POLITICAL EDUCATION IN THE POLISH ARMED FORCES AFTER OCTOBER 1956

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80T00246A038900190001-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 17, 2010
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: December 10, 1957
• Content Type: REPORT

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SING C4P?
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This material oantains iafarmation afeotinl the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the ipionap Laws, This
is, U.S.C; Sea. 790 and 794, the transmlydan or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorised person to prohibited by law.
COUNTRY Poland
SUBJECT Political Education in the POlish
Armed Forces after,-October 1956
NO. PAGES 1
REQUIREMENT
DATE OF
INFO.
PLACE &
DATE AC
a report
50X1-HUM
STATE
(Nil.:
X ARMY X AYY X IR X el I IAEC
Washtitan distribution lndkoted by "X"; Field dbk?wtion by ?,.#??.)
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.A d Forces after Cc ber 1956.
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Esolosure A
COU11Tds Poland 50X1-HUM
SUBJECT: Political Education is the Pollak Armed Forces after October 1956
DATE OF IPFO: NO. OP PAtZIr 7
? Ck_ ies ii PoliticalEEduoatios after 1956
1. Errol though the October 1956 events resulted is only minor changes In the 50X1-HUM
orpsizatiosal structure of political education is the Polish firmed Jesse:,
they severtkoloss brought about profound shifts is the methods usei is the
political indootrisation of officers and sea. the
post-October shifts is the Politburo and Sokossessd s spar me rov Mogen
resulted is a "-allocation of responsibilities among the members of the
Central Committee of the Polish United workers Party (PZPI). Vp to the time
he was named first secretary of the PZPR during leash 1956, Idward Osha1 was
responsible for the political education is the armed torsos, sesora&
Witassewski directed the Pais Political Malmistratios of tho Polish bras. 50X1-HUM
WitassewokI was "placed er.Qeseral Zarsyoki.
2. Among the otkor orgasisatiosal ohasges effected after October 1956 was the
elimination of Political Eduoatios Offioers?O (.entually called Deputy
Comsasders for Political Affairs) on the battalion level is the army, and
the gaating to Oosmusist Party members of greater freedom is the sleotios
of secretaries is the regimental and lower Mole Party Orpaisatioss
(Podstswowa Orgasisacja Partyjaa-POP). Was though, technically, the soldier
ooasuaists had this privilege prior to October 1956, is practise, tka wore r
U0P-1
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required to "elect" tke-oaadidates named by the higher party authorities.
one of the important results of this last ckanp
would be a gradual decrease is Gomulkats influence among the party rank
and file in the armed forces. As lomg.as the selection of the POP
secretaries was imposed upon the regimental and lower military PZPB
organizations from above, the loyalty of this official to the party first
secretary was assured. After this okange was effeoted, there was a tendency
to "loot secretaries who were popular with the soldiers and officers, and,
who did sot always look out for the best interests of the PZPR.
3.
4.
it would be almost impossible to generalise about the 50X1-HUM
conduct of political education in the armed forces during this Ootober4 y
period because the courses taken in cook unit depended almost entirely upon
the inclination, personality, and Communist ardour of the particular PEO and
party secretary. Equally important were the attitudes of the individual
soldier or officer required to participate in the meetings. The gradual
relaxation of controls among the civilians, and the Gomulkameaoouraged neglect
of collectivisation after October had a pronounced effect upon the mass of
soldiers. They had already witnessed the disintegration of tks Coamunist
Association of Polish Youth (Zwiasek Mlodsiersy PolskiejuZMP) units in the
armed forces during March 1956., Most of the former ZIP members were so
completely disullusioned that they tended to turn away from all Communist
activity and participated in political education sessions only to the extent
required to obtain a favorable opinion in their personnel dossiers from the PEO.
5.
