Ministry of Public Security of Poland
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Ministry of Public Security of Poland (Polish: Ministerstwo Bezpieczeństwa Publicznego , or MBP) was the organ established and controlled by Soviet Union officers to provide collaborationist government in Poland with secret police, intelligence and counter-espionage services from 1945 to 1954. Its main goal was disorganization of anti-soviet independent structures of Polish Secret State and warfare against soldiers of Polish Home Army (Armia Krajowa) and Freedom and Independence (WiN). In that field MPB is known as Urząd Bezpieczeństwa or UB (Office of Security).
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[edit] History
In July 1944 in Moscow temporary Polish puppet government was established by the name of Polish Committee of National Liberation (Polski Komitet Wyzwolenia Narodowego). or PKWN. In PKWN structure organization, there were thirteen departments called Resorty. One of them was Department of Public Security (Resort Bezpieczeństwa Publicznego) or RBP, headed by long time polish communist Stanisław Radkiewicz. On December 31, 1944, the PKWN was joined by several members of the Polish government in exile, among them Stanisław Mikołajczyk. It was then transformed into Provisional Government of Republic of Poland (Polish: Rząd Tymczasowy Republiki Polskiej, or RTRP, also all departments have been renamed as ministries, Department of Public Security became Ministry of Public Security (Ministerstwo Bezpieczeństwa Publicznego) or MBP, in field well known as UB (Urząd Bezpieczeństwa).
[edit] MBP tasks and numbers
From the end of 1940s to 1954 Ministry of Public Security (MBP) beside Ministry of Defense, was one of the biggest and strongest administrations in post war communist Poland.
MBP was responsible for - internal and foreign Intelligence, Counter-Intelligence, anti-state activity in and out side the country, government protection, government confidential communications, civilian communications, supervision of the local governments, militsiya, correctional facilities and fire rescue, border and internal guards. In July 1947 MBP took control over Military Intelligence, which was the 2nd Section of General Staff of the Polish People's Army, Military Intelligence joint together with civilian intelligence branch becoming Department VII of Ministry of Public Security. In June 1950, Ministry of Defense again took control over Military Intelligence.
In 1950s Ministry of Public Security was in the numbers of 32 thousand people. Besides, MBP had control over: 41,000 soldiers and officers in Internal Security Corp, (Korpus Bezpieczeństwa Wewnętrznego) or KBW, 57,000 officers in Civil Militsiya (Milicja Obywatelska) or MO, 32,000 officers and soldiers in Border guard (Wojska Ochrony Pogranicza) or WOP, 10,000 prison guards officers (Straż Więzienna) or SW. Also in MBP control was 125,000 members of Volunteer Reserves of the Citizens Militia (Ochotnicza Rezerwa Milicji Obywatelskiej) or ORMO.
[edit] Organization
From January 1945 and on, Ministry of Public Security structure organization, was changed constantly, as the MBP was expanding. It was divided on departments, each department was divided on sections, and entrusted with different tasks.
In January 1945 when MBP was just established on a base of Department of Public Security or RBP, the biggest and the most important department in MBP organization was Department one (I), responsible for Counter-espionage and anti-state activities, and headed by Roman Romkowski, real name Natan Grinszpan-Kikiel born in 1907.
Department I was divided on Section: each responsible with different tasks -
- Fighting German espionage and Nazi underground remaining in Poland
- Fighting reactionary underground
- Fighting political bandytyzm
- Protection of national economy
- Protection of legal political party's from outside (underground) penetration.
- Prison
- Observation
- Investigations
Except departments and section which have been created for RBP (Resort Bezpieczeństwa Publicznego) organization, then in Junuary 1945 become part of MBP, couple of new departments were created. September 6, 1945, from existing structure of Department II there additional departments were created, there were - Department IV commanded by Aleksander Wolski-Dyszko, Department V commanded by Julia Brystygier, and Department VI headed by Teodor Duda.
