Birth of Russian SIGINT during World War I on the Baltic Sea

Abstract

The story of recovery German codebooks from the wreckage of German light cruiser Magdeburg by Russian Navy and the latter use of these books by Royal Navy are widely known. What the Russians were doing with their copies of codebooks has not been thoroughly covered in English. This article deals with elaborate SIGINT system on the Baltic Sea during WWI and especially the heart of it – Sipthamn SIGINT station. There in the middle of woods in current Estonian territory was situated the first radio station in world with intelligence as its primary function. Decryption efforts were directed by Ernst Vetterlein who left Russia 1918 to become a leading cryptologist on Russian direction in the British GC&CS.

Notes

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2. Halpern, A Naval History of First World War, 205.

3. Churchill means Alexandrovsk-na-Murmane, since 1939 Polyarny.

4. Churchill, The World Crisis, 503–4.

5. Kahn, The Codebreakers, 268.

6. Kontr-admiral – the lowest Admiral rank in the Russian Imperial Navy.

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9. Hammant, “Russian and Soviet Cryptology II – The Magdeburg Incident”, 333–8. (Reprint from NSA Cryptolog, April 1984.).

10. Partala and Simonov, Radiorazvedka russkovo imperatorskovo flota na Balitiyskom more: istorija sozdaniya http://www.agentura.ru/press/about/jointprojects/inside-zi/baltflot [Partala and Simonov, Radio-Intelligence of the Russian Imperial Navy on the Baltic Sea.] М. А. Партала, Д. Н. Симонов. Радиоразведка русского императорского флота на Балтийском море: история создания.

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15. The field trip to Spithamn was carried out on 1 June 2014 with Rahel Priisalu and to Papenholm on 8 July 2014 with Kaili Tamm.

16. Gannon, 38–9, 260.

17. TNA, ADM 137/4156.

18. TNA, ADM 137/4385.

19. Gannon, 40.

20. Gannon, 131.

21. Proffen, Part V.//Uus Eesti, 15.06.1936.

22. Partala, “Magdeburgskaya” istoriya – “rabota nad oshibkami”. Zaschita informacii: INSIDE, 2/2014, 90–6. [Partala, “Story of Magdeburg – ‘Work on Mistakes’”.] М. А. Партала. «Магдебургская» история – «работа над ошибками» // Защита информации: INSIDE, 2/2014, 90–6.

23. Partala and Simonov, http://www.agentura.ru/press/about/jointprojects/inside-zi/baltflot.

24. Dudorov, 133.

25. Partala and Simonov, http://www.agentura.ru/press/about/jointprojects/inside-zi/baltflot.

26. ERA, T-7-1-4193.

27. In 1914 Saint Petersburg was renamed Petrograd in order to make a German name more Russian.

28. Proffen, Part IV.//Uus Eesti, 14.06.1936.

29. Gannon, 75.

30. Malcev, 31.

31. This part of Estonia had been mainly populated by ethnic Swedes for several centuries.

32. Observation protocol of 1 June 2014.

33. Malcev, 32–5.

34. ERA, 3690-1-206.

35. Proffen, Part V.//Uus Eesti, 15.06.1936.

36. At the time Russia ranked public servants comparable with military ranks. A state Councillor was equivalent to Brigadier General, Court Councillor to Lieutenant Colonel and Collegiate Registrar to Warrant Officer/Midshipman.

37. Juurvee, “Venemaa raadioluure sünd Esimese maailmasõja aegses Eestis”, 365. [Juurvee, “Russian Radio-intelligence in WWI Estonia”, 365.].

38. Partala and Simonov, http://www.agentura.ru/press/about/jointprojects/inside-zi/baltflot.

39. Proffen, Part IV.//Uus Eesti, 14.06.1936.

40. On Estonian SIGINT see: Ivo Juurvee, Estonian Interwar Radio-Intelligence. Baltic Defence Review, 2, 2003, 123–37.

41. Osvald Proffen personal files of the Staff of the Sea Fortresses (ERA , 642-2-30), Border Guard (ERA , 978-1-984),.Waterways Board (ERA , 1091-2-2021), Political Police (ERA , 1-5-1131) and General Staff (ERA , 495-7-4290).

42. Mai Krikk, Eesti poliitiline poitsei. Tallinn: Olion, 2002, 230. [Mai Krikk, Estonian Political Police.].

43. Hammant, “Russian and Soviet Cryptology II – The Magdeburg Incident”, 337.

44. Madeira, 43–8.

45. Proffen, Part XI.//Uus Eesti, 22.06.1936.

46. Malcev, 32.

47. It should be Handelsschiffsverkehrsbuch.

48. Proffen, Parts XI and XII.//Uus Eesti, 22.06.1936 and 25.06.1936.

49. Halpern, 191.

50. Crossley, The Hidden Threat, 56.

51. Crossley, 122.

52. Wilson, Baltic Assignment, 62, 161.

53. Õun and Ojalo, Võitlused Läänemerel 1914–1918: Esimene maailmasõda koduvetes, 83–5. [Õun and Ojalo, Action on the Baltic Sea 1914–1918].

54. Proffen, Part V.//Uus Eesti, 15.06.1936.

55. Juniper, “The First World War and Radio Development”, 85–6.

56. Ian Castle, London 1914–17: The Zeppelin Menance. Oxford: Osprey, 2008, 63–7.

57. Proffen, Parts IV and VII.//Uus Eesti, 14.06.1936 and 17.06.1936.

58. Ian Castle, 35–8.

59. See e.g., Õun and Ojalo, 153.

60. Barrett, Operation Albion, 124.

61. Barrett, Operation Albion, 124.

62. Reek, Saaremaa kaitsmine ja vallutamine 1917. Sõjavägede Staabi VI osakonna väljaanne, 78. [Reek, Defence and Conquest of Saaremaa.].

63. Barrett, Operation Albion, 229.

64. Liivanõmme study trail, http://www.loodusegakoos.ee/where-to-go/recreation-areas/nova-recreation-area/liivanomme-study-trail-7-dot-5-km (22.9.2014).