POLITICAL INFORMATION: THE CZECHOSLOVAK COMMUNITY, SHANGHAI

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R001400950004-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 20, 2001
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: May 3, 1948
• Content Type: REPORT

NTRY China, Czechoslovakia
SUBJECT
Political Infolmticn: The Csechoalovak
Calve atity, Shanghai
MME"Oft
25X1X
25X1A
DATE DISTR. 3 lky i
NO. OF PAGES 3
W. OF ENCLS.
(usna e> LOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO 25X1A
REPORT NO.
1. The present Csechoelovek Circle (Cealaaelovenaky Erouek) at 214 Avenue Roi Albert
in Shanghai 1" or lsed in 1936 and functioned as a regular club. In 1939,
after the declaration at veer on Oeraar by Great Britain, the Csechoslovak Circle
14 in shanghai became the unofficial organ for the 'Free Czechs" headed by the exiled
pschoalovak Government. in London. s of the Csechoelowak Circle in Shanghai
,?,, did not recognise Czechoslovakia under the Carman occupation (during which wore
created the Protectorate of Bohemia and. Moravia and the Independent Slovak State.
Tbq did not apply for Protectorate passports and in such matters considered themsely
tstder the jurisdiction of the Caechoalovsk Consulate in Bombsy, India. Prior to
the outbreak of the Pacific War, mm's of the Executive Committee of the
Citirlhoslovak Circle in Shanghai carried out registration, issued various certifi-
ctea, and performed benevolent work in Shanghai among Csechoalovak Jewish refugees
from grope.
2. After the outbreak of the Pacific War, the Csechoslavak Circle in Shanghai was
instructed by the Japanese authorities to act as the representative organization
at all Czechoslovak residents in Shanghai and to render assistance to the local
authorities under the Japanese in all matters concerning Csochoslovako, During
World War 11 the Mtosautive Committee of the Czechoslovak Circle in Shanghai-
owsieted of the folloering s
- bald Jan Staebera, *chairman; owner of the Physical Institute at 215/28
Murat Bawd, which he is still operating.
Josef fovotr , treasurer; formerly a stage barber; since returned to
Cseehoslovakia via the USSR; his wife while in Shanghai was emplgyed as a radio
operator with TASS.
Tares Pavlica, secretary; address, 1276/5 Avenue Joffre
Leopold Novak, meiber; accountant for the Shanghai branch of the Data Shoe
25X1 A owpa'Cr, Leached, of 83ngapoew; Shanghai residence, 741/25 Rue Retard.
A..~.A..s n nnnhen _ mars address. 22..C Pere Robert.
Pichon does 11a1 eon worts Den use uv DT. a uuuvx . o tusu usav y. s w.av
09ecboalarak Circle. An Antonin D * hon advertises as a newspaper and magasine
edem'a' An Rovosti D M Soviet Russian-Zenguage G&W in hanghai).
Jof Bord7f areoDer; a motorcar salesman whose present address is
3023 Chungcheng Read (Avenwe Foch).
notes At this address, the Shanghai Telephone Directory lists a
P W In L. Horsky is listed as the leader of the Pro-Soviet
in of Casoh ?) 25X1A
NOTICE: THIS DISTRIBUTION LISTING MUST BE
letter of 16 October 197a from tho
Director of Central Intelligence to the
Archivist of the United States.
ext Review Date: 2008
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Approved Ii N1 s
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INFORMATION EP ` ` 191542
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CENTRAL LUMIi( fJClh AWICY
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Most of the above persons were supporters of President Benee during World War 11
and performed considerable work in jai defor4tng the interests of the'
Czechoslovak oaexnunity.
During the Japanese occuj Lion of Shanghai, Czechoslovak Jewish people residing
In the "Designated Area" of the Horlgkow District of Shanghai organized the so-
called Czechoslovak District Association with the patronaCe of the Japanese
authorities. This Association had apircadmately 250 members and was at 43 Chusan
Uoed. The chairs n of the Association was Dr. Favel Erlich, who rosided at
56 Ward Goad; he was norm as a Soviet qmpathizer. Alfred Stosaler, 599/72
Tasagghan Road, was secretary and liaison officer between the Association and
the Csfachoelovak Circle.
$. During World r II the Cseechoslovak ooaraunity in nghai was divided into two
groups: (1) about 100 persons took paaui>orts of the protectorate of Bohemia and
Moravia, which give the holders the possibility of receiving financial acaistance
fret the German Consulate General and facilitated their obtaining employment.
