Editing Security Service (Poland) (section)

==History==
The post-[[World War II]] [[Ministry of Public Security (Poland)|Ministry of Public Security]] (UB) was responsible for security, intelligence and [[counterintelligence]]. It controlled over 41,000 soldiers of the [[Internal Security Corps]], 57,500 members of the [[Milicja Obywatelska|Citizens' Militia]], 32,000 [[Border Protection Forces]], 10,000 [[Prison Service (Poland)|prison officers]] and 125,000 members of the [[ORMO|Volunteer Reserve Citizen Militia]].

After the 1954 defection to the [[Western Bloc|West]] of [[Józef Światło]] (born Izaak Fleischfarb), a high-ranking [[Ministry of Public Security (Poland)|Ministry of Public Security]] officer instrumental in arresting Cardinal [[Stefan Wyszyński]], this Ministry of Public Security was abolished.

In December 1954, the [[Communism in Poland|Communist Party]] divided the old UB into two parts: the [[Committee for Public Security (Poland)|Committee for Public Security]] (''Komitet do spraw Bezpieczeństwa Publicznego'', or KDSBP) and the [[Ministry of Internal Affairs (Poland)|Ministry of Internal Affairs]] (MSW). The former was a [[secret police]] responsible for internal and external [[intelligence]] and [[counterintelligence]] to fight underground movements and the influence of the [[Catholic Church]]. The MSW was responsible for administrative duties, and eventually controlled the Internal Security Corps, militia, border troops, prison guards and the Volunteer Reserve Citizen Militia.

===1956 reform===
{{see also|Polish October}}
The year 1956 brought change to Polish politics. Recently released from prison, [[Władysław Gomułka]] became the [[Secretary (title)|first secretary]] of the [[Central Committee]] of the [[Polish United Workers' Party]]. Reforms were made in the structure of state security. The Committee of Public Safety was abolished, and its duties were taken over by the [[Ministry of Internal Affairs (Poland)|MSW]].

The introduction of Security Service to the Interior Ministry (which was already in the Polish public safety system since 1954), came as a result of directive number 00238/56 made by [[Władysław Wicha]] on 29 November 1956. Wicha was a Polish [[communist]] and politician [[PZPR]] member and then the first Minister of Internal Affairs from 1954 to 1964. After that his directive, the MSW was the only security body in Poland.

Officers working in the Security Service were nicknamed "SB-eks" (<u>S</u>łużba <u>B</u>ezpieczeństwa agents). SB also contracted individuals as [[Covert agent|secret collaborators]] ([[:pl:Tajny współpracownik|Tajny Współpracownik]] or TW), who usually received money for the services rendered.