HUNGARIAN REFUGEE PROCESSING IN AUSTRIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R001000010036-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 5, 2011
• Sequence Number: 36
• Content Type: STUDY

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TAB 33
HU GARIAN REFUGEE PRCCESSDG Irt AUSTRIA
I. As of 0900, 8 December 1956, a total of 121,504 Hungarian
refugees had arrived in Austria since the outbreak of the rebellion
on ZS October. Of this total, ?49.105 had already migrated further
westward, leaving 72. 399 reTholning in Austria. The Austrian
government has repeatedly urged the twenty governments who have
agreed to accept liungaritux immigrants to move these- persons out
of Austria with the greatest possible speed. As a result, normal
screening processes have broken down completely, and only meager
biographic data are available on the mass of refugees. The follow-
ing paragraphs describe the refuge. situation as it is reflected in
cabled reports from official U.S. sources in Austria.
the refugees cross the Austrian 'border, they are
police and border officiate into temporary cense-
rs in the border area. There they fill Out liat Austrian
registration card containing name, date and place of birth, and
last residence in Hungary. A copy of this *arid is sent to Vienna
for governments central security files. Within a
the refugees are mewed to larger camps and
colletpoints (most of the public schools in the provinces along
the Austrian border are being used for this purpose) where they
may remain for one or two days before moving 04 t. the country
of their ultimate destination, to another more permanent refugee
camp, or to housing facilities on the local economy if they intend
to remain in Austria and have friends or contacts who can take
care of them. At each step in their movement from camp to camp
a new registration card identical in form to the above cited is mede
out and *tint to Vienna. In this mamier the Austrian security
authorities hope to keep track of the location and processing of
each refugee.
SECRET
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3. Identity Documents: At either the first or second stop
the refugee is issuect a gray Austrinn identity card vslid for one
month only. In addition to the basic biographic data recorded
when he is registered this card contains a certification that t.1-1,7.
refugee has requested asylum and notes that his case has not
been investigated. If the refugee remains in Austria for lonor
than one month this gray card must be renewed by the Austrian
police, and before renewal is granted a file check will be inatiAt
by the federal security authorities.
4. Security Suspects: The task of physical processing has
apparently made it impossible for the Austrian authorities to
undertake any file checks or security screening as the refugees
arrive. Many refugees, however, have volunteered ddregatos y
information about their compatriots. In these cases the suspect
refugee is pulled out of the normal flow and sent in custody to
WOW= for police interrogation. As of 8 December about one
hundred cases of this type--identified by denunciation or by sus-
picious behavior-were detained in Vienna. These individuals
are allegedly low level Citilinallialt party members or AVH
fornuults who for the most past do not desire to return to Hungary.
The police interrogation reports are being sent daily to the CIA
representative in Vienna. Although the Austrian authorities 4.1ve
not yet decided how they will dispose of these suspected personc,
they are legally entitled to keep them under detention for three
months. This will allow ample time for complete interrogatioq,
file checking1 fingerprinting, and ether necessary investigativt
measures.
5. Collection of Counter late pence Information: It hati
not been possitle for the Austrian authorities to fnitiate system
of informants in any of the camps or collection centers. They
estimate this will remain impossible until after the great man:4 of
refugees have left the country. Nevertheless, a fair amount of
counter intelligence data has been volunteered by the refugees at
each step of their processing. A large number of refugees have
made it a point to identify to screening officials AYH informants
and officers, both in the refugee flew and among those remaining
inside Hungary. All such information brought to the attention of
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Austrian author
the Austrians.
Applications for wal of the refigee
identity card mentioned above will be cb.eciced again.t the AtistriaL
central files before the card is renewed for another thirty-4i)
period. Although Austrian authorities recognize the desirability
of thorough screening, more detailed interrogation, fingerprinting
photographs, and document photocopying, personnel shortavs ha%
prevented implementing such a program even if extra funds .vere
to be made available.
