travel to/from Poland in 1950s

Hi Everyone

I'm doing a bit of research on life on Poland 1952/59. So far as I have been able to find out it was difficult if not virtually impossible to get a passport for travel to the west from Poland at that time but does anyone out there know the details of what proceedures a person would have to go through to apply and obtain a passport?

It was almost impossible. People would come back to occupied Poland with great news about freedom and democracy that exists somewhere over the rainbow. They would also bring information about real face of communist occupation to the West.

Usually people who held passport were strong communists, communist party members or their families etc.

My family had passports, I had grandpa in the party. Not good news but he was good man anyway.