LIVING AND SOCIOLOGICAL CONDITIONS IN THE USSR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A000900720003-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 29, 2002
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: April 29, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

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CENTRAL. INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
COUNTRY USSR (Kalinin Oblast)
SECRET
SECURITY INFORMATION
SUBJECT Living and Sociological Conditions
in the USSR
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This Document contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States, within the mean-
ing of Title 18, Sections 793 and 794, of the U.S. Code, as
amended. Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited.
REPORT NO.
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT NO.
REFERENCES
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29 'April 1953
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LIVING CONDITIONS
General Comments on Standard of Living
1. There was a considerable improvement in the price and availa-
bility of consumer goods after 1946, especially after the
currency reform. Progress after the currency reform had been
brought about by periodic price reductions.
2. There were some loopholes in the price-reduction laws which
should not be overlooked. For example, the price of butter
was cut from 45 rubles to 30 rubles at the time of the last
price decrease. Three grades of butter were'sold at prices of
30, 35, and 39 rubles per kilogram. However, only the most
expensive grade was available after the price cut.
3. The Soviets still live very primitively, still have a very low
standard of living despite these advances in recent years.
The simplicity of the wants and demands of the Soviet popula-
tion never ceased to impress the German specialists. The
Soviets were used to poor clothing and food, were accustomed
to the fact that an entire family lived in one room. Life-
long experience conditioned them to demand or expect little
more. In fact, many Soviets simply could not understand how
the German specialists could want or need six pairs of shoes
instead of one, or a wardrobe full of clothing instead of one
suit or dress.
4. By way of. illustration, the average diet of a poor worker's
family consisted almost wholly of black bread, potatoes, porridge
or cabbage, and black tea. A skilled worker's family did not
fare much better. Their diet included porridge, groats, cab-
bage, potatoes, black bread, tea, and vodka. They ate little
meat and seldom had eggs. Suet was purchased in place of
butter or oil, and cheap candy instead of expensive sugar.
5. The average Soviet family generally had no money left at the end
of the month after paying for rent, food, and vodka. In addition,
they somehow had to find the money to buy for each family member
one pair of felt boots every two years, a quilted jacket
every two. or three years, and cheap cotton for shirts, dresses,
and underwear.
6. Incidentally, the Soviet men spent relatively large amounts of
7.
money for vodka. Women drank a little but no more than women
in other countries. The male workers invariably "tied one on"
at payday and undoubtedly would have done so more often if they
could have afforded it. Drinking was just about their only
release from daily cares. But there were not too many problem.
drinkers, as few could afford it.
The population naturally reacted favorably to the price. cuts.
They saw in them an indication that the government was con-
cerned with the welfare of the people. Many people noted with
approval that prices were reduced in the Soviet Union while
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 they were increasing in oapitalidt countries. In fact, some of
the intelligentsia believed that $.ommunism could be attained
in the Soviet Union in about 25 years by means of this gradual
but constant improvement in living standards.
"'. As noted before, I found the Soviet people to be generally satis-
fied with their living conditions. Most people were totally
igznorant of life abroad and so seldom compared Soviet-living
standards unfavorab,y with those in capitalist countries. But,
even-'when forced to admit that citizens of Western nations
enjoyed-a more prosperous life, they always seemed to have
sore ready excuse to explain the situation. or example, they
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requently attributed the relative wealth of the Germans to
Hitler's plunderings in occupied oountriee.
Soviet soldiers who were stati9ned in Germany must have been
favorably impressed with living conditions there, but I heard
%io comments on this score. These ex-soldiers were probabl
y
afraid to express their opinions in public.
1-r ces and Availability of Uonsumex Goods
`:}? .1 have listed below to the beat .of my recollection the prices
ca. consumer goods which were sold in state stores and in the
free market in Ostashkov and on Gorodomlya Island. These
p-x'ices were current in the latter part of 1951.
Prices of Goods in State Stores - 1951 (in rubles)
?10 eggs
1 kilo butter
I kilo margarine
.1 kilo suet
1 kilo sugar
kilo salt
;. kilo f lour
litcrr milk
1 kilo macaroni
I kilo groats
1 kilo potatoes;
l ilo peas
.1. kilo beano
kilo apples
1 lemon
1 kilo black bread
.1 kilo white bread
1 roll
100 %rams chocolate
100 Grams cookie
j"M
1 kilo poor quality dau.sa, e,
1.0 "Dukat" cigarettes.
