The Agent Of The Resurrection. As an employee of the NKVD became a children’s writer
April 28 — 110 years since the birth of Zoe resurrection.
Until now, few people know that writer Zoya Voskresenskaya was only the second half of life, and the first — one of the most successful Soviet spies. As it so happened, says Igor Atamanenko, the Lieutenant Colonel of KGB counterintelligence, writer, historian of special services.
When it was declassified
— My acquaintance, if I may say so, with Zoya Ivanovna began with the speech of a KGB General sudoplatova… Novodevichy cemetery, and continued in the Hall of history of foreign intelligence. In January 1992, me and three students from the North Caucasus republics, the leadership of the College has delegated to attend the funeral of the famous children’s writer Zoe resurrection.
At dusk came across a group of older men in General’s uniforms, prijimaci to the chest of cherry pillows with orders and medals. Next — a row of soldiers of the honor guard with rifles ready. At first we thought the dark mistook the grave.
Temperamental fellow Caucasians immediately hissed at me: “where are You led us, Susanin?! Here are buried some of the commander!” I wanted to laugh it off that we in Moscow have buried generals from the literature, as a voice came through a megaphone:
I give the floor to Lieutenant General of the KGB Sudoplatov Pavel Anatolyevich, comrade Zoe Ivanovna Voskresenskaya-Rybkina!
The news that the idol of Soviet children and parents worked for the OGPU, the Soviet foreign intelligence, then plunged the capital’s Beau Monde, who came to the funeral, in shock. This refused to believe. Meanwhile, the merits of the resurrection in intelligence were no less than in the literature.
28 APR 1907-born Zoya Voskresenskaya (mind. 1992), writer, intelligence officer. Almost to the last days of his life… pic.twitter.com/XfMUIFBF8k
— Danilo Leonardo (@Dandelon) 28 APR 2016
When Zoe was 13, her father died of tuberculosis. The widow almost immediately fell ill with a serious illness, and the girl alone had to support mother and two younger brothers. 14 Zoe — librarian troops of the Cheka, 17 — officer in a colony of juvenile delinquents, 19 — clerk in the headquarters of the special forces. Then worked in the factory. And at age 20 married a Komsomol activist V. Kashutina, gave birth to a son. But the relationship went bad after 8 years she got divorced with her husband and one began to raise her son.
22 Zoe becomes a full-time employee of the Foreign Department of the OGPU. After a month of training on razvedchik she spoke German not worse than a native resident of Berlin. The first business trip abroad was in Harbin.
None of her co-workers in the Soviet syndicate “Soyuzneft ‘” and in a head could not come, than actually engaged in beauty clerk of Zoya. By the way, the details of the RAID secret until now.
In 1935, the resurrection, already experienced scout, sent to Finland Deputy resident. The official cover — head of the Soviet mission “Intourist”, the alias “Irina”. After 3 months it already so mastered the language that the Finns had taken her for his, but then from Moscow sent a new resident, award-winning scout, Boris Rybkin.
For the uninitiated audience — head. the consular Department Yartsev. Code name — “kin”. Between him and the resurrection began a civil war. Rybkin, trying to emphasize his superiority, all the time found fault with his charming Deputy. It is clear that until public scandals is not reached, otherwise everyone would be raped in the personal characteristics of “personality conflict”, and such exploration are not taken.
Once the clash the “kin” said that he considers his idol, the German military intelligence, Walter Nicolai, after I read his book “Secret power”. The resurrection was in perplexity: what this enemy spy could attract Soviet spy? Found a book in the Embassy library. And — what a find! — in one Chapter they talked about women in intelligence.
“Spies in skirts that are more power efficient than their counterparts in the pants, — said the author. — They are more observant, and they have better-developed intuition. They give more importance to trifles, and their abilities for foreign languages and a tendency to histrionics in General is legendary. Women are able to think about several problems at the same time. If the obvious advantages to add external data, that women are decoration of intelligence…” Knowing about the habit Yartsev at the end of the day around the offices of the residency, Zoe left the book on the table open on the right page.
And soon in Moscow, he flew a code telegram IV for two signatures.
We have requested the Centre to allow us to get married — then he recalled the resurrection in his memoirs. — Feared that he will not allow “nepotism”. But Moscow gave the go-ahead.Memoirs Zoe Resurrection
So one of the first in the Soviet foreign intelligence appeared conjugal tandem. Zoya in life became the resurrection-Rybkina, for the Finns — “Madame the Yartsevo”.
28.04.1907 was Born Zoya Voskresenskaya-Soviet scout and children’s writer pic.twitter.com/zKskbZEz1d
— Zampolit (@ComradZampolit) 28 APR 2016
Why do we need spies in skirts
In Finland, the “Irina” primarily engaged in the recruitment and seek cooperation with high-ranking officials. In particular, recruited the wife of a senior officer of the Japanese Embassy in Helsinki. As a result, Moscow had access to many secrets. What resurrection and appreciated in the Lubyanka. However, the war with Finland forced the couple to leave the country.
Back in Moscow, the resurrection became one of the leading analysts of the service. Collected intelligence on the military plans of Germany against the Soviet Union — it was 1940. That it receives all information of the “red orchestra” — a German anti-fascists.
June 17, 1941 Zoya finished preparing the most famous of the analytical report to Stalin with a brief summary: we are on the brink of war, the impact can be expected at any time.
Head of the foreign intelligence Phytin took the report to Stalin. He threw his irritation: “It’s a bluff. Do not raise panic. Come and get a better deal!”.
