People of the Red Orchestra

This is a list of participants, associates and helpers of, and certain infiltrators (such as Heinz Pannwitz) into, the Red Orchestra (German: Die Rote Kapelle) as it was known in Germany. Red Orchestra was the name given by the Abwehr to members of the German resistance to Nazism and anti-Nazi resistance movements in Allied or occupied countries during World War II. Many of the people on this list were arrested by the Abwehr or Gestapo. They were tried at the Nazi Imperial War Court before being executed either by hanging or guillotine, unless otherwise indicated. As the SS-Sonderkommando also took action against Soviet espionage networks within Switzerland, people who worked there are also included here.[1]

Group organisational diagrams

The following meticulously researched hierarchy diagrams were created by the Joint security service that consisted of the MI6 and the CIA between 1945 and 31 December 1949.[2]

  • Overall organisational diagram of all anti-fascist and espionage groups by country
    Overall organisational diagram of all anti-fascist and espionage groups by country
  • The Schulze-Boysen group in Germany
    The Schulze-Boysen group in Germany
  • The Harnack group in Germany
    The Harnack group in Germany
  • Diagram of the Trepper Group in Belgium
    Diagram of the Trepper Group in Belgium
  • Gurevich group in Belgium between July 1940 to December 1941 in Belgium
    Gurevich group in Belgium between July 1940 to December 1941 in Belgium
  • The Jeffremov Group, September 1939 - May 1942 in Belgium
    The Jeffremov Group, September 1939 - May 1942 in Belgium
  • The Jeffremov Group, May 1942 - August 1942 in Belgium
    The Jeffremov Group, May 1942 - August 1942 in Belgium
  • The Rote Drei Group in Switzerland
    The Rote Drei Group in Switzerland
  • The "Sissy" Group in Switzerland. This group was run by Rachel Dübendorfer
    The "Sissy" Group in Switzerland. This group was run by Rachel Dübendorfer
  • The organisation diagram of the "Long" group run by Georges Blun
    The organisation diagram of the "Long" group run by Georges Blun
  • The organisation diagram of the "Pakbo" group run by Otto Pünter
    The organisation diagram of the "Pakbo" group run by Otto Pünter
  • The Winterink Group in the Netherlands. It was also known as Group Hilda
    The Winterink Group in the Netherlands. It was also known as Group Hilda
  • The Rote Kapelle in France between 1940 and 1944. This diagrams details the seven networks run by Leopold Trepper.
    The Rote Kapelle in France between 1940 and 1944. This diagrams details the seven networks run by Leopold Trepper.
  • Group Andre was the 1st espionage group in Leopold Trepper organisation of seven groups. Its purpose was to gather industrial intelligence from enemy wireless communication networks
    Group Andre was the 1st espionage group in Leopold Trepper organisation of seven groups. Its purpose was to gather industrial intelligence from enemy wireless communication networks
  • The Harry Group was the 2nd Group in Leopold Trepper's seven espionage networks. This group collected espionage secrets from French military and political circles, e.g. Vichy, Vichy intelligence Deuxième Bureau and Gaullist circles.
    The Harry Group was the 2nd Group in Leopold Trepper's seven espionage networks. This group collected espionage secrets from French military and political circles, e.g. Vichy, Vichy intelligence Deuxième Bureau and Gaullist circles.
  • Organisation diagram of the "Professor" as the 3rd group in Leopold Trepper organisation of seven groups. Professor was the alias of Johann Wenzel. The "Artzin" group was the 4th group in the Trepper organisation and was run by Anna Maximovitch who collected intelligence from French clerical and royalist circles. The "Professor" group, run by Basile Maximovitch collected intelligence from German Wehrmacht and White Russian emigrant groups.
    Organisation diagram of the "Professor" as the 3rd group in Leopold Trepper organisation of seven groups. Professor was the alias of Johann Wenzel. The "Artzin" group was the 4th group in the Trepper organisation and was run by Anna Maximovitch who collected intelligence from French clerical and royalist circles. The "Professor" group, run by Basile Maximovitch collected intelligence from German Wehrmacht and White Russian emigrant groups.
  • The Simex group was the 5th espionage group in Leopold Trepper organisation of seven groups. It managed finances and gathered intelligence from German firms and the German military
    The Simex group was the 5th espionage group in Leopold Trepper organisation of seven groups. It managed finances and gathered intelligence from German firms and the German military
  • The Lyons or Romeo group was the 6th Group in Leopold Trepper's seven espionage networks. Its purpose was to collect intelligence from US and Belgian diplomats.
    The Lyons or Romeo group was the 6th Group in Leopold Trepper's seven espionage networks. Its purpose was to collect intelligence from US and Belgian diplomats.
  • The 7th Group. In January 1942, Trepper ordered Anatoly Gurevich to travel to Marseilles and establish a new branch office of Simex to enable the recruitment of a new espionage network.[3]
    The 7th Group. In January 1942, Trepper ordered Anatoly Gurevich to travel to Marseilles and establish a new branch office of Simex to enable the recruitment of a new espionage network.[3]
  • The Ozols and Mithridate were the final espionage network that was activated by Anatoly Gurevich after he and Trepper were captured by the Germans and Gurevich was forced to take part in a playback operation.[4][5]
    The Ozols and Mithridate were the final espionage network that was activated by Anatoly Gurevich after he and Trepper were captured by the Germans and Gurevich was forced to take part in a playback operation.[4][5]
  • The French and UK espionage network of Henry Robinson that was taken over by Trepper in September 1941.
    The French and UK espionage network of Henry Robinson that was taken over by Trepper in September 1941.