1#11.14ITARY INTraINEE
6. Those persons who crossed the border in iforni. and
those who arrived armed, pracisAming themselves to be naerabers
of the Freedom Fighters, have been considered combatants ,vithin
the meaning of the Geneva Convention and have been seps.ranoll arx,
were interned under Austrian military jurisdiction at Camp ::Uezer
helm near Salzburg. Afprouirnately one thousand were held. The
Austrian government has decided to release these internees an
8 December 1956 and to treat them as normal refugees; nine- huner
registered for Western immigration or requested asylum in .kustr t
Ninety-eight indicated a desire to return to Hungary and will be
permitted to do so. Although this group has been under more stri, t
control than the mass of refugees, the extent a screening activity
and interrogation by the Austrian army is not known.
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f
AL IMMIGItATION PROCESSING
10. The information available on the operations of uthur
Western governments in processing refugees for immigratior
indicates that only the most cursory screening takes place in
Austria. Many of these governments, in response to urgent appeal
from Austria, have run trains into the border areas, loaded refuge b
within a few hours of their escape, and dispatched them imuwdiater.
Under these conditions, it must be expected that very little infornzt -
lion other than name and birth data has been recorded before the
refugee's departure from Austria. A report from the U.S.
VilltEUIL, dated 0900, 4 December 1956, showed that 1,431 refugees
had left Austria for resettlement in the United States. Figure f*r
other countries as of the same time follow:
Switzerland
7,131
Germany
5,171
Netherlands
4,338
Sweden
2,112
United Kin clorn
7,244
Australia
150
Canada
1,443
Belgium
3,00Z
Eire
357
Luxemburg
185
Italy
Z,126
Denmark
1,000
TOTAL 37,766
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IMMiGRATION TO THL UNITZD STATES
12. Vise Cases; The refugees who wish to immigrate to the
United States fail Into two categories: These who are being adrniet
nder the original quota et 6,500 (specially designated but legally
under RRP provisions) and the 15,100 who will be admitted at
"parolees" (now called Emergency Admittese or N?14.AD6). Againet
the first quota, the American Consulates in Vienna and Salthill-g
are now processing Over 3,000 applicants. The basic screeeing
load for those in the first category has been on consular pars ennel
in Vienna and Salzburg (Refugee Relief Program personnel is Viern,s
are largely engaged in clearing up a backlog of eighteen investigating
ander the RR?, which ends on 31 December). On 16 November, th.(
Department of the Army acknowledged a request to release it. R e
sixty to eighty civilian employees from Germany to assist in refuge e
processing in Austria, but it is not known whether or net thel.e per. Dm
are now working in Austria. The processing for the original quota
of 6,500 visa applicants included the following steps:
a. The refugee applies at the consulate and pub-
mi ? limited personal data during a short interview.
To be considered eligible he mast have left Hungary
on or after 23 October, must meet medical standards,
and must have assurance of an American sponsor
(arranged through voluntary agencies) before his
departure.
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13. Parole Cases: processing of the 15,000 refugee3
who will be edmitted to the United States on parole will begin
In Vienna on 10 December. As worked out between the Slate
Department and URNS officials, there will be no preselection
process; applications will be accepted from any refugee who appe
at either of the two Amerioan consulates in Austria. The refuge
must, however, possess the gray refugee identity card issued by
the Austrian police. His name will also be checked against the
consulate's file of visa rejects. The refugee, helped by a Hung
speaking employee of the embassy, will then fill out a single pat
MN'S form listing basic biographic data. Following a cursory
physical examination, mainly to eliminate any persons with com-
municable diseases, the refugee will be sent to a eellectins point
to await transport to the United States under /CEM auspice.
Present plans call for 700 departures per day by ICEM from Viona
and, after 12 December 1936, SOO more per day by Military Air
Transport Service planes from Munich (the refugees will be sent
by train to Germany). At a later date, it is planned to shil male
refugees to Bremerhaven for sea transport by Military Sea Tran-
port Service. According to a cable from Ambassador Thompson
dated 5 December, MEM plans to airlift a total of 5.000 refugee
to the United States: 9, 500 will be airlifted by the Air Forte fro .1
Frankfurt or Munich and the remainder (about 7,000 will be ship. e d
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by sea from Bremerhaven. The Ambassador has recornmetmle,i,
however, in view of ICEM's increased eatimate of their rn -e -
meat capability (expected to reach 1,000 per day in the near
future), that all shipments be made by air under MEM auspices
with the Air Force ie. Germany standins by to assist as needed.
OTHER SCRE
ACTIVITIES
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