:i.0 "Belomorat' ci6aret t tea
;i0 ".1rUg 1 cigarettes
10 "Trovka" cigarettes
1/, liter vodka
1/2 liter wine
1/2 liter-fruit wine
1 pair lady's shoes, Soviet manufacture
1 pair lady's "Bata" shoes
9.00
22.0'
.,?_
hG.Y \l
11-56
2"0,
8 ..
35'
1.2.,.
7.0
9 . ..,
5 . C ):O
2 4 ,
0.75
20. ,
2 . Di?
1.2 ...._;
12.24 ';
0.8'
1.25
3,5&
7.50
5.
25
15.00
4'!0.00
;,50.00
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Prices of Goods in State Stores - 1951 (in rubles) - conttd.
1 pair felt boots 150.00
.1 pair men's shoes, Soviet manufacture 500.00
1 meter good quality cloth for man's suit 400.00
1 ready-made man's suit, poor quality 730.00
1 meter good quality wool material for
lady's wear 250.00
1 pair lady's nylon-type (Raprori)
stockings 40.00
1 pair men's socks 15.00
1 meter cotton cloth, not color fast 9.00
1 meter silk 200.00
1 meter linen 20.00
1 meter handkerchief material 9.00
1 piece laundry soap 5.00
1 piece toilet soap 4-8.00
b, Prices of Goods Sold in the Free Market -(in rubles)
10 eggs (prices rose to 28 rubles in
winter) 12-28.00
1 kilo butter 45.00
1 kilo flour 20.00
.1 liter milk 5.00
1 liter sweet cream '20.00.
1 liter. potatoes (prices rose in winter) 1-8.00
1 kilo tomatoes 10.00
1 kilo apples 12.00
1 kilo cabbage 1.50
1 kilo carrots 3.00
1 kilo pork (prices rose in winter) 25-40.00
1 kilo beef (prices rose in winter) 15-25.00
1 kilo lamb (prices rose in winter) 12115.00
1 kilo bacon 45.00
1 kilo honey 35.00
1 lemon 6.00
11. Many items were in permanent, temporary, or seasonal short
supply. Flour was sold but three times a year on the occasion of
the most important holidays. Even then a person could not pur-
chase more than 500 grams at one time. Sugar was also ra-
tioned informally, as single purchases were limited to 500
grams. Butter, sugar, macaroni, potatoes, margarine, suet,
bread, and rolls were seldom available in. state stores. Shop-
pers stood for hours in queues to buy these items when avail-
able.
12. Such goods as shoes, woolen material for ladies'wear, Rapron
stockings, and silk cloth were not always in stock in state stores.
They were almost immediately bought up when placed on sale.
Felt boots were always in short supply during my stay in the
Soviet Union, Furthermore, there was a limited assortment of
such goods as material for men's suits, ready-made men's suits,
and men's overcoats. In fact, as far as woolen material is
concerned,, only the very expensive material was on hand.
Cheaper woolen cloth was sold out immediately.
13. I might note that prices were higher in the free market than in
State stores, as in general only goods were sold in the free
market which were seldom available in State establishments.
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14. Yeast was reserved for bakeries and was not supposed to be sold
to private purchasers. However, it could be obtained illegally
in State stores, The sale of knitting wool in State stores or
public markets was also forbidden, but this article too was sold
undercover. There was occasional speculation in free market and
State store prices. Some articles, particularly butter, were
purchased in State stores or obtained illegally in some way and
were resold in the free market at a profit.
15. I heard no great complaining about these shortages of consumer
goods. The average Soviet seemed to feel that what was not
available he could do without. On the other hand, shoppers
were almost violent in their struggle to purchase scarce items
when they were available. This is certainly an indication that
they felt the pinch of these shortages.
16. Almost every Soviet when commenting on shortages remarked that
Ostashkov was an "emergency zone" (Notstandgebiet). They said
that one could get anything in Moscow. But I I who
was in several prisoner-of-war camps, noted a w erever he
was in the Soviet Union the local population referred to their
region as an "emergency zone".
