DEPARTMENT OF STATE
GIST: Poland's top correspondent in Bonn has defected. Today's Trybuna Ludu condemns his political betrayal.
INR BRIEFING NOTE
TO:
DATE: 6/12/68
The Director, INR
TIME: 4:00 PM
COMMENTS CONTAINED IN INR BRIEFING NOTES ARE INITIAL AND TENTATIVE.
SOURCE(S)
CLASS./CONTROL(S)
Warsaw 3552
Trybuna Ludu says Kowalski had been recalled from Bonn but refused to return. Meeting of TL editorial board sharply condemned his betrayal. No dates given.
Reuters, Warsaw, 6/12
Kowalski's last despatch in Trybuna Ludu of June 3 covered meeting of German expellees from Pomerania addressed by Kai-Uwe von Hassel.
INR Comment: Kowalski had been in Bonn exactly two years and his normal tour was presumably up. However, since he is an old communist, who fought in Spain, is Jewish and is reportedly not well, he presumably could not look forward to another job in Poland. People with his background are now facing both unemployment and harassment in Poland. As the situation for Polish communists of Jewish origin gets worse, defections are becoming increasingly likely. Kowalski is a defector, we are told.
INR OFFICE
BRIEFER
EXTENSION
Irene Jaffe
4924
CONFIDENTIAL
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