Halina Szymanska
Encyclopedia
Halina Szymańska was the wife of Colonel Antoni Szymański
, the last prewar Polish
military attaché
in Berlin
.
, chief of the German
Abwehr
. In autumn 1939 he helped her and her children move from occupied Poland to Switzerland in compensation for a contact with the British Secret Intelligence Service
.
Szymańska, as a British agent, met several times with Canaris in Switzerland and Italy. Then she met with his courier, Hans Bernd Gisevius
. Szymańska played an important role, as an intermediary, in secret contacts between the Allies and German anti-Nazi conspirators (e.g., the Schwarze Kapelle
). In April 1940 she received information about the coming German attack on France and the Benelux
countries. In mid-June 1941 Szymańska received information about the coming German attack on the Soviet Union
. During World War II
she became one of the most effective MI6 agents.
After the war Szymańska moved to England.
Szymańska had three daughters with Col.Antoni Szymański
— Hanka, Ewa and Marysia. All four spent the war in Switzerland, where Halina began her work for MI6 and later the French Deuxieme Reseau, conducting courier work into occupied France, for which she was decorated by the French. Among others, she developed a working relationship with the American Allen Dulles, who then headed the American OSS
intelligence office in Bern.
Dulles became the first civilian and the longest-serving (1953–61) Director of Central Intelligence (de-facto head of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency
. By all accounts he was very supportive of Szymańska, particularly when her daughter Hanka became ill and died in Switzerland.
The daughter Ewa now lives in North Carolina
, happily married to Andrew Milewski, who also had a highly honorable war record of fighting with the Allies. Marysia remained in England with her father Col. Antoni Szymański, with whom she was very close, and with Szymańska. She went to boarding school in England, coincidently called Poles, married Mirek Malewski (another Polish officer who acquitted himself with distinction) and had two children, Anouchka and Michael.
Michael Fabian, many years later, assisted the English spy expert/writer (and MP) Nigel West - real name Rupert Allason
- with the section of his book, MI6: British Secret Intelligence Service Operations, 1909-45, which dealt with his grandmother Szymańska. Among other documents, the book shows Halina's French identity card, which was forged by the MI6's printing expert, Mr Adams in Potters Bar
, in order to enable her to travel to occupied France to meet Admiral Canaris, collect information and report back to the Allies in Switzerland. It also shows Mme Szymanska's diplomatic passport. Stamped with numerous entry and exit visas, it includes two relating to her rendezvous with Admiral Canaris in Italy, April 1941, at which he disclosed details of Hitler's imminent attack on the Soviet Union.
After World War II, Halina Szymańska married General Kazimierz Wiśniowski, who had been Chief of Staff to General Władysław Anders, commander of the Second Polish Corps at the Battle of Cassino in 1944. She settled in Ealing
, a suburb of London. She lies buried with her second husband in South Ealing Cemetery.
Antoni Szymanski
Antoni Szymański was a Polish Army general.-Life:As a Prussian citizen, he fought on the Western Front during World War I ....
, the last prewar Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
military attaché
Military attaché
A military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission . This post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer who retains the commission while serving in an embassy...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
Life
After being recruited by the Allied secret intelligence services (via Polish officers in Bern, Switzerland, who made contact with the British), Szymańska provided a conduit of information between the Allies and Admiral Wilhelm CanarisWilhelm Canaris
Wilhelm Franz Canaris was a German admiral, head of the Abwehr, the German military intelligence service, from 1935 to 1944 and member of the German Resistance.- Early life and World War I :...
, chief of the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Abwehr
Abwehr
The Abwehr was a German military intelligence organisation from 1921 to 1944. The term Abwehr was used as a concession to Allied demands that Germany's post-World War I intelligence activities be for "defensive" purposes only...
. In autumn 1939 he helped her and her children move from occupied Poland to Switzerland in compensation for a contact with the British Secret Intelligence Service
Secret Intelligence Service
The Secret Intelligence Service is responsible for supplying the British Government with foreign intelligence. Alongside the internal Security Service , the Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence Intelligence , it operates under the formal direction of the Joint Intelligence...
