A Spy at the Heart of the Third Reich: The Extraordinary Story of Fritz Kolbe, America's Most Important Spy in World War II Kindle Edition

Fritz Kolbe could not tolerate the Nazis, their ideology and their actions. For several years he sought ways to free the German people from the madness of Hitler's regime in his position as a low level emp.oyee of the German Foreign ministry. His story is one of unshakeable personal sacrifice as he bravely carrie's Nazi secrets to the head if American intelligence in Bern Switzerland, one Allan Dulles, who ultimately became director of the CIA.The author makes a significant historical contribution as he lays out his well-documented story of s man who not only did not become subservient to the stifling Hitler regime but often and frequently risked his life to smuggle vital information to the Allied effort to defeat Mazi Germany.Throughout Kolbe`s career his work is often not believed or is trivialized, yet with the stalwart support of Allan Dulles, he continues his self-imposed mission to rid his country of Hitler's destructive reign. It is remarkable to note that he wanted no compensation for his painstaking efforts to funnel the most information possible to the Allies. He sacrifices his family life to his calling, never getting to know his son Peter whom he left in South Africa with friends.Kolbe early on had an ability to get along with and form friendships with multiple people who knowingly or unknowingly helped him with his crucial wartime work. After the war Kolbe faces rejection and indifference yet diggedly keeps trying to help post-war Germany rid itself of the Nazi poison.The author has done an outstanding job of presenting this deeply researched yet highly readable work. At times in the book when he lacks necessary factual detail, he doesn't fudge , it but admits a detail is missing in the narrative. Perhaps ironically, Fritz' s "estranged" son provided the author with a wealth of documents, letters, etc to help tell his fathers story.. The historical accuracy of this well told story is backed up by a monumental amount of very readable footnotes at book's end.This reviewer cannot praise highly enough this "labor of love that should bring more attention to an "ordinary man " who took on and weakened a monster machine,

An in depth history of how an idealist German in the German Government evolved into a volunteer spy and outwitted the Nazis by playing dumb. I have read 100’s of WWII books and until this one had never heard of Fritz Kolbe. The book describes the prewar life of a popular but mild mannered lowly government clerk. He stuck to his ideals and was able to eventually contact Allen Dulles in Switzerland. He used simple but elegant methods to smuggle vast documents to the OSS. Then how he fared after the war and the German discrimination against him. The story is a page turner. The writing is good.

Lucas Delattre tells with passion and warmth the story of Fritz Kolbe (code name "George Wood") and his deeds of heroism in gathering German intelligence cables for the Americans during the latter half of World War II. What a story of dedication and willingness to risk all. Kolbe, an ardent anti-Nazi, manages to gain the trust of Nazi party members in the German Foreign Ministry where he is employed. Then, in a personal effort to help bring the war to a more speedy end, he begins collecting information that will help the Americans to better understand how the Third Reich is beginning to unravel and implode in on itself. He next finds a way to become a diplomatic courier to Switzerland, where he hopes to discover a way to deliver to the Americans the information, which is in the form of cables from across the Third Reich that have come to the Foreign Ministry and which it is his job to catalog and file. His first and completely unanticipated delivery of documents to the OSS office in Bern, Switzerland, is eventually understood by Allen Dulles, chief of the Bern OSS office, to be both authentic and ideologically prompted. The interactions between Dulles, who in the post-war years becomes head of the newly formed CIA intelligence department, and Kolbe are enough to intrigue. But the facts that Kolbe asks for nothing in return for his dangerous missions and, at the same time, his ability to remain on good terms with his German fellows in the Ministry while collecting literally thousands of cables and other types of intelligence information for a number of years is nearly unbelievable. Even more unbelievable is that Dulles, who so thoroughly believed in Kolbe and so often worked to protect him from political suicide and the very real possibility of execution for high treason, would, in the end, also provide the means of completely ruining Kolbe's reputation at the end of the war. Dulles sent Kolbe to an emissary of Ribbentrop to try and convince him to come to the side of the Allies. However, the man instead threw Kolbe out and badmouthed him before being eventually arrested by the Allies and sent to prison. To compound matters even further, the man committed suicide. Following the war, all attempts by both Americans, including Dulles, and anti-Nazis supporters coming into power after the breakup of the Third Reich could not help Kolbe to find even the most modest position within either German industry or government. Nor was Kolbe able to make a new life for himself in America, which was to him a hostile and truly foreign land. Someone in Germany, upon his unsuccessful foray into and retreat from American life, was always a step ahead and job after job in Germany was closed to him. And so was any official recognition of his brave deeds as a member of the German resistance. Delattre's purpose in writing this memoir of Kolbe's sacrifice in behalf of his country is an attempt to right this terrible wrong. Delattre's final conclusion at the end of the book is that good spies are always, like Kolbe, guided by ideologies that place them in a direct collision course with their particular governments. These are individuals who are not swayed by position, power, fame, or fortune. They are, quite simply, people who seek to hasten the end of oppressive and immoral governments. Fritz Kolbe was such a person and Delattre tells his story well.

Really enjoyed reading the TRUE story about Fritz Kolbe. His courage saved thousands of lives, perhaps even that of my father, who fought in WWII. My wife and I plan to visit Mr. Kolbe's grave when we're in Berlin this Fall, and pay our respect to a true anti-Hitler war hero. Excellent writing by Delattre, who documents everything well, but who makes this historical account read like an action novel.

I bought this as not heard of many German spies that stayed in Germany during WWII.I have heard of the name 'George Woods' (Kolbes cover name) in other books, but no other detail, so thought I would buy this. The copy at my local library had gone 'missing'.On reading my copy, I can understand why.I won't spoil the contents of the book, but in brief Kolbe worked for the German Diplomatic Service from 1925 to the end of the war.His job caused him to have access to secret German documents (such as the selling of gold to the Swiss), which he passed to the Americans whilst on official journeys to Switzerland.He was never caught by the Germans (instant death sentence) or even suspected.Not being a Nazi party member, he was even promoted in July 1944.This story only emerged due to declassified documents from the US in the early 2000's.Kolbe himself died in 1971.A worthy read.A very brave man too.

Excellent incredible story ... yet true and well written. Very moving too. There were some brave people!

Provides a different perspective on the latter years of WWII in Europe. Interesting thoughts by Kolbe on how the war could have ended sooner which would have held pack the Russians and their barbaric ways.To a degree I feel for Kolbe who could not catch a break at the end of hostilities by either the Allies or the new Germany.A great read.

Hard to believe the CIA kept Ames employed , let alone give him access to vital information. Incredible that the CIA took 9 years to find him. Well written. Gripping. incredible insight into the KGB operations. I highly recommend the book.

Arrived early, great purchase