Into the Lion's Mouth: The True Story of Dusko Popov: World War II Spy, Patriot, and the Real-Life Inspiration for James Bond

by Larry Loftis

  “Calm down” The cable was sent to MI6 Madrid September 24, 1943, for forwarding to Jebsen. KV 2/854 (p. 10).

  “At once” Ian Wilson memorandum, September 28, 1943, KV 2/854 (p. 632B).

  “Should Johnny Jebsen decide” . . . “I have been approached” Colonel Robertson memorandum, September 28, 1943, KV 2/854 (p. 632).

  OSTRO See interview of ARTIST on October 26, 1943, at KV 2/855 (p. 699c).

  discussed kidnapping Ruser Ibid.

  Masterman, Marriott, Foley, and Wilson met Ian Wilson memo, September 29, 1943, KV 2/854 (p. 635a).

  “I was very sorry” . . . “hijack team” Benton, 398.

  Ablege Kommandos October 23, 1943, memorandum of M. Lloyd to Colonel Robertson at KV 2/855 (p. 673B).

  “We were all in civilian clothes” Günter Peis, The Mirror of Deception, 229.

  “You will receive this letter” Ian Wilson October 4, 1943, memorandum at KV 2/854 (p. 646a). Wilson does not disclose who drafted the letter, but Ian and/or Ivo Popov would have been the probable authors.

  “unconscious” source . . . three conditions See “ARTIST” memorandum of September 30, 1943, at KV 2/854 (p. 648B). Johnny’s request for “liberty to travel after the war” is perplexing: If he expected to be imprisoned for being a German spy, he’d certainly not be allowed to travel; if he were not imprisoned, the request would have been unnecessary.

  Frank Foley contacted an SOE agent Foley correspondence of October 6, 1943, to Colonel Robertson, KV 2/854 (p. 647k).

  submitted to the major a lengthy outline Jebsen’s “Serbian Slipping-through operation” memo, October 18, 1943, KV 2/855 (p. 709B), as translated.

  “Carlos” . . . “very delicate” . . . “For safety’s sake” Correspondence of Ludovico von Karsthoff, October 19, 1943, KV 2/855 (p. 709B), as translated.

  list his local Abwehr supporters See October 26, 1943, debriefing of ARTIST at KV 2/855 (p. 699c).

  “SCHREIBER has written” Memorandum of M. Lloyd to Colonel Robertson on November 21, 1943, KV 2/855 (p. 702A).

  “with a name something like Martins” October 26, 1943, debriefing of ARTIST at KV 2/855 (p. 699c).

  “MARTINS should be interviewed” Letter of M. Lloyd to Colonel Robertson on November 28, 1943, KV 2/855 (p. 705a).

  “cannot be trusted” Letter of M. Lloyd to Colonel Robertson on November 29, 1943, KV 2/855 (708a).

  Unknown to Dusko See MI6 “ARTIST” memorandum dated January 7, 1944, KV 2/856 (p. 743a).

  CHAPTER 23 TRUTH SERUM

  “for camouflage purposes” . . . VIPER See ARTIST memorandum dated January 7, 1944; Frank Foley correspondence to Colonel Robertson of even date; and Robertson letter to Foley on January 11, 1944; all at KV 2/856 (pp. 743, 746).

  even if Munzinger ordered it Ian Wilson “TRICYCLE, ARTIST and connected agents” memo, November 26, 1943, KV 2/856 (p. 716B).

  “ARTIST describes” . . . “cooked him” Ibid.

  “adopted a pro-British attitude” Wilson memo, November 26, 1943, KV 2/856 (p. 716B).

  “ugly but with sex appeal” “Source: TRICYCLE” memo, November 27, 1943, KV 2/856 (unpaginated, sub-file 4).

  “It would be a silly thing” Ibid.

  Marquis Frano de Bona Ian Wilson “TRICYCLE, ARTIST, and connected agents” memo, November 26, 1943, KV 2/856 (p. 716B); Frank Foley memo, November 20, 1943, KV 2/855 (p. 709B); M. Lloyd memo, November 30, 1943, KV 2/855 (p. 712B); Ian Wilson “TRICYCLE and ARTIST” memo, December 16, 1943, KV 2/856 (p. 727y). See also, Russell Miller, Codename Tricycle, 195–96; Nigel West, MI5, 202–203.

