Manchester University Press
15 Whispers and lies
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Abstract
This chapter deals with the informers who played a crucial part in MI5's business of intelligence gathering. Compiling information on the German-speaking refugee population was frequently achieved by enlisting members of the same community: refugees spying on other refugees. Many of these refugee informers were recruited during internment. Through considerable detective work, it has been possible to identify who some of the main informers – mostly referred to in MI5 documents by cover names such as ‘Kaspar’ – actually were. Many of these informers continued to pass on information long after the end of the war. The chapter discusses their motivation, the nature and veracity of the information they passed on and the efficacy of their intelligence activities.
Abstract
This chapter deals with the informers who played a crucial part in MI5's business of intelligence gathering. Compiling information on the German-speaking refugee population was frequently achieved by enlisting members of the same community: refugees spying on other refugees. Many of these refugee informers were recruited during internment. Through considerable detective work, it has been possible to identify who some of the main informers – mostly referred to in MI5 documents by cover names such as ‘Kaspar’ – actually were. Many of these informers continued to pass on information long after the end of the war. The chapter discusses their motivation, the nature and veracity of the information they passed on and the efficacy of their intelligence activities.
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- Introduction 1
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Part I I spy 1933–39
- 1 Defending the realm 9
- 2 Liddell in Wonderland 16
- 3 The undesirables 20
- 4 The mysterious case of Dora Fabian 29
- 5 Nazi spies and the ‘Auslandsorganisation’ 44
- 6 No more peace 55
- 7 Flying and spying 63
- 8 ‘The Red Menace’ 79
- 9 ‘Peace for our time’ 90
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Part II Secrets, lies and misinterpretations
- 10 ‘A state of confusion which at times amounted almost to chaos’ 99
- 11 The internment of ‘enemy aliens’ 103
- 12 ‘The largest Communist sideshow in London’ 115
- 13 The Austrian Centre – and ‘the great Eva’ 128
- 14 ‘About the most dangerous of all these organisations’ 142
- 15 Whispers and lies 157
- 16 Friends in need 173
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Part III Preparing for the Cold War
- 17 Red alert 187
- 18 ‘Tube Alloys’ 193
- 19 The spy who was caught 196
- 20 The spy who got away 210
- 21 Parting company 222
- Conclusion 232
- A note on sources 240
- Select bibliography 244
- Index 248
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- Introduction 1
-
Part I I spy 1933–39
- 1 Defending the realm 9
- 2 Liddell in Wonderland 16
- 3 The undesirables 20
- 4 The mysterious case of Dora Fabian 29
- 5 Nazi spies and the ‘Auslandsorganisation’ 44
- 6 No more peace 55
- 7 Flying and spying 63
- 8 ‘The Red Menace’ 79
- 9 ‘Peace for our time’ 90
-
Part II Secrets, lies and misinterpretations
- 10 ‘A state of confusion which at times amounted almost to chaos’ 99
- 11 The internment of ‘enemy aliens’ 103
- 12 ‘The largest Communist sideshow in London’ 115
- 13 The Austrian Centre – and ‘the great Eva’ 128
- 14 ‘About the most dangerous of all these organisations’ 142
- 15 Whispers and lies 157
- 16 Friends in need 173
-
Part III Preparing for the Cold War
- 17 Red alert 187
- 18 ‘Tube Alloys’ 193
- 19 The spy who was caught 196
- 20 The spy who got away 210
- 21 Parting company 222
- Conclusion 232
- A note on sources 240
- Select bibliography 244
- Index 248