.
Szymańska, as a British agent, met several times with Canaris in Switzerland and Italy. Then she met with his courier, Hans Bernd Gisevius
Hans Bernd Gisevius
Hans Bernd Gisevius was a German diplomat and intelligence officer during World War II. A strong opponent of the Nazi regime, he served as a liaison in Zürich between Allen Dulles, station chief for the American OSS and the German Resistance forces in Germany.-Pre World War II:Gisevius was born...
. Szymańska played an important role, as an intermediary, in secret contacts between the Allies and German anti-Nazi conspirators (e.g., the Schwarze Kapelle
Schwarze Kapelle
The Schwarze Kapelle was a term used by the Gestapo to refer to a group of conspirators within the German military who plotted to overthrow Adolf Hitler. It included many senior officers within the Wehrmacht.-Membership:...
). In April 1940 she received information about the coming German attack on France and the Benelux
Benelux
The Benelux is an economic union in Western Europe comprising three neighbouring countries, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. These countries are located in northwestern Europe between France and Germany...
countries. In mid-June 1941 Szymańska received information about the coming German attack on the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
she became one of the most effective MI6 agents.
After the war Szymańska moved to England.
Szymańska had three daughters with Col.Antoni Szymański
Antoni Szymanski
Antoni Szymański was a Polish Army general.-Life:As a Prussian citizen, he fought on the Western Front during World War I ....
— Hanka, Ewa and Marysia. All four spent the war in Switzerland, where Halina began her work for MI6 and later the French Deuxieme Reseau, conducting courier work into occupied France, for which she was decorated by the French. Among others, she developed a working relationship with the American Allen Dulles, who then headed the American OSS
OSS
-Science and technology:* Open-source software* Open Sound System, a standard interface for making and capturing sound in Unix operating systems* Open Search Server, search engine software...
intelligence office in Bern.
Dulles became the first civilian and the longest-serving (1953–61) Director of Central Intelligence (de-facto head of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
. By all accounts he was very supportive of Szymańska, particularly when her daughter Hanka became ill and died in Switzerland.
The daughter Ewa now lives in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, happily married to Andrew Milewski, who also had a highly honorable war record of fighting with the Allies. Marysia remained in England with her father Col. Antoni Szymański, with whom she was very close, and with Szymańska. She went to boarding school in England, coincidently called Poles, married Mirek Malewski (another Polish officer who acquitted himself with distinction) and had two children, Anouchka and Michael.
Michael Fabian, many years later, assisted the English spy expert/writer (and MP) Nigel West - real name Rupert Allason
Rupert Allason
Rupert William Simon Allason is a military historian and former Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. He was the Member of Parliament for Torbay in Devon, from 1987 to 1997...
- with the section of his book, MI6: British Secret Intelligence Service Operations, 1909-45, which dealt with his grandmother Szymańska. Among other documents, the book shows Halina's French identity card, which was forged by the MI6's printing expert, Mr Adams in Potters Bar
Potters Bar
Potters Bar is a town in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire, England, located north of Central London. In 2001 it had a population of 21,618....
, in order to enable her to travel to occupied France to meet Admiral Canaris, collect information and report back to the Allies in Switzerland. It also shows Mme Szymanska's diplomatic passport. Stamped with numerous entry and exit visas, it includes two relating to her rendezvous with Admiral Canaris in Italy, April 1941, at which he disclosed details of Hitler's imminent attack on the Soviet Union.
After World War II, Halina Szymańska married General Kazimierz Wiśniowski, who had been Chief of Staff to General Władysław Anders, commander of the Second Polish Corps at the Battle of Cassino in 1944. She settled in Ealing
Ealing
Ealing is a suburban area of west London, England and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Ealing. It is located west of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically a rural village...
, a suburb of London. She lies buried with her second husband in South Ealing Cemetery.