  Johnny went to Madrid Ian Wilson “TRICYCLE and ARTIST” memo, December 16, 1943, KV 2/856 (p. 727y).

  Canadian Peter Banwedon H. W. Astor memo (B1A) to (D4) Captain Kennedy, December 4, 1943, KV 2/855 (p. 715a).

  Henss . . . Wiegand Ian Wilson debriefing report, January 11, 1944, KV 2/856 (p. 747). Wiegand’s real name was Wrede. Ian Wilson, “TRICYCLE’s Lisbon Visit: 26.2.44–13.4.44,” KV 2/857 (p. 871a).

  questionnaire KV 2/856 (p. 716B).

  J. C. Masterman passed it along to Victor Cavendish-Bentinck Masterman letter, December 12, 1943, KV 2/856 (p. 722a). See also Colonel Robertson letter of January 12 (misdated 1943) to Cavendish-Bentinck at KV 2/856 (p. 754a). For Cavendish-Bentinck, see generally Stephen Dorril, MI6: Inside the Covert World of Her Majesty’s Secret Intelligence Service.

  Foley forwarded a copy to the War Office Frank Foley letter to Colonel Robertson, December 22, 1943, KV 2/856 (p. 734).

  condition precedent See English translation of German questionnaire at KV 2/856 (p. 752a).

  “The man is very pedantic” December 21, 1943, letter from Dusko Popov to Ian Wilson, KV 2/856 (p. 733c).

  Henss gave him a second questionnaire January 6, 1944, letter from Frank Foley to Colonel Robertson, KV 2/856 (p. 740).

  itemized the spyware See January 7, 1944, letter from J. H. Marriott to Colonel Robertson and Ian Wilson at KV 2/856 (p. 741a).

  “REVERSIBLE TRICYCLES” Dusko Popov driver’s license, No. 17993, issued February 23, 1944, KV 2/862 (unpaginated, sub-file 2).

  The Allies had launched Operation Fortitude South Joshua Levine, Operation Fortitude: The Story of the Spy Operation that Saved D-Day, 225 et seq.

  Hitler sacked Admiral Canaris See William Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, 1026; Walter Schellenberg, The Memoirs of Hitler’s Spymaster, XII; Walter Warlimont, Inside Hitler’s Headquarters, 409; J. C. Masterman, The Double-Cross System in the War of 1939 to 1945, 151–52.

  Walter Schellenberg Schellenberg, XII.

  The Atlantic front Hans Spiedel, Invasion 1944, 40–43.

  FUSAG Masterman, 156; Popov, Spy Counter-Spy, 225; Miller, 207; Levine, 225; Farrington, Super Spy Dusko Popov, 78.

  “You and Garbo vie for” Popov, Spy Counter-Spy, 273–74. See also, J. C. Masterman, The Double-Cross System in the War of 1939 to 1945, 148.

  Juan was regularly spending six to eight hours a day Masterman, The Double-Cross System, 142.

  fourteen agents and eleven well-placed contacts Masterman, The Double-Cross System, 143. See also, Juan Pujol with Nigel West, Operation GARBO, 8–9.

  “There can be no doubt” Ian Wilson memo (“The use of the TRICYCLE Group for deceptive purposes”) to Tar Robertson, December 20, 1943, KV 2/856 (p. 731B).

  “Discussed at XX Cttee 23/12/43. No ban.” Ibid. See also Masterman, The Double-Cross System, 148.

  four principal operatives of strategic deception Masterman, The Double-Cross System, 149.

  ARTIST’s knowledge of GARBO Pujol, 148–49; Masterman, The Double-Cross System, 154; Popov, Spy Counter-Spy, 225–26.

  the Committee discussed three options Pujol, 149.

  13,000 Abwehr employees Schellenberg, XIII.

  “During this tour” Ian Wilson February 24, 1944, correspondence to Hesketh at KV 2/857 (p. 832a).

  “WIEGAND states Berlin unhappy” Telegram from Lisbon to Frank Foley, February 24, 1944, KV 2/857 (p. 833a).

