What we have discovered about the Cold War is what we already knew: Julius Mader and the Western secret services during the Cold War

Abstract

Throughout the Cold War East German propagandists churned out books and articles denouncing the West. One, Julius Mader by name, was particularly active in claiming to expose the aims, methods and organizers of Western espionage. More than five million copies of his books were sold, chiefly in Soviet Bloc countries. If his information were true, it had to come from East Germany's Ministry of State Security (MfS, or ‘Stasi’). To date, despite the scarcity of primary source material on espionage during the Cold War, Mader's status as a Communist propagandist has meant that his works have been little used by Western historians. However, by consulting the MfS' records it is now possible to find out whether or not his allegations were true. If they were, the MfS blew significant holes in the secrecy of Western espionage for decades, starting more than 40 years ago, and Western historians have been very neglectful in not referring much more to Mader's books. Many of his allegations were indeed true and his works, though very obviously products of an ideology, represent a valuable resource for the historians of today. Moreover, they show that during the Cold War the Communist regimes were talking more sense than we thought and were telling us much that our own governments did not want us to hear. The Cold War over, we surely have a right to know what secret activities the Western governments undertook during their struggle with the Communist Bloc and should make use of every reliable source.

Acknowledgements

This article is an expanded version of a paper given to the conference on ‘Political Pressure and the Archival Record’ which was held at Liverpool University's Centre for Archive Studies on 22--25 July 2003. Another version of it I delivered as a lecture to the German Historical Institute, London, on 11 May 2004, under the title, ‘“Wächst zusammen, was zusammengehört?” Western and Eastern Sources for Western Espionage against East Germany during the Cold War’. I am grateful to both institutions for the invitation to speak.

Notes

[1] The acronym stands for Bundesbeauftragte für die Unterlagen des Staatssicherheitsdienstes der ehemaligen Deutschen Demokratischen Republik (DDR).

[2] Cf. Murphy et al., Battleground Berlin, 311–26, especially 311, where it is stated that Michal Goleniewski, a CIA agent in Polish intelligence, informed the Agency that the KGB had been told by its Eastern European partners that they could not take part in the campaign. The MfS clearly did agree to take part.

[3] The ‘Habilitationsschrift’ is the second thesis, undertaken after the Ph.D. thesis, with which until very recently German scholars qualified to become university lecturers.

[4] ‘Dr rer pol Mader, Julius – Führung als OibE’, Abteilung Agitation, MfS, 16 September 1970, BStU, ZA, MfS-ZAIG, Dok. Nr. 16380.

[5] Andrew and Mitrokhin, The Mitrokhin Archive, 25.

[6] New York Times, 25 December 1977, 12; http://www.namebase.org/books29.html [accessed on 23 October 2002].

[7] Zolling and Höhne, Pullach Intern, 9.

[8] Cookridge's real name was Edward Spiro.

[9] Gehlen, Der Dienst, 248–49, 278–79.

[10] Dulles, The Craft of Intelligence, 208.

[11] Die Graue Hand, 158–59, 199–207; Simpson, Blowback, 17, 46–51, 122–23. It is unclear whether Six did, in fact, work for Gehlen. The Bundesnachrichtendienst has denied this. As Bernd Stöver suggests, he may merely have advised it: see Die Befreiung vom Kommunismus, 134–35 note 75. Nevertheless, while Mader may have been wrong on this point, Simpson's research confirms that he was right about much else.

[12] Eichner and Dobbert, Headquarters Germany, 159; Nothing to Hide, exchange between George Bailey and Thomas Powers, New York Review of Books, Vol. 44, No. 20, 18 December 1997, http://mybooks.com/articles/972 (accessed 22 December 2004).

[13] Mader, CIA-Operation Hindu Kush, 55.

[14] Grose, Gentleman Spy.

[15] For Stöver's discussion of the instruments and methods of the Western secret services in Germany at this time see Die Befreiung vom Kommunismus, 250–83, 493–519.

[16] Personalfragebogen, 15 March 1971, 83. He had also, between 1947 and 1949, studied social science at Jena University.

[17] ‘Mein Lebenslauf’, 8 October 1961, BStU, ZA, MfS-ZAIG 25335/90, 73–78.