The chaotic conditions prevailing in the education of PZPR civilian rank and
file,following the October Plenum, was duplicated in the Polish armed forces,
Politburo shifts produced a temporary disruption in the flow of directives
from the Central Committee to the. GZP-WP at this crucial period. This in
turn completely disorieited all political education officers down to and
including those at the company level. Unlike the merohaxt marine, where all
the political education officer posts were abolished immediately, the armed
forces continued to carry-them on their tables of organisation, except for
the battalion level PEO positions, which were dropped. To justify their
continued existence the remaining PEOs attempted to carry on their activities
despite the fact that in the pact they had been discouraged by the PZPB and
thus had little experience in exercising asy,initiative. ]!laced with diffia
culties and the absemoe of accustomed guidanos, some reduced their training
activities to a minimum, merely asking the soldiers and officers to read and
report on articles appearing in the party publication, T47tam Wig. Others
continued their regular educational sessions, but because of the lack of
thematic material no longer supplied from above, they introduced discussions
about Poland's geography, history or even practical cry subjects. There
were also some who cancelled their training' sessions entirely or permitted
them to degenerate into bull sessions during which the participate boasted
of their amorous exploits.
The somewhat older officer and soldier members of the Polish United Workers
Party (Polska Zjednoozona Partija Robotniosa-PZPR) quickly assumed the same
critical attitude toward their party as that wkick had spread through the
ranks of their civilian counterparts. During this Ootobes?,May period, the
army and the air force party members demonstrated their independence by
removing party zealots from positions of secretary in the lowest POP units.
These ohaiges were gradually reflected at higher levels as the representatives
of the lower units participated in the selection of officials of the company,
and regimental POPs. his influence would even
reach the Divisional and Area Party Commissions.
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tke dissolution of the ZIP, were reluctant to undertake aap educational
activities for fear of being laugked off the rostrum. The PEOsp eves
tkougk they had more autkority and influemos, aevertkoloss as?ktd time
and waited for more specific guidance from the GZP4llP in Warsaw.
the average
Polisk youtk was anxious to assume some initiative in Us skapimg of
kin country's future. After October 1956, this feeling became so
pronounced among many soldiers that the former ZMP workers, who had
retained tkeir.paid youtk instruction positions in the arnq, following
6. During the October-,May period, I I in addition
to the greater independence demonstrated by the PZPR officers aad
enlisted personnel, tkere was coasiderab mo siitioism of the party
itself. Among army-air force personnel more liberal expressions
of opinion. Many resented the earlier Soviet interference in. Polish
military matters, and voiced opposition to following the Soviet example
blindly in patterns of training, instruction, discipline and even
uniforms. Tke more nationalistic resented the fact that they were mot
allowed to sxkibit eatkusiasm for Polisk army traditions.
7. As a result of the extensive discussions keld during training sessions,
a more critical attitude developed also toward Socialism; some persons
attempted to defins the term while others delved into am interpretation
of "different roads to Socialism". They soon gained the comviotien
that, despite different roads, "tke goal for Poland remains Us same."
The more intelligent soldiers and officers could not reconcile the
Political Education Officers' definitions of Socialism with tke
continued low standards of living wkick they knew from personal
experience existed in the USSR after forty years of Socialist Yale.
8.
Oraaaisatiom of Political Education is, Polisk Arm9 as of 9 1987
10. The chart on page 7 gives a general outline of the orgasisatioaal
structure of the political education arrangement in the Polisk army
It
a. Platoon Levels Starting at the bottom, the lowest Commasist Party
units in the Polisk arms is the Platoon Party, Group (Plutosewa
Grupe Partyjaa-PGP) which is composed of PZPR members from the
Squats. The political education activities at this level are
comduotod by one of the squad party members on a volmstary basis
under the supervision of the Company Political Education Officer,
During these Platoon Party Group meetings, the members kold
discussions om subjects designated by the Company PEO, or work on
projects intended to improve their political orientation, and
military education, or to raise the,stamdimg of tkoir unit is
imterplatoom competition.. It is also each Communist Party member's
responsibility to check whether all of the provisions of the party
okarter are observed during all activities in the armed forces.
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- 4 a.
