Ministry of Public Security of Poland

The Ministry of Public Security of Poland (Polish: Ministerstwo Bezpieczeństwa Publicznego or MBP) was a Polish communist secret police, intelligence and counter-espionage service operating from 1945 to 1954. Its main goal was the erradication of the anti-communist structures and socio-political base of the underground Polish Secret State as well as the persecution of soldiers of the Polish Home Army (Armia Krajowa) and Freedom and Independence (WiN) active during World War II. In that capcity, MPB remained known mainly through its own regional offices called Urząd Bezpieczeństwa Publicznego or UBP (Office of Public Security, official name); and Urząd Bezpieczeństwa or UB (Office, or Department of Security).

History
In July 1944, behind the Soviet-German front, a Polish provisional government called the Polish Committee of National Liberation (Polski Komitet Wyzwolenia Narodowego) or PKWN, was established in Chełm with Soviet approval and backing. Within the PKWN's internal structure, there were thirteen departments called Resorty. One of these was the Department of Public Security (Resort Bezpieczeństwa Publicznego) or RBP, headed by Stanisław Radkiewicz.

On 31 December 1944, the PKWN was joined by several members of the Polish government in exile, among them Stanisław Mikołajczyk (later chased out of the country). PKWN was then transformed into Provisional Government of Republic of Poland (Polish: Rząd Tymczasowy Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej or RTRP). All departments were renamed: the Department of Public Security became the Ministry of Public Security (Ministerstwo Bezpieczeństwa Publicznego) or MBP.

MBP tasks and numbers
From the end of 1940s to 1954, the Ministry of Public Security, operating alongside the Ministry of Defence, was one of the largest and most powerful institutions in post war People's Republic of Poland.

The Ministry of Public Security was responsible for internal and foreign intelligence, counter-intelligence, monitoring anti-state activity in Poland and abroad, monitoring government and civilian communications, supervision of the local governments, maintaining a militsiya, maintaining prisons, fire services, rescue services, and border patrol.

In July 1947, the MBP absorbed 2nd Section of General Staff of the Polish People's Army, Polish Military Intelligence. Military intelligence was joined together with the civilian intelligence to become Department VII of Ministry of Public Security.
In 1950s Ministry of Public Security employed around 32,000 people. MBP also had control over 41,000 soldiers and officers of the Internal Security Corps (Korpus Bezpieczeństwa Wewnętrznego), 57,000 officers in the Civil Militia (Milicja Obywatelska), 32,000 officers and soldiers in the Border guard (Wojska Ochrony Pogranicza), 10,000 prison officers (Straż Więzienna), and 125,000 members of Volunteer Reserves of the Citizens Militia (Ochotnicza Rezerwa Milicji Obywatelskiej).