Housing
17. The German specialists assigned to Branch No. 1 were housed in
wooden apartment buildings located on the island. Bachelors
and married couples with no more than one child were usually
assigned one room, while families with two or more children were
assigned two-or three-room apartments. Two or three families
generally shared one kitchen. My family lived in one room
plus a kitchen.
18. The Soviet intelligentsia who were housed on the island usually
had one room per small family (up to three persons) and two
rooms for a large family.. However, these rather humble quarters
were far better than the dwellings occupied by workers' families,
In Ostashkov, where most workers resided, it was not-at all
uncommon for six to eight people to live in one room,
19. Rent for both German and Soviet residents of Gorodomlya Island
was calculated according to the area of living space. My rent
amounted to 30 rubles per month for living quarters plus about
15 rubles per month for furniture. The cost of electricity was
high, about 40 rubles per month with a hot plate. Families
who had an electric cooker paid about 15 or 20 rubles per month.
An additional fee was imposed on residents of apartments
serviced by central heating.
20. I visited a Soviet family in their home only once. While in
Moscow, I was invited to the home of an interpreter employed at
Branch No. 1. Her husband was a doctor, the head of a clinic in
Moscow. Although this couple obviously enjoyed a high income
for Soviet standards, they lived in a single room with simple,
standard furniture. They too shared their kitchen with several
other families. It gave me quite a shock to think that these
were typical living conditions for members of the Soviet in-
telligentsia.
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HEALTH AND MEDICAL CARE
21. Medical facilities on Gorodomlya Island and the immediate
vicinity included a clinic under the supervision of branch
No. 1, located on the island itself, and a hospital situated in
Ostashkov. The clinic staff included two doctors and
a dentist, all of whom were female. The two doctors, incident-
ally, were the wives of the chief engineer and assistant en-
gineer of the institute. Although the clinic's staff could
only be characterized as mediocre, I found that the doctors
at the Ostashkov hospital were quite capable in their pro-
fession. However, they all were seriously hampered by lack of
proper medical instruments and equipment. Modern drugs, at
least penicillin, seemed to be available in sufficient quanti-
ties.
22. Perhaps I can best describe the medical facilities there by
recounting the treatment my son received when he had scarlet
fever. I took my son to the clinic as soon as he came down
with the disease. In Ostashkov and surrounding territory
there was a minor epidemic. The doctor at the clinic ordered
my son to be placed in quarantine at the Ostashkov hospital.
23. I had to walk with my son on foot to the island's dock even
though he had a temperature of 1020. Once we arrived at the
dock, he had to lie in the hot sun for four hours while the
quarantine boat waited for orders to go.
24. After arriving at the Ostashkov hospital he was put in a priori-
,tive wooden barracks set aside for quarantine cases. They were
not allowed to open the windows there for 14 days. The patients
were only fed cabbage, porridge, and bread. In fact I am sure he
lived only because of the food we brought him.
25. The nurses were particularly inefficient. They devoted no
personal care to the patients, had no sense of cleanliness
and order. Nevertheless, the doctors were quite capable and
they administered enough penicillin to prevent any of the
usual complications.
26. 1 was impressed with the excellent health of the Soviet people.
except for scarlet fever, there were no serious outbreaks of
epidemic or endemic diseases while I was there. Typhus was
rarely reported, there was little malaria except among the
German specialists, and venereal diseases were evidently not
widespread,
27., We Germans were amazed to see that almost every Soviet mother
who lived on Gorodomlya Island or in Ostashkov swaddled her
babies until they were one-and-one-half or two years old. Babies
were bound summer or winter, legs together and arms at the side.
Infants were swaddled almost immediately after birth and re-
mained so bound until the mother left the hospital. Infants
were not even unbound to be bathed during this period. Wrap-
pings were later taken off briefly from time to time when at
home but never when outside.
28. I never received a satisfactory explanation of this practice.
The Soviet mothers simply replied that children had always
been raised in this fashion and that was reason enough. In
fact the Soviets thought that we Germans were rather barbaric
for allowing unclothed infants to bathe in the sun during the
summer.
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WOMEN AND FAMILY LIFE
29. The wives of most Soviets, workers and intelligentsia alike,
were engaged in some kind of full-time employment. In fact,
Soviet mothers gainfully employed were required to work up to
six weeks before the birth of a child and as soon as six weeks
afterwards. Pre-school children were brought to a kindergarten
by their mothers in the morning at 0745 hours and picked up at
..night at 1730. School children were expected to fend for them-
selves after school hours.