In July 1946, next changes have been proform. MBP was divided on eight (8) departments. Five of them dealt with operative cases, there where -
- Dep 1 — Counter-espionage
- Dep 2 — Technical operations and technology
- Dep 3 — Fighting underground resistance
- Dep 4 — Protection of economy
- Dep 5 — Counteraction of hostile penetration and church influences
In July 1947 Military Intelligence when under MBP control, and MBP's 2nd Independent Section then responsible for intelligence, was joint which 2nd Section of General Staff of the Polish People's Army, becoming Department VII of Ministry of Public Security. June next year, strictly special Secret Office was established, for internal counter-intelligence, Special Office was to follow and control employee and staff of MBP. March 2, 1950, Special Bureau has been established, rename in 1951 Department X. Dep X, task was following and conduct investigations of upper and highest Polish communist party members and there friends, also upper government members and there friends.
- Minister of Public Security - Stanisław Radkiewicz
- 1st vice-minister — Roman Romkowski
- 2nd vice-minister — Mieczysław Mietkowski
- 3rd vice-minister — Konrad Świetlik
- 4th vice-minister — Wacław Lewikowski
- Department I — Counter-intelligence - headed by col. Stefan Antosiewicz
- Department II — Operative Technology and records - headed by col. Leon Rubinstein
- Department III — Fighting bandits - headed by col. Józef Czaplicki
- Department IV — Protection of economy - headed by col. Józef Kratko
- Department V — Religious political and social organizations - headed by col. Julia Brystigerowa
- Department VI — Prisons - headed by col. Władysław Pisło
- Department VII — Intelligence - headed by col. Witold Sieniewicz
- Department of Investigations — headed by col. Józef Różański
- Department for Training — headed by mjr. Zdzisław Szymaczak
- Department of Staff — headed by col. Mikołaj Orchewa
- Department for Government Protection — headed by col. Faustym Grzybowski
- Department of Transport — headed by col. Czesław Radzicki
- Department of Communications — headed by col. Feliks Suczek
- Special Bureau — headed by col. Anatol Fejgin
- Bureau for control — headed by ?
- Bureau of foreign passports — headed by ?
- Bureau of Budget and Finances — headed by ?
- Bureau A (Observation of suspicious element) [suspect] — headed by ?
- Bureau B (Central archives) — headed by ?
[edit] MBP in field
All over Poland Ministry of Public Security had offices. There was one or more MBP office in each Province (or - Wojewodship, województwo), they were called Provincial Office of Public Security (Wojewódzki Urząd Bezpieczeństwa Publicznego, or WUBP). Each WUBP had 308 MBP officers and employees. Beside WUBP there were so called City Office of Public Security (Miejski Urząd Bezpieczeństwa Publicznego, or MUBP), it had 148 MPB officers and employees, District Office of Public Security (Powiatowy Urząd Bezpieczeństwa Publicznego or PUBP), witch 51 officers and employees, and Communal Office of Public Security (Gminny Urząd Bezpieczeństwa Publicznego, or GUBP), it was stationed in local militsiya precinct (MO), and it had 3 security (MBP) officers.
In 1953, in field there were 17 Provincial Offices of Public Security (WUBP), 2 City Offices of Public Security on law of WUBP (witch rights as a Provincial Offices of Public Security). There were 268 District Offices of Public Security (PUBP) and 5 City Offices of Public Security (MUBP), witch rights as District Office of Public Security (PUBP). All employed 33 200 permanent officers, from thad 7 500 in Warsaw headquarters. According to professor Andrzej Paczkowski in 1953, there were one MBP (or-UB) officer on 800 citizens. Never in 45 year old history, of People's Republic of Poland, it civil special services formations was so large in numbers.
[edit] Soviet control and Political repressions
Political and military dependence of People's Republic of Poland (or PRL) to the Soviet Union, which was visible on evry step of life in post-war Poland, had particular meaning in command and administrative structure of Armed forces and special services organs, Intelligence Counter-intelligence and Internal security, civilian - Ministerstwo Bezpieczeństwa Publicznego (Ministry of Public Security (MBP) and military - Główny Zarząd Informacji Wojska Polskiego (Main Directorate of Information of the Polish Army).