[18] Befehl Nr. 207/62, BStU, ZA, MfS-ZAIG, Dok. Nr. 25335/90.

[19] On these campaigns, and the use of accurate information in them, see Wolf, Spionagechef im geheimen Krieg, 352–53. On the role of the British journalist John Peet in them, see Andrew and Mitrokhin, The Mitrokhin Archive, 573. Peet, a defector to the DDR who edited the publication Democratic German Report, used information supplied by the HVA to expose the Nazi pasts of leading figures in West German public life.

[20] Oberstleutnant Halle, Leiter, Abteilung Agitation, to 1. Sekretär der Kreisleitung, 18 April 1961, BStU, ZA, MfS-ZAIG, Dok. Nr. 16380, 184. In German, the quoted words are, ‘mit Unterstützung der Abteilung Agitation’.

[21] Oberstleutnant Halle, Leiter, Abteilung Agitation, to Minister, 19 April 1961, BStU, ZA, MfS-ZAIG, Dok. Nr. 16380, 538.

[22] ‘Beurteilung des OibE, Genossen Dr Julius Mader’, 1 October 1973, BStU, ZA, MfS-ZAIG, Dok. Nr. 16380, 204.

[23] ‘Vorschlag zur Auszeichnung mit der Medaille für Waffenbrüderschaft in Gold’, 12 November 1974, BStU, ZA, MfS-ZAIG, Dok. Nr. 25335/90, 56. In German, the quoted words are: ‘Von besonderem Wert sind seine zahlreichen, durch die Abteilung Agitation verwirklichten, Publikationen zur Erforschung des Imperialismus und seiner Verbrechen sowie seine Beiträge zur Pflege der Traditionen des antifaschistischen Widerstandskampfes im In- und Ausland’.

[24] ‘Beurteilung des Genossen Major Julius Mader’, Juni 1989, ZAIG Bereich 6, BStU, ZA, MfS-ZAIG, Dok. Nr. 16380, 189–90. In German, the quoted words are: ‘Hin und wieder muß er daran erinnert werden, daß seine Leistungen neben harter Arbeit und großer Eigeninitiative auch auf den Ergebnissen der Arbeit des MfS und der vielfältigen Unterstützung durch das Ministerium basieren’.

[25] Schmidt-Eenboom, Der BND, 195. In German: ‘nicht immer vollständig, aber sicher nie unwahr’.

[26] ‘Einschätzung des Genossen Julius Mader’, November 1985, ZAIG Bereich 6, BStU, ZA, MfS-ZAIG, Dok. Nr. 16380, 97. It is commented in this document that, ‘Die Materialunterstützung für ihn wurde im Vergleich zu den Jahren zuvor wesentlich eingeschränkt. Das Verhältnis zwischen ihm und dem ehemaligen Leiter der Abteilung Agitation war erheblich gestört’. Translated, this means: ‘As compared with the years before, he was provided with significantly less information. The relationship between him and the previous head of the Agitation Department was badly damaged’.

[27] Aktennotiz, 29 August 1973, BStU, ZA, MfS-ZAIG, Dok. Nr. 16380, 251.

[28] Berliner Zeitung, 27–28 May 2000.

[29] ‘Beurteilung des Genossen Major Julius Mader’, June 1989, ZAIG Bereich 6, BStU, ZA, MfS-ZAIG, Dok. Nr. 16380, 188–89.

[30] ‘Vorschlag zur Auszeichnung mit dem Vaterländischen Verdienstorden in Silber’, 8 February 1988, BStU, ZA, MfS-ZAIG, Dok. Nr. 25335/90, 67.

[31] ‘Dr rer pol Mader, Julius – Führung als OibE’, Abteilung Agitation, 16 September 1970, BStU, ZA, MfS-ZAIG, Dok. Nr. 16380, 163.

[32] Wagner, Schöne Grüße aus Pullach, 98–100.

[33] Andrew and Mitrokhin, The Mitrokhin Archive, 199.

[34] See Mitrovich, Undermining the Kremlin; Stöver, Die Befreiung vom Kommunismus.

[35] Nicht Länger Geheim, 45–46.

[36] Ranelagh, The Agency, 424–26, 436.

[37] Nicht Länger Geheim, 150–52.

