Jules C. Silber
Encyclopedia
Jules Crawford Silber was a German
spy
working as a censor with the United Kingdom, during the First World War.
He was born in Breslau, Silesia.
Little is known of Silber's early life, the names of his parents, his birth date and his place of birth. When he was conscripted into the British Army in 1915 in the United Kingdom, he declared “to have exceeded about thirty years of age”. This would place his birth date at sometime around 1870. As a Teenager, he departed Germany for South Africa where he learned to speak English
, Afrikaans
, and Zulu
.
During the Second Anglo-Boer War, the British used his services as an interpreter and agent of the censure
. 1,500 prisoners of war were sent to Ceylon
and in India
, Silber accompanied them as an agent for the censure for 18 months. He was stationed in the city-garrison of Abbottabad
, not far from the Afghan
border. Following the Treaty of Vereeniging
, the repatriation of the prisoners, began and Silber returned to South Africa where he resided for 2 years.
He later emigrated to the United States
. Silber lived there for a few years. In 1914, war was declared between the United Kingdom and Germany. This awoke Silber's patriotism. Thinking of the best way of helping his native land, he decided to travel to the United Kingdom, where he would offer his services to the post office as a censor. With this position, he could obtain information, useful to the German war effort. While in New York
, he gave the address of letter-box to the German
ambassador
.
Not holding a Passport
to go to London
, he traveled through Canada
, where security was more lax, because Canadians were considered to be British
citizens. Carrying official British documents that showed his service in South Africa and India, none of which mentioned his nationality, but bearing his true name, he spent some time in Montreal
while trying to pass as French Canadian
to fool the British.
He set sail for England on September 19, 1914, arriving 10 days later without a passport and was interrogated in Manchester
. Eventually he was permitted to enter the United Kingdom and traveled to London later that evening. Although he had yet to commit any acts of espionage, he had already carried out an exploit, because he was a German who had managed to get into the United kingdom during the war.
The thwarting the investigations of MI5, he obtained an employ at the office of the censure, after an interview with an old man Colonel having already been used for the Punjab region
. They were discovered several common relations and Silber began its work of critic then on October 12, 1914.
Using mailed window envelopes, therefore stamped, it forwarded to Germany Microfilm or letters abounding in increasingly important information, because it was regularly promoted. It culminated in the hierarchy
while becoming chief censor, which enabled him to analyze all the suspect documents handed by his employee.
Once the war ended, Silber had to wait until 1925 so that the restrictions concerning the continental voyages are reduced to be able to return to his home country.
He finished his days in Germany after having written an autobiographical
account of his life in 1932.
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...
spy
SPY
SPY is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* SPY , ticker symbol for Standard & Poor's Depositary Receipts* SPY , a satirical monthly, trademarked all-caps* SPY , airport code for San Pédro, Côte d'Ivoire...
working as a censor with the United Kingdom, during the First World War.
He was born in Breslau, Silesia.
Biography
While being based on the autobiographical account of Silber published in 1932 in Germany, Ronald Seth wrote, under the title of The Spy Who Wasn't Caught, a work astounding reporting the exploits of this fabulous Master of forgotten espionage because it was probably most intelligent of all. Information of this article comes from the French version of this book published in 1968 pennies the title of the Most English of the German spies.Little is known of Silber's early life, the names of his parents, his birth date and his place of birth. When he was conscripted into the British Army in 1915 in the United Kingdom, he declared “to have exceeded about thirty years of age”. This would place his birth date at sometime around 1870. As a Teenager, he departed Germany for South Africa where he learned to speak English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Afrikaans
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
, and Zulu
Zulu language
Zulu is the language of the Zulu people with about 10 million speakers, the vast majority of whom live in South Africa. Zulu is the most widely spoken home language in South Africa as well as being understood by over 50% of the population...
.
During the Second Anglo-Boer War, the British used his services as an interpreter and agent of the censure
Censure
A censure is an expression of strong disapproval or harsh criticism. Among the forms that it can take are a stern rebuke by a legislature, a spiritual penalty imposed by a church, and a negative judgment pronounced on a theological proposition.-Politics:...
. 1,500 prisoners of war were sent to Ceylon
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
and in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Silber accompanied them as an agent for the censure for 18 months. He was stationed in the city-garrison of Abbottabad
Abbottabad
Abbottabad is a city located in the Hazara region of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, in Pakistan. The city is situated in the Orash Valley, northeast of the capital Islamabad and east of Peshawar at an altitude of and is the capital of the Abbottabad District...
, not far from the Afghan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
border. Following the Treaty of Vereeniging
Treaty of Vereeniging
The Treaty of Vereeniging was the peace treaty, signed on 31 May 1902, that ended the South African War between the South African Republic and the Republic of the Orange Free State, on the one side, and the British Empire on the other.This settlement provided for the end of hostilities and...
, the repatriation of the prisoners, began and Silber returned to South Africa where he resided for 2 years.
He later emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Silber lived there for a few years. In 1914, war was declared between the United Kingdom and Germany. This awoke Silber's patriotism. Thinking of the best way of helping his native land, he decided to travel to the United Kingdom, where he would offer his services to the post office as a censor. With this position, he could obtain information, useful to the German war effort. While in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, he gave the address of letter-box to 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...
ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
.
Not holding a Passport
Passport
A passport is a document, issued by a national government, which certifies, for the purpose of international travel, the identity and nationality of its holder. The elements of identity are name, date of birth, sex, and place of birth....
to go to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, he traveled through Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, where security was more lax, because Canadians were considered to be British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
citizens. Carrying official British documents that showed his service in South Africa and India, none of which mentioned his nationality, but bearing his true name, he spent some time in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
while trying to pass as French Canadian
French Canadian
French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
to fool the British.
He set sail for England on September 19, 1914, arriving 10 days later without a passport and was interrogated in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. Eventually he was permitted to enter the United Kingdom and traveled to London later that evening. Although he had yet to commit any acts of espionage, he had already carried out an exploit, because he was a German who had managed to get into the United kingdom during the war.
The thwarting the investigations of MI5, he obtained an employ at the office of the censure, after an interview with an old man Colonel having already been used for the Punjab region
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
. They were discovered several common relations and Silber began its work of critic then on October 12, 1914.
Using mailed window envelopes, therefore stamped, it forwarded to Germany Microfilm or letters abounding in increasingly important information, because it was regularly promoted. It culminated in the hierarchy
Hierarchy
A hierarchy is an arrangement of items in which the items are represented as being "above," "below," or "at the same level as" one another...
while becoming chief censor, which enabled him to analyze all the suspect documents handed by his employee.
Once the war ended, Silber had to wait until 1925 so that the restrictions concerning the continental voyages are reduced to be able to return to his home country.
He finished his days in Germany after having written an autobiographical
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
account of his life in 1932.
Sources
- Jules C. Silber, The Invisible Weapons, Hutchinson, 1932, Londres, D639S8S5.
- Jules C. Silber, Die Anderen Waffen : Mit Zwei Faksimilies, Korn, Breslau, Germany, 1932. D639S8S48
- Jules C. Silber, Les Armes invisibles. souvenirs d'un espion allemand au war office de 1914 a 1919, Payot, Paris, 1933, In-8 broché de 219 pages non coupées + documents. Préface du brigadier Général R. F. Edwards. Collection de mémoires, études et documents pour servir à l'histoire de la guerre mondiale.
- Colonel Walther Nicolai, Der Deutsches Nachrichtendienst
- Lieutenant Général Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck, Die Weltkriegespionage