Key

  • If a person was associated with a group, then they are shaded.
  • If they joined one group and left to join another, perhaps because the first group was disrupted, then the second group is detailed in notes and they are shaded based on the first group.
  • If they worked for Soviet intelligence and built a group, then they are shaded as Soviet intelligence agents.

Country Colour Group Colour Group Colour Group Colour Group
Germany Schulze-Boysen Group Harnack Group von Scheliha Group Uhrig Group
Bästlein-Jacob-Abshagen Group Germany military including Gestapo, Funkabwehr
Belgium Trepper Group Gurevich Group Jeffremov Group September 1939-May 1942 Jeffremov Group May 1942-August 1942
Netherlands Winterink Group or Group Hilda
France Group Andre Lyons Group Marseilles Group Ozols Network
Switzerland Rote Drei Group Sissy Group Long Group Pakbo Group
Soviet Union Soviet intelligence officers

A

People of the Red Orchestra
Name Life Employment Rote Kapelle or military position Group Arrested Fate Notes
Robert Abshagen (1911–1944) Insurance employee, sailor and construction worker KPD member, Communist Bästlein-Jacob-Abshagen Group 19 October 1942 in Hamburg Sentenced to death by the Volksgerichthof on 2 May 1944. Beheaded in Hamburg on 10 July 10, 1944 The group that Abshagen was part of was created by Anton Saefkow and eventually held resistance cells in large Hamburg companies.[6]
Alexander Abramson (1896–?) Lawyer and economist Rote Drei Codenames: Isaak and Sascha[7]
Vera Ackermann Militant communist Encrypted communications prior to transmission and handed the ciphered text to the Sokols, who were radio operators, for transmission to the Soviets Trepper Group Escaped being arrested [8] (Partial Preview at Google Books)
Maurice Aenis-Haenslin KPD member, liaison between Henry Robinson and Rachel Dübendorfer for the Rote Drei in Geneva Rote Drei Group Real person was never identified as name was identified through radio traffic. The name fitted two individuals but other facts didn't.[9]
Bernhard Almstadt (1897–1944) Managing director of the Arbeiter-Sport-Verlag KPD member. Courier, participated in the dissemination of the illegal paper, Die Innere Front (The Inner Front). Uhrig Group 12 July 1944 and sentenced to death on the 19th Executed on 6 November 1944 in the Brandenburg-Görden penitentiary [10]
Leonid Abramovich Anulov (1897–1974) Soviet agent Organizer of the Rote Drei in Switzerland Recalled to the Soviet Union in 1938, received the Order of Lenin and released from office. He was then arrested under Soviet law § 436 and sentenced to 15 years at a work education detention camp. [11][12]
Rita Arnould (1914–1943) Housewife Courier Trepper Group Rue des Atrebates 101, Brussels on 13 December 1941 Death sentence in April 1943 [13] Rita Arnould (née Bloch) became an informer after being captured by the SS in Brussels. She betrayed the Gurevich group in Brussels, forcing many of its members to flee to France and other minor characters to stay hidden. Arnould was, nonetheless, executed on 20 August 1943 at Plötzensee Prison.[14]

B