RESISTANCE AND UNREST

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00046R000500080008-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 15, 2009
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: May 18, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws, Titie25X1
18, U.S.C. Secs. 793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which In any manner to an unauthorized person Is prohibited by law.
CENTRAL -INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
COUNTRY Czechoslovakia
Resistance and Unrest
DATE OF INFO.
PLACE ACQUIRED
DATE ACQUIRED
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18 May 1955
REQUIREMENT
REFERENCES
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
REPORT
ARMY review completed.
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COUNTRY Czechoslovakia
SUBJECT Resistance and Unrest
DATE OF INFORMATION
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DATE DISTR. ?S *1 1955
NO. OF PAGES 5
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THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
Organized Resistance GrouRs
1. Sometime in 1951 the existence of the White
Legion (Bila Legie , an alleged underground
zation operating in Slovakia,
V,
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references had been made to the White Lecrion by
s.uaentis or- the Nrerov (N 49-27, E 17-27), gymnasium)
some mentioned that it was a fast st organ -
za on; others, that its aims were the independence of Slovakia.
no further information on the White Legion.
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Sometime in 1952,
r Research Institute, Prague, was arrested at night in his apart-
ment 0 by two StB policemen. He was tried and sentenced to
12 years at hard labor in the Jachymov uranium mines
accused of failure to report
a secret anti-regime organization allegedly composed of students.
.There had been a surprise raid made on their meeting place somewhere
in Prague. Two StB officers were shot during the raid and it was
believed that some letters addressed by his girl friend.,,
.also a member of the secret student organization. were found.
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an aviation engineer employed by the Czechoslovak
about 30 gymnasium students and about 80 other
civilians were arrested and interrogated, but 0 some were dis-
missed the next day. The blame for the demonstration was placed
on the students. In retaliation for this aot, students of the
graduating class of the Prostejov gymnasium who participated in
the above-described demonstrations were not permitted to take their
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Unorganized Resistance
In about April 1953, the statue of Thomas Masaryk, located on the
main street of the city of Prostejov (N 49-28, E 17-07) near the
city hail, was being removed by government order. When workers
tried to complete the removal,
next day, however, a group of soldiers (number unknown
arrived with an army tank and pulled the statue from its base using
the tank. While this was happening., some students from .a nearby
gymnasium arrived on the scene and started a second demonstration.
The students were Joined by the civilian population, During the
course of-the demonstration, a Communist, speaking over the city-
hall loudspeaker, tried to break up the demonstration by telling
the people that Masary1C was an enemy and oppressor of working
classes.. As a result, the demonstrators entered the city hall,
broke all the windows, and threw the loudspeaker system into the
street. The soldiers did not take any action, but a group of
People's Militia (LM - Lidova Milice) was called out and quelled
the demonstration.
7. Martial law was imposed on the city of Prostejov for three days.
No one was allowed on the streets between the hours of 2000 and
0800.
the people of Prostejov interfered with their 1 a RU . mr,e
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..fina?l examinations (matura) and consequently were unable to continue
studies in universities.
"Liberation many flowers
and wreaths were always placed on the spot where a monument was to
have been erected in honor of the US Army, The monument has never
been completed; only the foundation was laid. In 1950, even the
foundation of the monument was.removed, but the people kept placing
flowers and wreaths there and, finally,. billboards were erected
around the spot. In spite of this, people kept placing flowers
and wreaths In front of the billboards. During the. June 1953
currency devaluation demonstrations at Pilsen, the billboards were
torn down and burned,
y 21 years o agean sons of laborers, were tried
and han ed for setting fire to six grain stacks in Krnov (N 50-06,
E. 17.43). sometime in the summer of 1953. The were accused of
working for American. espionage agents.
S;t ea and Ablente? ism
th h;
ere . ad. beer, a mineris.:
ornict,. '. e a s raval in December 152 a The 'strike lasted about ten
days and was a. result of discontinuing spec al prix leges
stash
,
.
as re is at lower rates additional food and meat; and coal rations
which the. miners had been receiving,, Miners reported to the mine.
and went. down into the shafts but did not.do any work. Some of
the CSAD.dri.vers from Prerov were dispatched to the Ostrava mining
.area to. haul all available coal to the local steel foundries in
ord.er.to.'prevent a production stoppage at the foundries. The coal
was obtained from schools . which: were recessed and from some of the
other factories, The miners continued the strike until: their.
epecial'privileges were restored,:
12.