  “You will report” Popov, Spy Counter-Spy, 289.

  Schroeder and Nassenstein The German officers who conducted Popov’s interrogations, and the number of interrogations, during this trip to Lisbon is somewhat unclear. Dusko states in his memoirs that Schroeder and Nassenstein conducted a first meeting, while Schroeder and a man using an alias of Major Muller conducted a second meeting. MI5 files show that Dr. Aloys Schreiber conducted an intensive two-day interrogation. See MI6 Lisbon telegram to London on March 3, 1944 (KV 2/857, p. 838b), correspondence from Frank Foley to Colonel Robertson on March 4 (KV2/857, p. 838c), and memorandum of Ian Wilson on April 19 (KV 2/857, p. 871a). It appears that Schroeder and Nassenstein conducted a first interrogation, with Schreiber conducting an intensive second interrogation. Given Schreiber’s expertise
with prisoner interrogations, and the fact that he was not on the Lisbon Legation staff, it appears that he may have been the “specialist from Berlin” whom Dusko referred to as Major Muller, which Popov believed was an alias. The account is somewhat clouded in that Dr. Schreiber testified after the war that he had met Popov only twice, in September 1943 and January 1944, although his testimony as a potential war criminal would be suspect. See January 6, 1947, report of Capt. John Heinig, U.S. Army Military Intelligence Service Center Headquarters, “Reinterrogation Report No 7, Prisoner: Obst/Lt SCHREIBER, Aloys,”p. 5 KV 2/3568 (“Heinig Report”).

  Nassenstein, whose real name was Nogenstein Listed on the official German Legation staff as Adolf Nassenstein (see Legação da Alemanha in the Arquivo Salazar, Biblioteca Nacional) but his real name was Nogenstein. KV 2/1326.

  shoot-out reminiscent of the O.K. Corral At the end of the war Nogenstein was captured but escaped by shooting his way out. He hid in Portugal until 1947, when he and two other Germans were discovered by Interpol. During the arrest attempt another shoot-out occurred, resulting in the death of two of the Germans (one being shot, the other taking poison to avoid capture). Nogenstein was arrested and during imprisonment made several attempts to commit suicide. The attempts failed and he was repatriated to Germany. See KV 2/1326.

  “Wait till the lord high executioner” Popov, Spy Counter-Spy, 290–91.

  physician who “doesn’t ask questions” Ibid., 292–93.

  Dr. Aloys Schreiber See May 20, 1946, and January 6, 1947, Heinig Report.

  Kindly and patient, Dr. Schreiber posed See MI6 Lisbon telegram of March 3, 1944 (KV 2/857, p. 838b), correspondence from Frank Foley to Colonel Robertson of March 4 (KV2/857, p. 838c), and memorandum of Ian Wilson of April 19 (KV 2/857, p. 871a). See also list of ARTIST sub-sources at KV 2/856 (p. 753a) and Heinig Report.

  “we would like your consent” Popov, Spy Counter-Spy, 296.

  CHAPTER 24 AUF

  “your consent . . . to contact Guttmann” Popov, Spy Counter-Spy, 296.

  “definitely on top” Ian Wilson memo, April 19, 1944, KV 2/857 (p. 871a).

  Wiegand won the Popoff sweepstakes Ibid. See also Wilson memo, April 20, 1944, KV 2/857 (p. 872a).

  $150,000 Jebsen letter, April 22, 1944, KV 2/858 (p. 892b); Ian Wilson memo, April 20, 1944, KV 2/857 (p. 872a).

  “this valuable agent” Wilson memo, April 20, 1944.

  “completely worthless” Ian Wilson memo, March 14, 1944, KV 2/857 (p. 840c).

  “passed with flying colors” Ian Wilson “ARTIST report,” March 21, 1944, KV 2/857 (p. 848b).

  “as good as sure” April 19, 1944, memo, KV 2/857 (p. 871).

  “Hans Popper” Unsigned MI6 Lisbon memo, March 29, 1944, KV 2/857 (p. 861b). NB: Popov’s memoirs are dischronologized in several places during this period. Popov’s account of the Ivo reunion, for example, occurs before his chapter 24, which begins February 1944, but MI5 records show that Ivo visited him in March 1944.

  still dapper and handsome Popov, Spy Counter-Spy, 279.