[38] Nicht Länger Geheim, 35–36.

[39] Gangster in Aktion, 64–65, 112, 124–27, 142–45; Die Graue Hand, 173–74; Nicht Länger Geheim, 150–52, 174–76, 181–86, 194–204, 215–16, 231, 244–45. In English, their names mean the following: Fighting Group against Inhumanity (KgU); Investigative Committee of Free Jurists (UfJ); People's Labour Union (NTS); and Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN). The NTS was once called the ‘Natsionalno-Trudovoi Soyuz’ (National Labour Union), but changed its name to avoid any suggestion that it was a National Socialist movement (see Simpson, Blowback, 342 note 6). Naturally, Mader calls it by the older name.

[40] Battleground Berlin, 107–8.

[41] Battleground Berlin, 113–16.

[42] Gangster in Aktion, 33, 133, 144; Stöver, Die Befreiung vom Kommunismus, 282. See Im Dienste der Unterwelt.

[43] Battleground Berlin, 108–12. SBONR stood for ‘Soyuz bor'by za ozvobozhdeniya narodov Rossii’: Union of the Struggle for the Liberation of the Peoples of Russia.

[44] Gangster in Aktion, 64–5, 126–27.

[45] Die Graue Hand, 173; Dorril, MI6, 408–24, 514–16.

[46] Battleground Berlin, 112.

[47] Gangster in Aktion, 135–36.

[48] Dienstanweisung Nr. 20/53, 29 June 1953, Einzelvorgang ‘Zentrale’, Gr. V. 6/52, MfS, Staatssekretariat, Abteilung V, BStU, ZA, MfS-BdL/Dok. MF 529/1859.

[49] Gangster in Aktion, 137–41; Nicht Länger Geheim, 36, 176, 198–99.

[50] Die Befreiung vom Kommunismus, 250.

[51] Gangster in Aktion, 134–35; Die Befreiung vom Kommunismus, 264–5.

[52] Gangster in Aktion, 135, 140, 223–24.

[53] Die Befreiung vom Kommunismus, 269–70. The report in question is dated 20 February 1959; its reference number is BStU, ZA, MfS-AS 2599/67.

[54] Gangster in Aktion, 132; Die Graue Hand, 163; Stöver, Die Befreiung vom Kommunismus, 265, 268–70, 272, 277, 282, 329–30, 361–64.

[55] See Die Befreiung vom Kommunismus, 250–83.

[56] Gangster in Aktion, 124.

[57] Major-General R. Partridge, Assistant Chief of Staff, G-2, Department of the Army, to A. Dulles, Director of Central Intelligence, 3 August 1953, Folder ‘Rh-Ri-Misc’, Jackson Papers, Box 89, Dwight D. Eisenhower Library, Abilene, Kansas.

[58] Stöver, Die Befreiung vom Kommunismus, 428.

[59] Gangster in Aktion, 116–24; Die Graue Hand, 157–60.

[60] Gangster in Aktion, 7–10, 16–17, 22; Prados, Presidents' Secret Wars, 40–44, 56–60; Richelson, American Espionage, 45–48.

[61] Die Graue Hand, 139–46.

[62] Nicht Länger Geheim, 300–309; Hauptmann Heinert, Diplomarbeit, ‘Die Analyse des nachrichtendienstlichen Verbindungssystems des Bundesnachrichtendienstes und seiner Entwicklungstendenzen’, 15 October 1965, BStU, ZA, MfS, JHS-MFZ-201; Hauptmann Höferer, Diplomarbeit, ‘Die Analyse der Arbeit mit TBK im Rahmen des Verbindungssystems des BND zu seinen Agenten in der DDR und einige sich aus dieser Analyse ergebende politisch-operative Aufgaben zum Eindringen in das Verbindungssystem’, 1 October 1966, BStU, ZA, MfS, JHS-MFZ-286; Hauptmann Radzuweit, Diplomarbeit, ‘Die politisch-operative Zusammenarbeit mit IMF aus dem Operationsgebiet und der sich daraus ergebende Nutzeffekt bei der Bearbeitung des BND durch die äußere Spionageabwehr’, 14 September 1970, BStU, ZA, MfS, JHS-MF-GVS 55/70.