30. There was but one kindergarten on Gorodomlya Island for all
children from six weeks to six years of age. This kindergarten
was under the direction of the institute's health clinic.
Kindergarten teachers and nurses fed and otherwise were in
complete charge of the children during their long nine-and-one-
half hour daily schedule. The kindergarten charged a monthly
tuition of from 150 to 160 rubles. Some of the female workers
at Branch No. 1 complained about this high tuition fee as it
was almost impossible for them to pay this sum out of their
meager monthly wages. The families of engineers and other
leading Soviet personnel were in a much more favorable position,
as almost all of them had a hired maid. (babushka)to look
after their children,
31. I frequently asked my Soviet acquaintances if they were satis-
fied with their combined role of mother and careerist. These
women were all members of the so-called intelligentsia and were
engaged in professional or white collar work at the institute.
I invariably received the answer that they would rather follow
their profession than simply stay at home and look after
children and the household. In fact they were aghast at German
women who did nothing but housework all day long. They ap-
parently were quite satisfied with their role in family and
society, probably more satisfied than the men, as they were
less speculative by nature.
32. The professional women in the Soviet Union apparently saw no
contradiction between career and raising children. Although
they spent a lot of time with their children when off duty,
State institutions (schools and kindergartens) had far greater
influence on the development of the children than they did.
They apparently were satisfied with this dependence on state
institutions and probably would not wish to alter the situation
even if the system of government were to change in the Soviet
Union.. I know nothing about the attitude of female laborers
toward this question, but assume that they hardly were in favor
of the heavy manual labor which they frequently performed.
33. I was struck by the loose marriage ties which were common in
the Soviet Union. It apparently was a matter of little concern
whether a couple with children were married or not. A man
would leave his wife and take up with another woman without
giving the matter much thought. I cannot give any precise
explanation of these practices but it was clear that family
ties were not so close as in Western European countries.
Soviet family members were more independent of one another.
For example, a family never took trips or vacations as a unit
but only as individuals.
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34. Divorces were uncommon, undoubtedly because they were so ex-
pensive. I was told by one of my Soviet friends that a divorce
in Moscow cost ,,,000 rubles, payable to a court office, plus the
cost of a public announcement in a newspaper. Divorces were
not considered final until such public announcements were made.
I have heard that a person usually had to wait several weeks to
place such an announcement because of limited newspaper space.
available.
ANTI-SEMITISM
35. The only direct indication I received of anti-Semitic feeling
among the Soviet people occurred during a conversation between
a Soviet female interpreter and several German secretaries.
One of the Germans remarked that another interpreter was un-
pleasant to the German specialists because she was Jewish.
The interpreter present blushed. and got flustered at this
point because she herself was Jewish. The other Germans recog-
nized this and. apologized for the remark. To this the Soviet
answered, "That is all right. We Jews have a hard time here."
I often heard similar remarks from Soviets. I had the general
impression that although many Jews in the USSR were members of
the intelligentsia and in fairly high positions, they were in
some way subject to restrictions and prejudice.
36. I heard nothing of a purge of "cosmopolites" while I was in the
Soviet Union. However, I did hear from a Soviet friend of mine
in 1950 that many Jews were then being removed from important
positions because a "Jewish plot had been uncovered in Moscow".
She said that General Gonor.had been removed from his position.
as director of Plant 88 and that Major Chertok, also a leading
figure at Podlipki, had been demoted, because they were Jews.
My informant maintained that a group of Jews, including many in
high party and governmental positions, had plotted to overthrow
the government.
37. My friend also said that food in Moscow had been poisoned by
Jews involved in this plot. All stores had to be closed for
several days to replace the poisoned food. I might add that my
informant was an intelligent woman but inclined to exaggerate
for the sake of increasing her self-importance.
COMMENTS: It should be stressed that the accuracy
of the informant's evaluation of Soviet sociological attitudes is
highly doubtful, Her circle of Soviet acquaintances was small,
limited in effect
ment. There are three objections to accepting their expressed
attitudes as truthful or as typical of Soviet society: (1) they
undoubtedly were carefully screened for such employment, (2) they
may have been acting as MGB informers, and (3) national patriotism
might have caused them to suppress their-doubts regarding the
regime when talking to foreigners.
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