Emolosure A '-
The actual meetings are keld in accordance with tke wishes of the PEO
or the secretary of-tke group. If the platoons of a given company join
in a common project, they hold joint meetings which are conducted
usually by the secretary of the Executive Committee of the Company
Party Nucleus (Osrodsk Orisaoji Partyjaej-OOP). Even thongk the
secretary of each party unit is theory outranks the PEO, in practice,
he always takes orders from the Political Education Officer.
b. Comnaac* Levels The Company Political Education Officer is the lowest
ranking official of the Polish Aroy who devotes full time to Commsinist
party education. this pest' filled with ranks
ranging from Barran oer to First Lieuteaaat, despite tke fact
that the Army Table of Organization calls for a First Lieutenant is
We position, H. is always given the title "Deputy to the Con"ad4v
for-Political Affairs" irrilspeetive of the level on whisk he some,
Even though the PEO is a ' "deputy" he cannot be pwaishod, %r his iaaedialo
superior, being risponsible'for his activities only to the nest higher
Political Education Officer.
a. The company PEO utilises the services of two agitators whom he selects
from among the solders in'the platoons. He can also call for support
from'the Executive Committer of the OOP or on the suoeessors to the
former ZIP which, in some military waits, were erp-aised wader the now
same of Association of socialist Youth. he: Company P50 supervises
political trailing of his platoons and holds leWlar esaaiaations to 50X1-HUM
determine the effectiveness of tke indectrlaatiOn. The PH0 also u es
certain responsibilities fo th oiplmorals and welfare of his
charges.. The PRO spent oooasiderable 50X1-HUM
time in numerous welfare trips which we o solve problems of
soldiera'families in Various seotiens of Poland. The problems usually
involved loss of apartments or dispossession from land belonging to
the family. In such oases, the PEO, armed with his superiors
authorization, could prevail upon local PZPR authorities much more
effectively than the conscripted soldier himself. Yi addition, the
PEOs held regular military inspection of their units during the spring
and fall, and conducted sporadic checks among the soldiers to detect
the presence of subversive or undesirable reading matter among their
possessions,
d. Battalion Level: Following the political champs effected in October
1956P tie post of Battalion Political Education Officer was abolished.
e. Regimental Level: The Regimental Political Education Officer was also
known by the title "Deputy to the commander for Political Affairs".
He had a full time secretary assigned to his office for the handling of
all POP affairs. In addition, his staff included one Propaganda
Instructor, one Director of Club Libraries, and one Youth Insirncier.
Since all twelve company and platoon level PZOs in the regiment were
subject to kin orders and direction, they were, in effect, his
assistants whenever he so desired. Working closely with the regimental
PE0 is the secretary of the regimental Brine Party Organisation. glen
though usually a trained party activist who Osmotically resolved
directions from the Central Committee, in practice the seers SIWW
takes orders from the Political rdu ti
was easy
o reao as w ors witk US party secretary who was willing to
allow the especially trained PRO to kaadle all of the pLanaiag and
directing, while the secretary would assign to the party activists the`
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more menial tanks." Durin-9 the May-October period, discouragement was
so prevalent that'iT * the zealots among the party secretaries and
Me on the regimental levels neglected their programs. As a result,
the somber of training sessions was considerably reduced, and the 50X1-HUM
effectiveness of those which were conducted declined considerably.
the most effective control of PZPR political
education activity stems from these regimental offices, and comss.
queatly the breakdown of 'morale at this point is reflected in dis-
organisation aid laxity ii party work all along the Alan,
f. Division Levels 01 the army division level, there is a Political
Department composed of two seotione, one dealing with the political
indoctrination of the divisional headquarters personnel, and the Oka
with the supervision of activities of the Me in subordinate mite.
