with five additional years in prison. The
solitary coat e^~ent Dell was in a small wooden but, and the Cell itself
was about three asters square. It contained nothing but a bare wooden
bench. The cell had no window and was artificially illuminated at all
Mmes. There was boles in the floor through w6ioh rats kept coming in
and mowing at arq thing left on the floor. There were also boles in the
roof, so that water leaked in when it rained.
one of the prisoners was called During this confinement,
several times to the camp ooammander, who,
with promises and threats, tried to induce him to give Finally, the other prisoner, who had to serve about t eight up minthresistances o ns
his ~~, ~~ ~ mon to finish
go down into the mines and the other man was sent book
to Zno,mo prison without further reprisals.
8. There was an openly hostile feeling at the
Zt
German prisoners. The ,~ Wiov camp between Czech and
prisoners, no held . tago lom resulted from the fact that the German
blamed their Czech fell" key positions as camp trustees, foremen, etc.,
blame War 3:1. The f llbs prisoners for the persecution of Germans after
Lore toward the resented the German prisoners' cooperative atti-
camp officials in such matters as fulfilling the prescribed
production quotas and in general
trying -to guards evidently supported and comply with guard orders. The
encouraged this hostility.
CLNF M
- 2-
Approved For Release 2008/02/26: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA008000110007-7
 Approved For Release 2008/02/26: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA008000110007-7
Approved For Release 2008/02/26: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA008000110007-7