[63] Nicht Länger Geheim, 65–66, 168–71; Gangster in Aktion, 58–9, 120.

[64] Prados, Presidents' Secret Wars, Chaps. 2–3; Dorril, MI6, Parts 2, 3 and 4.

[65] E.g. Richelson and Ball, The Ties That Bind; Bamford, The Puzzle Palace and Body of Secrets; Aldrich, The Hidden Hand; Höhne and Zolling, Pullach Intern; Reese, General Reinhard Gehlen; Andrew, ‘The Making of the Anglo-American Sigint Alliance’; Maddrell, ‘British-American Scientific Intelligence Collaboration’.

[66] Die Graue Hand, 99, 189–91.

[67] Nicht Länger Geheim, 350–52. There is British support for the allegation made by Mader (p. 351) that Gehlen spied on Otto John when he was President of the BfV. See Maddrell, ‘Battlefield Germany’, 208.

[68] Gangster in Aktion, 204.

[69] BStU, ZA, MfS-AU 962/58 (Band 1); BStU, ZA, MfS-HA IX 9013.

[70] Gangster in Aktion, 164–65.

[71] BStU, ZA, MfS-AU 314/61 (Band 3); BStU, ZA, MfS-AU 600/59 (Band 1a).

[72] ‘Agitationsplan zur Auswertung des Prozesses gegen Pose, Werner’, Abteilung Agitation, 13 March 1959, BStU, ZA, MfS-AU 327/59 (Band 1), 289.

[73] Vorschlag, 8 January 1959, BStU, ZA, MfS-AU 327/59 (Band 1), 273–76.

[74] Report by Switala, Leiter, Abteilung VI, 3 November 1958, MfS-AU 327/59 (Band 1), 10–11; ‘Eigenhändige Niederschrift meiner Zusammenarbeit mit dem amerikanischen Geheimdienst’, 1 December 1958, BStU, ZA, MfS-AU 327/59 (Band 1), 243–53.

[75] Nicht Länger Geheim, 298, 320-28; Gangster in Aktion, 124, 164.

[76] Draft report, ‘PSB Planning Activities’, 7 February 1952, Folder ‘383.7 Escapee Program – Section 2 [3 of 5]’, SMOF-PSB Files, Box 33, Harry S. Truman Library (HSTL), Independence, Missouri.

[77] ‘Terms of Reference for Phase B of Psychological Operations Plan for Soviet Orbit Escapees (Codename: ‘Engross’), PSB D-18a/1, 21 February 1952, Folder ‘383 Psychological Aspects of Phase “A” Defection Program [1 of 2]’, SMOF-PSB Files, Box 32, HSTL.

[78] Generalmajor Walter to Abteilung VI, 22 November 1958, BStU, ZA, MfS-BdL/Dok. Nr. 003886. For a discussion of American, West German and British efforts to induce the defection of East German scientific personnel, see Maddrell, Spying on Science. The British operations ‘Matchbox’ and ‘Dragon Return’ are examined in Maddrell, thesis, chapters 1 and 4. This Ph.D. thesis is largely based on intelligence files of the Ministry of Defence which were opened at the Public Record Office in 1996. Operation ‘Matchbox’ is examined in Maddrell, ‘Operation “Matchbox”’.

[79] ‘Feindtätigkeit des Kalten Krieges vom amerikanischen Geheimdienst gegen die DDR und die Volksdemokratien’, 17 November 1955, BStU, ZA, MfS-AOP 238/56 (Band II), 40.

[80] Nicht Länger Geheim, 29–30.

[81] Bower, The Perfect English Spy, 261–62.

[82] Aldrich, The Hidden Hand, 178–79.

[83] Die Graue Hand, 198–99; Andrew and Gordievsky, KGB, 384–85.

[84] Nicht Länger Geheim, 35.

[85] Gangster in Aktion, 112–13.

[86] Gangster in Aktion, 231–37; Die Graue Hand, 229–37.

[87] Die Graue Hand, 71, 202, 204, 206.

[88] See Klehr et al., The Secret World of American Communism; idem, The Soviet World of American Communism; Haynes and Klehr, Venona; idem, In Denial.

[89] See, for example, Eichner and Dobbert's Headquarters Germany or Wagner's Schöne Grüße aus Pullach.