Control of these special services organs which beside Armed forces were main guarantee of stability of new communist system in post-war Poland, and other countries like Czechoslovakia that were given under soviet influences near the end of World War II by the Allies: USA and Great Britain, Moscow performed by using so called advisors. There were well train and highly experience Soviet intelligence and Counter-intelligence officers, from services like NKGB, NKVD, GRU and SMERSH, then in later years MGB, MVD and at last KGB. The first main soviet advisor to the Ministry of Public Security (MBP), was then general major Ivan Aleksandrovich Serov. He was well experience and old officer of soviet security organs. In 1939 he assumed positions of deputy commander later commander of soviet militsiya, in structures of the NKVD. Next he was nominated chief of Secret Political Department (SPO) of the GUGB/NKVD, before becoming People's Commissar of Internal Affairs of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1941-1945, he was the First Deputy People's Commissar of the State Security and later - Deputy People's Commissar of Internal Affairs of the USSR. When he become main advisor to the MBP in March 1945, as a general Ivanov he had carried out apprehension of 16 polish underground leaders. (See -Trial of the Sixteen).
- 1945 — Ivan Serov (gen.mjr)
- 1953 — Nikolai Kovalshuk (gen.lejnt)
Ministry of Public Security was, and still is, very famous for it role it has played in repressions against it own nation. It played important role in so called: Trial of the Sixteen. For young Polish Security apparatus, built and supervised by soviet advisors, the most important task was to penetrate and destroy structures of the Home Army (Armia Krajowa) or-AK. Home Army Structures have been penetrate and uncovered by soviet NKGB, NKVD agents, with assistants from polish communist members of People's Guard (Gwardia Ludowa) or GL, later become Armia Ludowa, during German occupation of Poland. So after Red Army entry on Polish territory soviet special services already knew who were member of Polish underground, the only remaining task was to arrest the members, with they did by using Polish special services like Ministry of Publick Security and in case of military using organs as Główny Zarząd Informacji Wojska Polskiego - Main Directorate of Information of the Polish Army.
What German special services (Gestapo and Sicherheitsdienst, or SD), could not do with Polish underground Army, in time of occupation of Poland 1939-1945, soviet NKGB/NKVD with assistance from polish communist and MBP or GZI WP, did it in two, or three years, by destroying Home Army (AK), and killing and lacking up AK members in prisons or deporting them to Siberian Gulag's, soviet concentration camps.
[edit] Operations
[edit] Escape of MBP Lieutenant Colonel Józef Światło
In November 1953, Bolesław Bierut then president of People's Republic of Poland, through Jakub Berman Polish communist politician a member of the Polish United Workers' Party's Politbiuro, has advised MBP Lieutenant Colonel (polish. podpułkownik) Józef Światło, who was then deputy head of MBP Department X, to go to East Berlin along with director of Department X col Anatol Fejgin, in order to talk with local minister for State Security (head of Stasi) Erich Mielke, about help with elimination of Wanda Brońska. After conversation with chief of Stasi, Światło and Fejgin when back to hetel. Next day December 5, 1953 Józef Światło, defect to West Berlin, and has entered US military mission Base. Already next day December 6, 1953, American military authorities have transported Lieutenant Colonel Światło from Eastern Berlin to Frankfurt. December 23 special aircraft with Światło on board has flown off for Washington D.C United States, where Światło has started new life.
Because his defection was widely publicized in U.S. and Europe by American authorities, and Radio Free Europe, in Polands government it has caused earthquake. Światło has said everything that he knew, and he knew a lot. During next months all newspapers and Radio Free Europe wrote and talk, about mass apprehensions in Poland, tortures of prisoners during interrogations, and executions. Światło knew a lot about internal affairs of Polish United Workers' Party, members, he knew all personal problems of each politicians in country. He was the person who on PZPR order, falsify proof against Władysław Gomułka future first secretary of Polish United Worker's Party, then personally arrested him. He was the person who arrested and prepared trial against Marian Spychalski future Minister of National Defence, then politician and high rank military man, and during the World War II Commander of GL, (Gwardia Ludowa).
