SpyMasters

• Spying on Hitler: The Spy and the Devil with Tim Willasey-Wilsey

  Tim Willasey-Wilsey comes on Spymasters to talk about the life and espionage career of Baron Bill de Ropp, a spy who infiltrated the Nazi Party during the rise of Adolf Hitler. The discussion covers his early life, his motivations for espionage, his complex relationships with key figures in the Nazi regime, and the challenges he faced as a spy. The conversation also delves into the historical context of the Baltic Germans, the dynamics of British intelligence during the interwar period, and the implications of de Ropp's reports on the perception of Nazi Germany within the British government. Bill de Ropp was a key figure in MI6's early espionage efforts. His linguistic skills allowed him to blend into various societies. de Ropp's loyalty shifted from Germany to Britain during WWI. He played a significant role in monitoring the Nazi Party's rise. His relationship with Alfred Rosenberg was pivotal for intelligence gathering. His first meeting with Hitler was fraught with tension. Buy the book: https://amzn.eu/d/ixv4x6i Keywords: Baron Bill de Ropp, MI6, Nazi Party, espionage, intelligence, history, World War II, Lithuania, Hitler, British intelligence Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• Crooks and Spies in WW2 London, with Mark Ellis

  In this episode of the SpyMasters podcast, host Antonia Senior interviews thriller writer Mark Ellis, who discusses his journey into writing, the historical context of his novels set in wartime London, and the intricate plots involving crime and espionage. Ellis shares insights into his research methods, the importance of historical accuracy, and the character development of Frank Merlin, his protagonist. The conversation also touches on the portrayal of progressive views in a historical setting and concludes with Ellis recommending his favourite spy novels. keywords Mark Ellis, thriller writer, espionage, crime fiction, historical accuracy, wartime London, Frank Merlin, spy books, murder mystery, gangsters takeaways Mark Ellis transitioned to writing later in life. His novels are set in historically accurate wartime London. Ellis emphasizes the importance of storytelling over excessive detail. Crime rates surged during World War II in London. The character Frank Merlin reflects progressive views on race and sexuality. Ellis's research includes diaries and historical accounts. Espionage themes allow exploration of political issues in his books. Ellis enjoys reading and recommends various spy novels. He believes in creating complex plots with multiple subplots. The conversation highlights the rich backdrop of wartime London for crime fiction. But the book: https://amzn.eu/d/53eVGn7 Follow Mark Ellis: https://markellisauthor.com/; @markellis15 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• The Son Who Wasn't - an incredible true story of espionage and betrayal.

  Antonia Senior talks to David Gardner, journalist and author about A Spy in the Family, the book he co-authored with fellow journalist Paul Henderson. BUY THE BOOK: https://amzn.eu/d/5yzY71E keywords espionage, spy stories, Czech spy, betrayal, identity, resilience, historical narrative, true crime, family, Cold War summary An Incredible True Story of Espionage and Betrayal, A Spy in the Family, is the first book to reveal the full, astonishing story of ‘Václav Jelínek’, aka Erwin van Haarlem, using previously unseen documents from the UK, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic A fascinating tale of how the authors helped Johanna, now 99, find out the truth about the man who pretended to be her son. It all starts in a courtroom, in 1989, when Johanna Von Haarlem confronted the man who had spent ten years pretending to be the son that she was brutally forced to give away during the war. Sound Bites "She was sent away to have the baby." "He was a trained spy after all." "He died a couple of years ago." Chapters 00:00 The Genesis of a Spy Story 06:45 Johanna's Heartbreaking Journey 12:55 The Spy's Double Life 16:29 The Reunion and Its Consequences 28:41 The Shocking Truth Revealed 31:14 The Search for the Real Irwin 36:51 ending.mp3 37:03 SPYMASTERS_THEME.wav Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• The CIA Book Club, with Charlie English

  Summary: In this episode of The Spymasters Podcast, host Antonia Senior is joined by journalist and author Charlie English to discuss his latest book, The CIA Book Club. They dive into the incredible Cold War operation where the CIA secretly distributed banned books behind the Iron Curtain, undermining Soviet censorship and ideological control. Charlie shares gripping stories from his research, the broader impact of literature as a weapon, and how the written word shaped Cold War intelligence battles. Topics Covered: How the CIA used books to fight the Cold War The role of underground literature in Poland and beyond Soviet censorship and ideological control Real-life espionage stories behind intelligence operations The intersection of journalism, history, and spycraft Tags: #SpymastersPodcast #CIA #ColdWar #Espionage #CharlieEnglish #BannedBooks #IronCurtain #IntelligenceHistory #SpyBooks #SecretOperations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• Simon Scarrow on A Death in Berlin

  Simon Scarrow, the bestselling novelist, talks to Antonia Senior about his new novel A Death in Berlin. Set in Nazi Germany, this is the third in his series about detective Horst Schenke, an investigator with the Kripo unit. A man has been murdered, and Berlin is flooded with fake ration cards. How does Schenke deal with being a good man within a terrible regime? Simon and Antonia talk about living under the Nazis, about modern parallels and about the art of historical fiction. Buy the book here: https://amzn.eu/d/cQw2kAv Follow Simon: https://www.simonscarrow.co.uk/ More on the podcast: https://aspectsofhistory.com/spy-masters-podcasts/ on X we're @Spymasterspod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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