Ursula Kuczynski
Encyclopedia
Ursula Maria Kuczynski was a German author and spy for the Soviet Union. A daughter of Robert René Kuczynski, she joined the Communist party at an early age. After her family moved to the United States in 1928, Kuczynski became a spy for the GRU
. Code-named "Sonja", she married Rudolf Hamburger, another GRU agent, and moved to China, where she operated a spy ring under the direction of Richard Sorge
.
After undergoing formal training in Moscow
in 1934, she was active in Manchuria
in 1935, then moved to London
before going to Switzerland
in 1939, where she collaborated with the Lucy spy ring
. She divorced later that same year, and remarried with Len Beurton shortly afterwards. In 1941 she moved to Britain and continued her activities for the GRU
for most of the decade. Following the arrest of physicist Klaus Fuchs
in late 1949, Kuczynski fled to East Berlin
, where she retired from the GRU in 1950.
After her resignation, she worked for the East German government for a decade, then began a new career as an author. Her writings include her autobiography, Sonja's report but also several children's books.
She was awarded the Order of the Red Banner
twice in recognition to her services to the Soviet Union, in 1937 and 1969.
GRU
GRU or Glavnoye Razvedyvatel'noye Upravleniye is the foreign military intelligence directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation...
. Code-named "Sonja", she married Rudolf Hamburger, another GRU agent, and moved to China, where she operated a spy ring under the direction of Richard Sorge
Richard Sorge
Richard Sorge was a German communist and spy who worked for the Soviet Union. He has gained great fame among espionage enthusiasts for his intelligence gathering during World War II. He worked as a journalist in both Germany and Japan, where he was imprisoned for spying and eventually hanged....
.
After undergoing formal training in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
in 1934, she was active in Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
in 1935, then moved 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...
before going to Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
in 1939, where she collaborated with the Lucy spy ring
Lucy spy ring
In World War II espionage, the Lucy spy ring was an anti-German operation that was headquartered in Switzerland. It was run by Rudolf Roessler, a German refugee and ostensibly the proprietor of a small publishing firm, Vita Nova...
. She divorced later that same year, and remarried with Len Beurton shortly afterwards. In 1941 she moved to Britain and continued her activities for the GRU
GRU
GRU or Glavnoye Razvedyvatel'noye Upravleniye is the foreign military intelligence directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation...
for most of the decade. Following the arrest of physicist Klaus Fuchs
Klaus Fuchs
Klaus Emil Julius Fuchs was a German theoretical physicist and atomic spy who in 1950 was convicted of supplying information from the American, British and Canadian atomic bomb research to the USSR during and shortly after World War II...
in late 1949, Kuczynski fled to East Berlin
East Berlin
East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. It consisted of the Soviet sector of Berlin that was established in 1945. The American, British and French sectors became West Berlin, a part strongly associated with West Germany but a free city...
, where she retired from the GRU in 1950.
After her resignation, she worked for the East German government for a decade, then began a new career as an author. Her writings include her autobiography, Sonja's report but also several children's books.
She was awarded the Order of the Red Banner
Order of the Red Banner
The Soviet government of Russia established the Order of the Red Banner , a military decoration, on September 16, 1918 during the Russian Civil War...
twice in recognition to her services to the Soviet Union, in 1937 and 1969.