MORALE, BENEFITS, AND RESTRICTIONS IN THE POLISH ARMY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00046R000500130001-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 3, 2013
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: June 24, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/09/27: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500130001-1
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INFORMATION REPORT INFORMATION REPORT
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This 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 transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
COUNTRY Poland
REPORT NO.
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SUBJECT Morale, Benefits, and
DATE DISTR.
24 June 1955
Restrictions in the Polish Army
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NO. OF PAGES
5
DATE OF INFO.
REQUIREMENT NO.
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PLACE ACQUIRED
REFERENCES
DATE ACQUIRED
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SOURCE EVALUATIONS ARE DEFINITIVE. APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
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STATE
Attached is
#x
as received
ARMY
NAVY
AIR
#x FBI AEC
(Note. Washington distribution indicated by "X"; Field distribution by "#".)
INFORMATION REPORT INFORMATION REPORT
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CONFIDENTIAL
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REPORT
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COUNTRY Poland DATE DISTR. 26 May 1955
SUBJECT Morale, Benefits, and Restrictions in the Polish
Army
DATE OF INFORMATION
PLACE ACQUIRED
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THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
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NO. OF PAGES 4
REFERENCES:
the overall
..Tir e o e un s as fair. However, morale was
not an important factor because the majority of troops were inductees and?ribeyed all 50X1
orders in order to avoid extra duty assignments, puniehmentoandior confinement.
Morale ? Building Activi_tieg
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unit commanders rad political
offices took an active interest in trabp morale only prior to =Oh no inays as Baster
and Christmas, at which time the troops' morale to be at its lowest
point. During these times, every effort poosible was made by the unit commander and
political officer in trying to keep the troops occupied in order to divert their
thoughts from their families and to restrain them from attending church services and
singing church hymns and/or Christmas carols.
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3. During these holidays, unit commanders and political officers constantly remained
on duty and arranged various typos of competitive sports between units, groups, and
individuals. Winning units, groups, and individuals were usually awarded prizes
such as books, shoes, and coupons which could later be exchanged for civilian cloth-
ing upon separation from the service. Entertaining films were shown at the caserne.
Elaborate dinners including a ration of whiskey and/Or beer were served to the troops.
During these dinners, officers gave lengthy lectures of a political nature at the
50X1 messhalls, despite these concerted efforts on the part of the unit
commanders an political officers, the troops still felt melancholy or depressed by
their lot.
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Leaves and Passea
4, officers and career NCO's were authorized 30 days leave per year
which could be taken at the desire of the individual except during October and?
November. During October and November, units began preparations for receiving
recruits and began winter maintenance on all vehicles, tanks, and SP guns.
5. A very small number of inductees was given the maximum of seven days leave but only
as a reward for outstanding marksmanship and/Or excellent results on examinations.
The examinations covered military subjects and were usually given to all troops
and units during the spring and fall of each year by military inspecting commis-
sions from the Ministry of National Defense, About 15 percent of the draftees
received 10-hour passes on either Saturdays or Sundays.
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6. pay scales of all Polish officers and career NOO's were based
upon the T/0 positions they occupied. As an illustration, a lieu
tenant received the pay of a ca tain if he o a sled the T/0 position normally mow-
pied by a captain.
Pair and A;lowanqes
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the following bachelor officers, provid-
lag -may occupied T/0 positions commensurate with their rank, ,received the following
approximate pays.
Warrant Officer zl.
Junior Lieutenant . ? 965i 01.
Lieutenant . ? OOO 1060, zl.
120(% zl.
Captain
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a major who was.assigned duties
as a regimental commander receiVed4bout
1,800 zlotys per month.
and. career NCO's received extra monetary allow-
The allowances were based upon the number of
7.
married officers
ances for quarters
dependents and
and subsistence.
rank.
Since
February 1954, all bachelor officers and career 1100's have received
per day as an allowance for food. All officers and career NCO's
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an extra 10 zlotys
received an extra allowance while
on temporary duty away from their parent units.
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but source could
not state the amount
paid.
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Troop Xesses
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each regiment had one messhall which seemed tip be
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a equa e. owever, it was not large enough to accommodate all the troops at
one sitting; therefore, companies rotated and entered the messhall at short intervals.