The usual staff of sine (both sections) consists of the Deputy to
the Commander for Political Affairs (P30), A! deputy, the lesretsry
aid the Assistant secretary of the Party Control Commission, two
Propaganda Instructors, ono Director of Party Retards, One Youth
Iastruotor and one Welfare Officer. The 10 to 15 subordinate members
of the Party Control Commission are act members of the divisional
PEO$s staff, but their cooperation as needed is insured by the fact
that their superiors, the lecretary and his assistant, are actually
members of the PEOs s office.
Arm9 Area Levels Each of the three ARMY Areas has its owl Area
Political Administration (Zatsad Polityosay Okregu?ZP0) which controls
all political education activity is the oerrespoadimg Any Area
(Central Area I - Warsaw, Pemerasiam Area II - Drdpsses, and silesisa
Area III - Wwoolaw). The organisation of the Ara Area Political
Administrations follows the same organisational setiiup as that of the
divisiem, except that considerably more personnel we assigned to
propaganda, party records and youth affairs. The Area Party Commissiem
also has a special Department of Cadres composed of a ohiof, am
assistant, and five trusted employees who handle all of the reports 50X1-HUM
of the Me and maintain their personnel dossiers. The Area Pasty
Commission has a Secret Office and a Propaganda Supply Departmento
h. Main Political Administratioas At the top of the political slaeatiom
structure is the Maui Political Administration of the Polish Army
(alowagr Zarsad Polityosay Wojsks Polsklego-UPSP) situated im Warsaw.
Closely associated with it is the Pasty Co
(somisja Partyjaa Wo3ska Polskiop?EPTP).
most of the Lepaitmemts of the Area Political Administration
offices had their counterparts in these hi r offlostj
the Party Cosaissioa of the Polish Any semsihtld
of about fifteen members, and its chairman was elected sack year
from among the OZPWP members. the ergsanisatiemal,
party-records, propaganda and educational sectioas of the PIPE Cemtsal
Committee supplied personnel to the Maim Political ldministratisa offices
in Warsaw.
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Air Force. Navy and Defense Institution Political Administrations
i. There is only one Political Administration for the Air Forces Command
(Zarzad Polityozny Dowodztwa Wojak Lotxicaych-ZPDWL), situated in Warsaw,
and a similar organization called the Political Administration for the
Navy Command (Zarzad Polityozny Dowodstwa Marynarki Wojeaae3-ZPDMA),
located in Gdynia. In addition, there is a special Political Adminis-
tration for Ministry of National Defense Institutions (Zarsad Politycsay
Centralny'ck Ixstytucji Mixisteretwa Obroxy Narodowej-ZPCIMON), also .
centered in Warsaw but with branches in various independent institutions
situated in various sections of Poland; this Defense Administration does
not bear a known relationship to the regular Army, Air Force, and Navy
Political Administrations. An Area Party Commission, representing the
Central Committee of the PZPR was attached to the Area Political
Admixistratiox for each of the three army areas, and to the Political
Administrations for Air Force, Navy and Defense Institutions.
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ORGANIZATION OF PEO AND PZPR UNITS IN POLISH DEFENSE FORCES
Central Committee - PZPR
Party Committee
Area Pol. Adm.
Secretary
Dept. of
Cadres
Secret
Office
tart Secretary
Propa.
supply
Div.Party Committee
Mail Pol,
GZPWP PEO
.Area Pol. Adm.
ZPO PEO
Party Secretary
Aae! t Party "
Prcga a da+ft ry
'Gil't*+,tary
Ale1~'ai . ibr >~tary
Div. Pol. Dept.
PEO
Assistant
Party Secretary
Asst" "
.2 Props. Isstruotors
lSouth Iutruotor
1 Welfare Officer
Exec. Committee
OOP
~. Pol. Booties
PEO
P~riy Secrstary
1 Proya. Isstsuotor
1 Club Librarian
1 Youth Isstruotor
ompasy FE0
2 imitators
Platoon Party Group - PGP
S QAD S
Same general organizational pattern is followed in the Air Forces and Navy, but
there is a special Political Administration for Ministry of National
Det'ense Institutions.
C -0 N-P-I-D E4-T-I-,A-L
-~- Committee of POP
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