Dr. Saba (Sheba), Czechoslovak Ambassador to Chirax, handed over the archives of
his office to the German Legation in China after the occupation of Czechoslovakia
biz the Germane; this factor induced merry Czechoslovaks to take Protectorate pass-
ports. After the capitulation of Ja , most of these 100 persons gradually
obtained Czechoslovak passports. (2 The other group supported the Czechoslovak
Gaverzi ant-in-exdle. The Csechoslovak Jewish organization, the Association of
Czechoslovak Citizens in the 'Designated Ares" of Hongkew District of Shanghai,
we closed after the capitulation of Japan.
In 1942 when Moscow organised the Czechoslovak B410ade under General Svoboda in
the USSR and the All-31sT Union under the chairmanship of Major General Gundurw,
a pro-Soviet feeling began to be noticed in the Shanghai Czechoslovak camra tnity.
At the Soviet Citizens' Club in Shanghai, the Shr i TASJ office organized a
branch of the All-Slav Union with Czeohoelovak, Polish, Yugoslav und Ulrw-ian
sections. The Czechoslovak section was headed by the late Major Jaroslav Stepan,
Counsellor of the Czechoslovak Legation; in this section were secret members of
the Czechoslovak Free Movement and persons connected with De Gaulle s Free
ftme Movement. The pro-Soviet eleamant of the Czechoslovak section were led by
Dr. Pavel Ehrlich, Czechoslovak Jewish refugee who has left Shanghai for the
United States (see paragraph 3); and a Mr. Zinger, who has left Shanghai for
Czechoslovakia, where he is said to have joined the Communist Party of Czech-
osiovnkia. Zimmer, was on friendly terms with Ehrlich in Shanghai and these two
mm reportedly correspond at present.
6. After the capitulation of Japan and the return to Praha of the Government-icr-exile..
meeabers of the EQcocutive Committee of the Czechoslovak Circle in Shanghai gradually
resigned and were replaced by a new cammittee. Conaideroble influence was exerted
in this coasmittee by radical pro-Soviet Czechoslovak refugees in Sharhi, acme
of whom had remained "atatelees" citizens during the Japanese occupation.
7. At present there are about 250 members of the Czechoslovak Circle in Shanghai.
Of these 150 are longtime members and the remainder joined the Circle after the
capitulation of the Japanese. Most of the latter mere Czechoslovak Jeldsh refugees,
part of %ham have left for the United States and part have returned to Czech-
soelosvakia. According to information received In 3har ai, many of those who
returned to Czechoslovakia have joined the Catnuaist Partly of Czechoslovakia or
have become Communist qmpathizere in order to obtain government jobs.
co IDn" L
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8. At preset the Czechoalmk community in dhanha3 is united by the Czechoslovak
Circle. Ito Zocutive Cca ittoe includes the following persona:
Sa nel Douath, chairman; Csochoslovsk Jewish refuges, former vice chairman.
He beoamo elsaim n after the resignation of J. iiaraisy, mho had ro^ ^ vd
Jan Gottwald as chairman. He is scheduled to leave 3heslgttai for the United states
and is considered anti-Soviot.
S. K. Rezac (also re orted as J. Remo and A. H. Resek), secretary; a longtime
resident of Shanghai and the aesist"nt man ;er of Q* ipol Trading Company.
H. X. Drasdil, treasurer, tyho recently resigned; mm r of the Dyes 4epe truent
of Ollvier.Chino (S.A.), French export-report firm at 95 Museum Road, Shanat i.
V. V. Shiok (Schick), a partner in International Suppliers Corporation
of China, import--export firm with offices at. 233 Nank ng mod, Shane hai; a long-
tine Czechoslovak Jewish resident of Shrarhai; during the Civil War in Russia
he nee a member of the Czechoslovak Legion in Siberia.
Bodo (first n unknown), safer; Czechoslovak Jewish refugee, employee of
a French firm.
Zink (first name unknown), member; former member of the Czechoslovak Legion
in Siberia and later an employee, of the former French Municipal Council in
Shan h81.
Steiner (first name unknown), member; C. echoslovak Jewish refugee, accountant
fear Heennir ;een Produce Campart{, head otfiae 51 Kwangtung Road.
T. frdlicke, member; employee of Bata Shoe Company; sod of a former captain
of the Czechoslovak Legion in Siberia.
Jiricek, amber; nam or of Bata Shoo ComparW j during the Pacific War he
participated in the defense of Hongkong as a member of the Volunteer Corps and
later was interned.
9?
The Czechoslovak Legation in China 3s headed by Dr. Lelek, Minister, and the
following members: Dem (7), secretary, who also acts an a consul at Shanghais
vlsitinL Shanghai periodically; Heil, second secretary; and Malinvvsky, cccnnercial
attache. Prior to World Tar II, Malinovey was secretary of the Czechoslovak
Legation at Singapore and later a consul there.
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