CONFIDENTIAL
npHassifien in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/09/27: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500130001-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/09/27: CIA-RDP82-00046R000500130001-1
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9. At the 41st Armd Arty Regt at Csarne, the troops used metal (believed to be alum-
inum) trays and porcelain cups. Civilian women were employed as cooks and mess
attendants and were under the supervision of the food officer and several NCO's.
Since he had not eaten in an Eli messhall,source could not give any details on the
food served to enlisted men except that it appeared to be palatable and sufficient
in quantity.
Officers' Messes
10, Career IO' s were permitted to dine with the officers at the officers' casino.
From observation, source knew that those NCO's who resided off-post with their fam-
ilies received an additional monetary allowance and that they paid for all meals
taken at the casino.
11.
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12.
Al]. officers had to pay for their meals, . 4.50 zlotys
for breakfast, 8.50 zlotys for dinner, and 3.50 zlotys for supper.
a typical daily menu at the consolidated officers' mess as follows:
.
Dinner sqlner
Soup (vegetable) Liver or Sausage
Potatoep Potatoes
Cutlet (beef or pork) White bread
Tomatoes or cabbage Fatback
Pickles Coffee (wheat)
Dreakfast
Soup (macaroni or vegetable)
Sausage
Fatback (pork fat)
Coffee (Wheat)
White bread
? Stead
Fruit compote
LCocoa
L3. The food was ?ramrod hr oivilian women cooks and served by civilian female attend.
50X1 dents. *eat and vegetables were drawn daily from a nearby mil-
itary food supply warehouse. However, some memos maintained additional livestock,
such as pigs, which was eventually slaughtered and inspected by medical officers
before being served to the officers and enlisted men.
L4.
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the officers' diet was far better than that served to EM. The 50X1
officers received larger portions of food, and it was generally considered by all
officers to be better prepared and tastier. Although the food was well prepared, 50X1
the amount of food furnished was insufficient on many occasions
and that officers frequently bought additional food items from the military stores
at the caserne.
Beligipus Policy
.5. There were no regulations restricting Polish Army personnel from attending church
services. However, unit political officers through political lectures frequently
attempted to discourage army personnel from attending religious services. Despite
the efforts of the political officers, an unknown number of officers and EM attended
religious services whenever the opportunity arose. However, when this attendance
became known to the political officers and unit commanders, such personnel failed to
receive pass privileges for at least three months and received additional duty
assignments.
CONF DENIAL
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Promotion Policy Jo Officers
16. Officers of source's acquaintance generally appeared to be satisfied with the
50X1 present promotion policy0 within the armored branch of service,
a warrant officer was normally promoted to junior lieutenant after being ingrade
for one year; from junior lieutenant to lieutenant after being in grade for two
years; from lieutenant to captain after being in grade for three years; and from
captain to major after being in grade for four years. Promotion policies applying
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all promotions largely depended upon each individual officer's
political behavior and his attitude towards political officers and the Communist
Party. Officers who were Party members frequently advanced in grade much more
rapidly than others, several junior officers
were promoted to the next higher grade within a few months after their join-
ing the Party without fulfilling the minimum time in grade requirements previously
outlined.
Medical FaqilitAlp
each Polish Army unit of regimental size or larger had tither
a dispensary or a hospital, depending upon the lwel of the unit. I
the
level or medical care in the Polish Army was adequate Troops who were seriously
ill were usually zent.t,O district or corps hospitals fox' treatment which could not
be provided at dispene4iies. Source believed that officers received very good ?
treatment at hospitele'and undoubtedly fared much better than EX.
It was common knowledge,among officers and SM that dental care map rather limited
and very poor. dentist sually extra@
rather than MI 0044! 4oneequemtlY4 Ooldiers visited the den
tict
of emergency., ' '
wizattLat "bastAztioalitalljuuml
never heard any discussion as to the probable role Of the
Polish Army in the event of a conflict between the East and the West,
a eizsable Polish Army force would be assigned an attack or a defense
mission in ons sector of the front lines, that their combat attitude and behaviour
would be closely supervised and observed by Soviet officers, and that they would,
be bracketed by Soviet units.
because' of its relatively small size, compared to the Soviet
Army, the Polish Army, would be integrated into the Soviet Forces at division level
as an alternative poisibility. Such a move would decrease the necessary logistical
support involved and would also tend to nrevent mass denwptichns andhir withdrawals.
22. As additional information.
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Polish Army
political officers state that "if the boviet'regime could rely on the armed forces
of Poland and Czechoblovakia, Russia would free the Western nations from their
imperialistic yoke".
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