  “had grown thin and old” March 29, 1944, memo, KV 2/857 (p. 861b).

  two MI6 agents Neither the March 29 memo nor Popov’s account identifies the agents. One agent was most likely Cecil Gledhill, Lisbon station chief; Popov mentions that Ivo met Cecil during Ivo’s stay to give Gledhill an update on the situation in Yugoslavia. See Popov, Spy Counter-Spy, 282. The other agent, who prepared the March 29 memorandum anonymously, is unknown.

  “Ivo created” March 29 memo, KV 2/857 (p. 861b).

  sabotaging Nazi trains Popov, Spy Counter-Spy, 279.

  prices inflating twenty to eighty times Ivo Popov letter to Dusko, December 23, 1942, KV 2/851 (p. 386a).

  purchased a shoe-polish company Ibid.

  school expenses in Bologna Johnny was covering Ibid.

  he worked his currency scheme . . . Ivo needed protection Popov, Spy Counter-Spy, 281–82.

  “The cat’s got nine kittens” Ian Wilson February 26, 1944, memo to John Marriott, KV 2/857 (p. 833c); MI6 Lisbon March 29, 1944, memo to file, KV 2/857 (p. 861b).

  “But you won’t be able” Popov, Spy Counter-Spy, 284. See also correspondence of Captain M. Lloyd to Colonel Robertson, April 10, 1944, KV 2/857 (p. 863a).

  a call from Baroness von Gronau Ian Wilson February 16, 1944, memo regarding meeting with ARTIST on February 14, KV 2/857 (p. 835); Ian Wilson memo to Colonel Robertson, February 25, 1944, KV 2/857 (p. 833a). See also Jock Haswell, D-Day, 49.

  “In theory” . . . “Nothing . . . Auf” Popov, Spy Counter-Spy, 297–98.

  In the forged bag were Ian Wilson memo to file, April 16, 1944, KV 2/857 (p. 867a).

  “do something big” Ian Wilson “TRICYCLE” memo, April 16, 1944, KV 2/857 (p. 868a).

  “his own game” Ian Wilson April 17, 1944, memo to J. C. Masterman and John Marriott, KV2/857 (p. 870a).

  KVK first class. Jebsen letter to Popov, April 28, 1944, KV 2/858 (p. 892b).

  “If ever you get in trouble” Wilson memo, April 19, 1944, KV 2/857 (p. 871).

  MI6 agent, Johnny and Dusko in the clear See April 21, 1944, memo from MI6 Lisbon to London at KV 2/858 (p. 883a). The MI6 agent may have been Kenneth Benton, whom Johnny mentions in his April 21 letter. In a follow-up letter to Colonel Robertson on April 23, Frank Foley withheld the name of the MI6 agent (KV 2/858, p. 883b).

  “Dear Dusko” KV 2/857 (p. 880c).

  dinner party at the Hyde Park Hotel Ian Wilson “TRICYCLE” memo, April 28, 1944, KV 2/858 (p. 890a). Dusko erroneously remembered the dinner occurring on D-Day (Popov, Spy Counter-Spy, 302).

  “It would have been” Popov, Spy Counter-Spy, 303.

  “In spite of” Wireless intercept of April 12, 1944, at KV 2/860 (file 3).

  “handed over after” . . . “JONNY is maintaining” Wireless intercepts of April 20, 1944, KV 2/860 (file 3).

  $50,000 April 29, 1944, memo to Ian Wilson, KV 2/858 (p. 893a).

  “The agent TRICYCLE” “Report on the Activities of the Security Service During April, 1944,” May 5, 1944, KV 4/83 (659408).

  houseguest, Moldenhauer MI6 Lisbon May 1, 1944, memo, KV 2/858 (p. 898d).

  Dr. Schreiber had run two errands At noon Schreiber puchased two ventilated trunks, and he purchased an injectible sleeping drug at a Lisbon pharmacy. Heinig Report, January 6, 1947, KV 2/3568 (6b).

  CHAPTER 25 D-DAY

  “Extreme caution in flip matters” Intercept dated April 30, 1944, KV 2/860 (file 3).