To quash the rumors about the impending attack on the Soviet Union and to demonstrate their peaceful intentions in early June, the German government sent to Moscow by soloists of the Berlin Opera. On this occasion, the German Ambassador gave a reception. Attended it and the representative of the all-Union society for cultural relations with foreign countries Madam Yartseva.
Her beauty attracted the attention of the Ambassador, and he asked her to waltz. Fun chatting with German, Zoe walked in the dance around the room and noticed that the walls of adjacent rooms are clearly visible bright rectangular spot from the captured pictures. Not lost on scout, and the pile of suitcases in one of the rooms. About all you have seen it the same evening, and reported in writing to guide:
The German Embassy in Moscow is an elaborate disinformation campaign to mislead the Soviet leadership and encrypt the impending attack on the Soviet Union.
But again was not heard.
On this day, in 1907, was born the Legendary resurrection-Rybkin Zoya, writer, intelligence officer… pic.twitter.com/iUc6CYMsTN
— Russian Ivan (@RussianCruiser) 28 APR 2016
Who helped father Vasily
From the first days of the war of the resurrection was included in a special group of the NKVD, which was engaged in the preparation of spies and saboteurs. Became one of the founders of the guerrilla group No. 1, under the command of the legendary “Bati”. Had a hand in getting in the rear of the Germans reconnaissance No. 1, which, with its submission worked under the cover of the original Church.
In her memoirs she writes: “I learned that the draft Board asked Bishop Basil, in the world — Vasily Mikhailovich Ratmirov, with a request to send him to the front, “in order to serve the Fatherland and to defend from the fascist foe Orthodox people”. Invited him to his home and a few hours was convinced to take custody of the two scouts whom he will “cover” its San. Most Holy father cared not defile his “henchmen” the temple of God bloodshed.
The next day my apartment began training two of human intelligence — “Vasko” and “Mijas” worship: prayers, rituals, vestments… 18 Aug 1941 Holy Trinity began to conduct the first service in the Church of the intercession of the blessed virgin Mary in the city of Kalinin (now Tver. — Ed.) and when the Germans bombed her in the Cathedral….
But at the same time identified two agents of the Abwehr, exposed more than thirty agents of the Gestapo, found the weapons caches.
The patriotism of his father Basil praised the Synod: he was awarded the rank of Archbishop with a resolution to do the service in the Cathedral of Smolensk. From foreign intelligence Vasily Ratmirov were awarded a gold watch…”
For what it disliked Kollontai
At the end of 1941 the spouses Aravich sent to Stockholm. “Kina” — resident under diplomatic cover, counselor of the Embassy. “Irina” — his Deputy under the “roof” of the personal press attaché Ambassador Alexandra Kollontai.
Relationship with latest Zoe Ivanovna has not developed. Kollontai instant dislike to the new employee.
It is understandable: before the resurrection, she had unconditional success with all the men of the Embassy. And then the competitor who switch over itself male attention. In addition, Kollontai advocated free love and the abolition of marriage. And strong moral principles of the resurrection caused her irritation.
Plus it cited the fact that resurrection only indirectly subordinate to Kollontai. So she was hindered Zoya Ivanovna to perform operational work and forced his subordinates to write on the resurrection denunciations. Perhaps one reason for the early departure of Rybkina from Stockholm are just tense relationship with the Ambassador.
From Stockholm Irina regularly traveled to German-occupied European countries, each time risking to be in the hands of the Gestapo. Efforts Rybkin and his wife contributed to the fact that Sweden up to the end of the war remained neutral, and Finland should withdraw from the Hitler coalition.
Where did the Cologne
After the war, Zoya remained in Moscow, as head of the German Department of foreign intelligence. And her husband was sent to Prague. November 27, 1947 he died. According to the official version in a car accident. Zoe was convinced she killed him, and was going to conduct its own investigation. But the leadership strictly forbade her to cut it.
After the death of Stalin in 1953 began a purge of the security organs. Arrested without charge and head of the 4th Directorate of Pavel Sudoplatov, under whose leadership the resurrection worked for many years. In December, at the meeting where it was proposed to the party Committee of intelligence, she, as an officer of honor, has acted (whether it conceivable?) in defense of the disgraced General, saying there are a lot of good words. The next day, she announced the dismissal.
Threat to remain without your favorite things, which she devoted 25 years of his life, forced Zoya Ivanovna to pester offices with a request to leave the bodies. She was allowed pension on… in the Gulag. The Colonel is a decorated resurrection-Rybkin, the former elite Soviet spies, overnight from the capital were in the Vorkuta camp (Vorlag) for particularly dangerous criminals in the Lieutenant’s office. Therefore, the pension was assigned by Lieutenant rate….
Funny detail: on the eve of the arrival of Zoe Ivanovna in a camp in Vorkuta and the surrounding villages lost a men’s Cologne “Shipr”. All stocks bought officers Vorlage. In his 47 years Colonel of the resurrection was still irresistible.
In 1956, the resurrection returned to Moscow. She forgave the system, deprived of her husband, istersiva soul. Healing an outlet became a literary work. She began to write for children: her book “mother’s Heart”, “girl in a stormy sea”, “Daddy’s cherry” and others were published with a circulation of 21.5 million copies, been translated into 24 languages and is known for a huge number of people. But will be ever know all her feats. The majority of archival materials relating to operational activities of the great master intelligence Zoe resurrection-Rybkina, still are classified top secret….