Konfidenci służb bezpieczeństwa II RP w środowisku białoruskim
Informers of the security services of the Second Polish Republic within the Belarusian community

Summary/Abstract: According to different estimates, the Second Polish Republic was inhabited by from 1.5 to 2 million of Belarusians who, in the Polish authorities’ plans, were to be shorty assimilated into the Polish culture. These plans to be implement required a full and accurate picture of the situation within the Belarusian minority. Surveillance was conducted under the pretext of concern for the security and integrity of the state. Attempts were made to enlist informers from among activists of Belarusian organizations. They were paid for information according to their value. Informers were working under work contracts with local police chiefs. When it was realised that, to increase their gains, they fabricated stories, the authorities resigned from this form of cooperation. The highly paid were information about illegal political activity. This was the reason why informers denounced innocent people. The authorities tried to develop a network of informers without any additional expenses. Cooperation with the state organs was to be motivated by various forms of administrative aids and shortcuts, such as business operating licences or state commissioned procurements. It were local police chiefs who were interested in increasing the feeling of threat and tightening the control over Belarusian communities, for they wanted the central authorities to grant funds for salaries and wages of informers.

• Details
• Contents