Karin Lannby
Encyclopedia
Karin Tekla Maria Lannby (born 13 April 1916, Linköping
- died 19 November 2007, Paris
) was a Swedish actress, translator, journalist
, poet
and spy
. She served as a spy for the leftists during the Spanish civil war
, and for Sweden in Stockholm
during the World War II
.
high society. As a student in the 1930s, Karin, being a convinced anti-fascist, joined the Swedish Communists. During the Spanish civil-war, she served as an interpreter and secretary at a hospital in Valencia. She made contact with the Comintern
in Barcelona
, who gave her an assignment to infiltrate the troops of Francisco Franco
in the south of France
. After having failed her task, she was excluded from the communists and returned to Sweden. From 1939-45, she was an agent in service of the Swedish state during the war; under the code name Anette, she reported of her observations from the cultural and dimplomatic circles of Stockholm's party life.
She acted in several films during the war. In 1940-41, she had a relationship with Ingmar Bergman
; she is said to have been the role model for the character Ruth Köhler in the film Kvinna utan ansikte (1947). After the war, Karin Lannby changed her name to Maria Cyliakus and moved to France (1952), were she was active as an actress, translator and journalist.
Linköping
Linköping is a city in southern middle Sweden, with 104 232 inhabitants in 2010. It is the seat of Linköping Municipality with 146 736 inhabitants and the capital of Östergötland County...
- died 19 November 2007, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
) was a Swedish actress, translator, journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and 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...
. She served as a spy for the leftists during the Spanish civil war
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, and for Sweden in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
during the 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...
.
Biography
The daughter of journalist Gunnar Lannby, the boss of the Swedish agency of the American film company Metro Goldwyn Mayer. Through her mother, Lilly, Karin belonged to the StockholmStockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
high society. As a student in the 1930s, Karin, being a convinced anti-fascist, joined the Swedish Communists. During the Spanish civil-war, she served as an interpreter and secretary at a hospital in Valencia. She made contact with the Comintern
Comintern
The Communist International, abbreviated as Comintern, also known as the Third International, was an international communist organization initiated in Moscow during March 1919...
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, who gave her an assignment to infiltrate the troops of Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
in the south of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. After having failed her task, she was excluded from the communists and returned to Sweden. From 1939-45, she was an agent in service of the Swedish state during the war; under the code name Anette, she reported of her observations from the cultural and dimplomatic circles of Stockholm's party life.
She acted in several films during the war. In 1940-41, she had a relationship with Ingmar Bergman
Ingmar Bergman
Ernst Ingmar Bergman was a Swedish director, writer and producer for film, stage and television. Described by Woody Allen as "probably the greatest film artist, all things considered, since the invention of the motion picture camera", he is recognized as one of the most accomplished and...
; she is said to have been the role model for the character Ruth Köhler in the film Kvinna utan ansikte (1947). After the war, Karin Lannby changed her name to Maria Cyliakus and moved to France (1952), were she was active as an actress, translator and journalist.
Literature
- Anders Thunberg (in Swedish): Karin Lannby: Ingmar Bergmans Mata Hari (Karin Lannby: The Mata Hari of Ingmar Bergman) (2009)