Ochrona granicy państwowej przed nielegalnymi ucieczkami przez Wydział II Kaszubskiej Brygady Wojsk Ochrony Pogranicza w latach 1980–1983. Procedury i metody działania
Pamięć i Sprawiedliwość, Tom 19 Nr 1 (2012), strony: 351-375
Data publikacji: 2012-06-30
Abstrakt
The exceptionally turbulent years 1980–1983 made many people decide to
flee Poland. One of the main obstacles in their way were the counter-intelligence
structures of WOP (Border Defence Troops). Among them, the 2 nd Department of
the Kashubian WOP Brigade in Gdańsk.
The Department applied a very extensive range of methods to protect the state
border. Special emphasis was put on preventive actions. Apart from border
controls, i.a. operational activities were applied against persons suspected of
intending to flee the country. Functionaries of the 2 nd Department subjected them to
surveillance, exercised, among other, by the border units’ network of secret agents.
It also included actions aimed at reducing to the minimum the potential escapee’s
contacts with the border zone, what could seriously complicate the lives of
persons professionally dependent on that area, cutter fishermen for example.
The work of the functionaries of the 2 nd Department of the Gdańsk Brigade of
WOP extended beyond purely preventive issues. Provided with competence proper
for investigative services, they also handled cases of escapes as such, both
accomplished and prevented. Suspects and witnesses were subjected to multiple
interrogations lasting many hours, often combined with confrontations. If necessary,
also home searches and on-site inspections were carried out. Investigations were
very meticulous, applying not only to escapees. The 2 nd Department officers’
scrutiny also extended to persons that could be suspected of offering whatever form of
assistance, factual or alleged, at illegal border crossing. Repressive measures were
often applied against them, without proving guilt beforehand.
The actions undertaken by the 2 nd Department towards the escapees, did not
change after the formal end of martial law in July 1983. The character of service
did not allow for any modifications of applied methods, that remained in
continuous use until 1989.
Bibliografia
H. Dominiczak, Granice państwa i ich ochrona na przestrzeni dziejów 966–1996, Warszawa 1997, A. Friszke, Polska. Losy państwa i narodu 1939–1989, Warszawa 2003, M. Bortlik- -Dźwierzyńska, M. Niedurny, Uciekinierzy z PRL, Katowice–Warszawa 2009, I. Bieniecki, Ochrona granicy na terenie portów morskich przez żołnierzy Wojsk Ochrony Pogranicza w latach 1965–1991 (wybrane problemy), „Biuletyn Centralnego Ośrodka Szkolenia Straży Granicznej” 2007, nr 1 Instrukcje pracy operacyjnej aparatu bezpieczeństwa (1945–1989), oprac. T. Ruzikowski, Warszawa 2004,