EFFECTS OF COMMUNIST CONTROL ON UNIVERSITY EDUCATION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00047R000400120001-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 25, 2013
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: February 3, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2013/04/25 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000400120001-2
CLASSIFICATION SECRET
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
COUNTRY Poland unl c 50X1 `' '/ '"``
SUBJECT Effects of Communist Control on University Education NO. OF PAGES 2
50X1 PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE
50X1ACQUIRE
DATE OF INFORMATION
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1. ZIP (Union of Polish Youth) F__] membership in it was not required
a ?rouu5 the members of which termed themselves reactionaries"`butit was extremely smal150X1
and created little attention. In 1546-46- there was a general feeling of lioerzy, and iew oux1i
people belonged to the ZNP. From 1948 on, however 'it became imperative to Join, otherwise
one could not enter the University and it is now A95 a rarity to find a. student who is not
50X1
a member.
?'_. Students of the 11-year or middle school, joined the ZFT and candidates were selected for
University training from among them. Although all students are not members of they', only
those who are, are selected for higher training. 50X1
3, No student is required to join the organization however, anyone wishing to continue
education must join, otherwise he cannot go beyond the 11-year school. Today
fully 90% of the youth are members of the a 3l. Nembership in the ZNP leads to an easier J-3. 1e
and the youth join., whether or not they have any ideas relative to furthering their education,
because membership leads to jobs. Some are Communists; most are not.
., In present-day Poland all students who wish to do University work, must be members of the ZIP
and graduates of the middle school with good political recommendations. Each class has its
own MdP organization consisting of chairman., deputy., secretary, deputy. This council observes
the political bent of the students and, on grachzation, has the power to issue a certificate
of either good or bad political character. School faculties fear the chairmen of these
organizations because they have sufficient power to bring action against instructors in the
event they consider the -instruction not sufficiently progressive. The faculty can issue
grades for classroor,i work, but has nothing to do with issuing the "political" certificate.
Candidates for University work are selected from the graduating class by the council of the
ZMP in the graduating class, They are generally selected in accord with their political
reliability` The selected students must pass an entrance examination, r?'o candidate is
eligible for graduation who has a 2 on his record, Only candidates with 5 to c~n be
graduated. Below 3 requires that the student repeat the course.
The sons and daughtl:'-_ of lower and middle-class peasants have the first choice. The son of
4 kulak has no chance c?a' 3lection for University studies. There is a new definition for
$ulak as known by the Foles. A ikulak is a landowner, small or large, who :sires someone to
farm his land. A peasant can be a large landowner, but, if he farms his land hirrr;elf, he
is classed a 1 to 5 hectares, lower class peasant; 5 tq 8, middle-class. Above
eight hectares *rci:' ,e classed a ?,-ulak. Sons and daughterly ' workers also have preference.
CLASSIFICATION SECRET
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2013/04/25 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000400120001-2
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2013/04/25 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000400120001-2
SECRET
art
After them the children of professional peoples providing they are politically reliable.
.They must be politically reliable, as must their parents, They must pass an entrance exx5oX1.
ation, but the decisive voice is the Political Coeur sign. 50X1
50X1
at the University of Lodz no more than 51'Za'of the students were active Communistso
the middle school ^ do not believe there were any. In 1946-47 there wss an attitude of
indifference, later it turned hostile as did the attitude of students tower- the 1 R.. The
students identified the Polish government with that of the Soviet, and despised both.=
would discuss these matters in select circles since it was not safe to discuss them ope5750X1
The same attitude held for the PZPR. rp-rt%
was no PZPR at the University) an organization was formed 50X1
1949 and that perhaps one percent of the professors joined. Today perhaps 20 to 30`i might be
members, 50X1
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7. Marxism was introduced into the University in 1948 but old timers seldom atte50X11
zoaay a greater percentage of time is spent on its fully a third of the classroom work.
kolish contemporary history is not required except for those majoring in h50X1 ,
50X1
all lectures were held in the evenings, so that students could
be gainfully employed. A good 90o worked. Today-all lectures are held during the day. There
is a government edict forbidding students to work. They must turn their attention to univer-
sity work and must attend all lectures. About 80% of the students receive scholarships today
200-;300 Zlotys per months However, the scholarship isn't enough to exist on, so all stud50X1
mst receive aid from their families.
50X1
Living conditions were very poor and life was extremely expensive. Food, clothing and living
space were at a premium. Today, about 60% of the students live in dormitories where the
expenses are very tow. Students not living in the dormitories are allowed to eat there since
food is much cheaper. Generally, however, it is impossible to live on the scholarship.
10. There was only minor interest in listening to Western broadcasts 8850X1
few students had radio sets. During the succeeding years, interest grew due to the fact
that conditions became progressively worse, and there was more time to listen. Since 50X1
evenings were free and the broadcasts came in during the evenings. It should be noted,
however, that most'students live in dormitories and it is therefore dangerous to listen to
western broadcasts. VOA or BBC were both popular. Today, it depends an which
one will come through, When Januning exists on one, an attempt is made to get another. All
stations are popular if the reception is good. Attempts are made to get any statioi, whether
it be Paris, Madrid, VOA, RFB or BBC, but care must be taken to escape detection.
831.32 55$
1114.7+ 55$
832 55$
SECRET
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2013/04/25 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000400120001-2