  “As special machine cannot” May 4, 1944, intercept, KV 2/860 (file 3).

  “FLIP taken by WALL” Ibid.

  met with Dusko on May 7 Ian Wilson memo, May 8, 1944, KV 2/858 (p. 910b).

  “Dear Dusko” KV 2/858 (p. 892b).

  “Effects of the Removal of ARTIST” J. C. Masterman memo, May 9, 1944, KV 2/858 (p. 912).

  “was put into operation” May 9, 1944, memo of Tomás Harris to Colonel Robertson and John Marriott, KV 2/858 (p. 912c).

  “DORA has arrived” Intercept of May 9, 1944, KV 2/860 (file 3).

  notified Wilson the next day Ian Wilson May 10, 1944, memo to Robertson, Masterman, and Marriott, KV 2/858 (p. 913b). Operation DORA identified also at KV 2/858 (p. 916).

  The dilemma that had to be decided Ian Wilson May 10, 1944, “TRICYCLE” memo to Robertson, Masterman, and Marriott, KV 2/858 (p. 913c).

  Frank Foley notified him Ian Wilson May 12, 1944, “TRICYCLE” memo, KV 2/858 (p. 914a).

  the Germans played their hand Frank Foley memorandum to Colonel Robertson, May 12, 1944, KV 2/858 (p. 914b). Foley mentioned the “Lisbon International Police,” which technically did not exist. The reference is to the PVDE secret police, which had an international section charged with control of immigrants, espionage, and counterespionage. Robertson’s response i
s typed at the bottom of Foley’s message.

  British or Russian agent Frank Foley memorandum to Colonel Robertson, May 16, 1944, KV 2/858 (p. 915a).

  still free in Belgrade Ian Wilson memorandum to file on May 17, 1944, KV 2/858 (p. 916).

  “accusations” Ian Wilson May 19, 1944, “TRICYCLE and FREAK” memo, KV 2/858 (p. 920a).

  “no further evidence coming to light” Correspondence of Colonel Wild to Colonel Robertson on May 25, 1944, KV 2/859 (p. 922c).

  “Said to be a lawyer” Transmittal letter of Frank Fole to Colonel Robertson, May 28, 1944, accompanying translated report, KV 2/859 (p. 924a).

  “I am not in a position” Correspondence of Colonel Robertson to Colonel Wild on May 29, 1944, KV 2/859 (p. 926a).

  “Artist has been arrested” Popov, Spy Counter-Spy, 300; Miller, Codename TRICYCLE, 225.

  When Dr. Schreiber called Jebsen Heinig Report, January 6, 1947, KV 2/3568 (6b).

  “He won’t talk” Popov, Spy Counter-Spy, 300–301.

  “urged with some vehemence” Ian Wilson June 6, 1944, “TRICYCLE” memo, KV 2/859 (p. 929a).

  Hitler had warned Führer Directive Number 51, quoted in Paul Carell, Invasion! They’re Coming!, 6.

  “Today we are faced” Ibid.

  Norway to Normandy Obergefreiter Walter Sorge had claimed in a written report to the OKW in January 1944 that the Allies would invade at Normandy. Ibid., 14.

  the Somme, the Bay of Saint Malo, the Gironde estuary Hans Speidel, Invasion 1944, 33–34. See also Albert Speer, Inside the Third Reich (Memoirs), 422.

  coastal reconnaissance Paul Leverkeuhn, German Military Intelligence, 199.

  Hitler had specifically included Normandy Walter Warlimont, Inside Hitler’s Headquarters, 409.

  May 18 Speidel, 32.

  sixty divisions west of the Rhine Speidel, 43; Carell, 13.

  estimates of soldiers Carell, 13.

  According to General Hans Speidel Speidel, 41–42.

  GARBO, FREAK, and BRUTUS J. C. Masterman, The Double-Cross System, 148–49, 169.

  If someone is lying Joe Navarro, a retired FBI special agent who interrogated numerous spies and countless criminals, has written several books on the topic. See, e.g., John Schafer and Joe Navarro, Advanced Interview Techniques, 2010; Joe Navarro, What Every Body Is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent’s Guide to Speed-Reading People (New York: HarperCollins, 2008).