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Defense. Generally, the A.O. is concerned wi th internal police control,
while the greater part of external espionage is the responsibility of the
K.P.O. However, certain branches of both operate outside Hungary, and
there is some verlapping of activity. Each is Communist controlled
throughout and follows a policy of close cooperation and liaison with Soviet
Intelligence which has access to their files and the results of their work.
Liaison between the A.O. and the K.P.O. is principally on a personal basis
between the Directors of the two organizations
1. The State Defense Department - A.O.
The more efficient of the two, this organization as it now exists
dates from the close of World War II and was charged originally with locating
and arresting war criminalso Its operations were expanded shortly to in-
olude identification of and reporting on elements resisting communization of
Hungary. Reorganized in 1946 under direction of the Soviet Ministry for
Internal Affairs (M.V.D.). it continued to maintain olose liaison and informa-
tion exchange wi th that group and became staffed mainly with well-trained
personnel under Russian-tutored Communist officials. Its chief is Gabor
Peter, a trusted but uneducated Communist. Since September, 1948 Peter has
been Chief of the National Defense Authority of the Ministry of the Interior,
which includes, in addition to the A.O., other alien, passport, border and
air patrol functions
An effective tool for enforcing communist rale, it seeks to
uncover and suppress anti-Communist and pro-Western influence. It has
dispatched some espionage agents outside Hungary especially to control
Hungarian nationals and officials abroad. Of interest in connection with
the recent church trials in Hungary is the fact that Section III of the
A.O., in charge of ecclesiastical matters, has worked for some time on an
urgent priority to penetrate the Hungarian clergy, which has remained a
powerful anti-Communist influence in Hungary
20 The Military Political Department em K.P.O.
also known as Military Political Group (Katonai
Politikai Csoport - K.P.C.S.)
Created in February, 1945 and weakened seriously by shortages of
funds and purges of non-Communist elements, the K.P.O. is nevertheless the
dominant Hungarian intelligence agency and has gradually resumed some semblance
of order and professional standing. Its Chief is Major General George Palffy-
Oesterreicher, an intelligent and ambitious Soviet-trained Communist. Since
a reorganization of June, 1946 its Offensive Division has operated underground
- 15 -
HARRY S. TRUMAN LIBRARY
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"ocrText": "Defense. Generally, the A.O. is concerned wi th internal police control,\nwhile the greater part of external espionage is the responsibility of the\nK.P.O. However, certain branches of both operate outside Hungary, and\nthere is some verlapping of activity. Each is Communist controlled\nthroughout and follows a policy of close cooperation and liaison with Soviet\nIntelligence which has access to their files and the results of their work.\nLiaison between the A.O. and the K.P.O. is principally on a personal basis\nbetween the Directors of the two organizations\n1. The State Defense Department - A.O.\nThe more efficient of the two, this organization as it now exists\ndates from the close of World War II and was charged originally with locating\nand arresting war criminalso Its operations were expanded shortly to in-\nolude identification of and reporting on elements resisting communization of\nHungary. Reorganized in 1946 under direction of the Soviet Ministry for\nInternal Affairs (M.V.D.). it continued to maintain olose liaison and informa-\ntion exchange wi th that group and became staffed mainly with well-trained\npersonnel under Russian-tutored Communist officials. Its chief is Gabor\nPeter, a trusted but uneducated Communist. Since September, 1948 Peter has\nbeen Chief of the National Defense Authority of the Ministry of the Interior,\nwhich includes, in addition to the A.O., other alien, passport, border and\nair patrol functions\nAn effective tool for enforcing communist rale, it seeks to\nuncover and suppress anti-Communist and pro-Western influence. It has\ndispatched some espionage agents outside Hungary especially to control\nHungarian nationals and officials abroad. Of interest in connection with\nthe recent church trials in Hungary is the fact that Section III of the\nA.O., in charge of ecclesiastical matters, has worked for some time on an\nurgent priority to penetrate the Hungarian clergy, which has remained a\npowerful anti-Communist influence in Hungary\n20 The Military Political Department em K.P.O.\nalso known as Military Political Group (Katonai\nPolitikai Csoport - K.P.C.S.)\nCreated in February, 1945 and weakened seriously by shortages of\nfunds and purges of non-Communist elements, the K.P.O. is nevertheless the\ndominant Hungarian intelligence agency and has gradually resumed some semblance\nof order and professional standing. Its Chief is Major General George Palffy-\nOesterreicher, an intelligent and ambitious Soviet-trained Communist. Since\na reorganization of June, 1946 its Offensive Division has operated underground\n- 15 -\nHARRY S. TRUMAN LIBRARY"
}