[edit] 1954 Reorganization
Escape of MBP Colonel Józef Światło, witch was highly publicized by the western propaganda and U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, and Radio Free Europe, and people hate to the Ministry of Public Security, (in Poland called Urząd Bezpieczeństwa or UB), has forced polish government (Polish United Workers' Party) headed by Bolesław Bierut as president, to make changes in internal security organs. December 10, 1954, by the act of Polish Council of State and the Council of Ministers, Ministry of Public Security (or-MBP) ceased to exist, and was replaced by two newly established separate administrations, Committee for Public Security (Komitet do Spraw Bezpieczeństwa Publicznego) or Kds. BP, headed by Władysław Dworakowski, and Ministry of Internal Affairs, (Ministerstwo Spraw Wewnętrznych) or MSW, headed by Władysław Wicha as minister of Internal Affairs. Committee for Public Security recived Intelligence and Counter-espionage, government protection as well as political police. And from September 3, 1955 to 28 of November 1956 Główny Zarząd Informacji Wojska Polskiego (Main Directorate of Information of the Polish Army) witch was the Military Police and Counter-espionage Agency, when under control of Kds. BP. And Ministry of Internal Affairs was responsible for: supervision of the local governments, Militsiya, correctional facilities and fire rescue, as well as border and internal guards.
[edit] Known MBP personnel
- Jakub Berman Joseph Stalin's right hand in Poland between 1944 and 1953.
- Julia Brystygier Nickname bloody Luna, born on November 25 1902. colonel in MBP, head of Department V.
- Józef Czaplicki
- Anatol Fejgin
- Adam Humer
- Julian Konar
- Grzegorz Korczyński Born on June 17, 1915, Polish communist army general, MBP officer later (1956) head of Military Intelligence, took part in so called Polish 1968 political crisis, also he commanded Polish army troops, during workers demonstration in 1970, which has ended in death of many workers.
- Mieczysław Mietkowski Polish general, PZPR member. From 1936 to 1939 he was fighting in Spanish Civil War. Later become NKVD agent, after war, vice-minister of Public Security. Real name Mojżesz Bobrowicki.
- Salomon Morel, commandant of the Stalinist-era labor camp in Poland. He escaped to Israel in 1992 - he is accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
- Henryk Pałka
- Julian Polan-Haraschin chairperson of the military tribunal in Cracow.
- Józef Różański real name Josef Goldberg - head of the Department of Investigations.
- Roman Romkowski real name Natan Grinszpan-Kikiel.
- Stanisław Radkiewicz
- Leon Rubinstein head of the Department II - Operative Technology and records
- Józef Światło, real name Izaak Fleichfarb - Lieutenant Colonel
- Helena Wolinska-Brus former Stalinist military prosecutor from Poland
[edit] References
- Leszek Pawlikowicz - Tajny Front Zimnej Wojny: Uciekinierzy z polskich służb specjalnych 1956-1964, Oficyna Wydawnicza RYTM 2004 [wydanie 1]
- Henryk Piecuch - Akcje Specjalne: Od Bieruta do Ochaba, (Seria: Tajna Historia Polski) Agencja Wydawnicza CB Warszawa 1996 - [Special Operations: from Bierut to Ochab, - Secret History of Poland series, Warsaw 1996]
- Nigel West - Trzecia Tajemnica: Kulisy zamachu na Papieża, wyd. [[Sensacje XX Wieku]] - [Nigel West - The Third Secret]
- Metody Pracy Operacyjnej Aparatu Bezpieczństwa wobec kościołów i związków zawodowych 1945-1989, IPN Warszawa 2004 (Methods of operative work of Security organs against churches and trade unions 1945-1989, Warsaw 2004 IPN - [IPN] - Institute of National Remembrance])
- Normam Polmar, Thomas Allen - Księga Szpiegów, Wydawnictwo Magnum Warszawa 2000 - [Spy Book]
- Zbigniew Błażyński - Mówi Józef Światło: Za kulisami bezpieki i partii 1940-1955, Warszawa 2003
[edit] See also
- Komitet do spraw Bezpieczeństwa Publicznego
- Służba Bezpieczeństwa
- Główny Zarząd Informacji Wojska Polskiego
- Zarząd II Sztabu Generalnego Wojska Polskiego