13.
a large number of -strikers
waser arrested and about 75 remained imprisoned after work'
was . resumed:'
Government 'Restrictions
since the Czechoslovak people keep their
rud
g
ges
against the government to themselves out of fear of being heard
and reported by'informers, it was difficult to acquire any infbrma.~
tion on their dissatisfaction with government restrictions+. However,'
ou .. contributed to dissatisfaction with the w et ~~ lthb
government. Althbtzgh
food ration tickets no longer existed, it was still diffic$d t tb
obtain meat and lard. Whenever meat was on sale, waiting lines
formed in front of the nationalized butcher shops as early as 0404
'hours, When the supply was sold out, those who did not reach the
counter in time simply went without meat. Every buyer received a
predetermined amount of mean for each member of the family.;.It was
impossible to buy as much meat as one desired; pork was'in particular
short supply..
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four youths,
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14.
15r
16.
'Attitude-Toward the Government
the Communist regime was losing influence in
Czechoslovakia. Initially, many individuals agreed with the
nationalization of factories and the theory of worker ownership
of factories,: but later they realized that they had been victimized.
by empty promises. In order to survive, they had to work. ten hours
a day at low wages, while the prices of commodities were
exorbitantly high.
17.
18.
The Regime's Effect.. on Youth
youth up to the age often were basically
pro-regime; the older ones were not Rezime Influence depended
in large measure on the parents. approximately
95% of students of higher learning were anti-regime in sentiment.,
although nominally members of the Czechoslovak Youth Organization
(CSM - Ceskoslovensky svaz mladese). They were members of CSM only
in order to continue their studies, since without such- membership
admission to schools ofhigher learning was impossible.
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Security Forces
:security forces
regular uniformed
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never took drastic action aga nstthe civilian population, At siuch
times, for example, as the currency devaluation disorders in Pilsen
in June 1953;and the previously described demonstration in Prostejov
on the occasion of the removal of the Masaryk monument, it.was the
People's Militia who fired their weapons when called out to quell.
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Resistance Potential
in the event of hostilities with Western
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the regime if they were supplied with arms and backed by Allied
Forces, About 40% would remain inactive and await further develop-
ments; and 10% who were Communists and opportunists, would fight
for the Communist side.
Powers, about 5096 of the Czechoslovak people would openly resist
government office workers, out of fear. of
and enforce all the wishes of the regime.
losing their positions, comprise the group trying to carry out
22. In the city of Prerov
whose inhabitants were very much opposed to Communism,)
about 90% would join or actively support Allied
Forces if low-level StB police and National Security Corps
functigparies were eliminated.
23. If only weapons and aid were furnished from outside sources to
people of Prerov, approximately 60% would join in
an open rebellion against Communists in peace time, provided an
able leader would efficiently organize and lead the rebellion.
24, the citizens of Prerov had had a sad experience
toward the end of World War II which would make them wary in any
future conflict. While the Soviet Army was approaching Prerov,
toward the 'end of the war, about 25 armed Czech partisans arrived
and with the help of the local population disarmed some German
soldiers and officers they met in the streets. A new city council
was appointed to replace German officials, Shortly thereafter,
about 40.SS troopers arrived from Olomouc, arrested the newly-
appointed city council members, beat them up badly during the
interrogation which followed, and finally shot them to death. Many
people fear that the Soviets might resort to,similar tactics.
25-I (members of the Czechoslovak working
class would be among the-first to cooperate with the Allied Forces.
Resistance by Religious Groups
26,
as of the summer of 1954 more people
than ever were attending church services in defiance of the regime,
which was discouraging church attendance. Up to 1953, classes on
religion were conducted in schools after the normal school hours
without any hindrance for those desiring to attend. Since September
1954,.youthsl4 years of age and over were forbidden to attend classes
on religion and those under 14 could only attend on a written request
from their parents:
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