A Secret Life (57 page)
Authors: Benjamin Weiser
Tags: #History, #Europe, #Germany, #World, #True Crime, #Espionage
“There was a demonstration of a battle (two-sided exercises) of two armored divisions in which over 600 T-72 tanks participated in infantry and hundreds of WBP-2 transporters. The T-80 tanks were not shown. The sea landing of an entire mechanized division and a brigade of marines was demonstrated. Also observed was a drop of an airborne division . . . and also a new type unit, air-assault brigade.”
256
“No one is to blame...”
Excerpt of cable from Soviet Division Chief to field September 14, 1981.
“No one is to blame...”
Excerpt of cable from Soviet Division Chief to field September 14, 1981.
257
“That is when factories will not operate...”
Interview RK; excerpt of RK message intended for CIA September 15, 1981.
“That is when factories will not operate...”
Interview RK; excerpt of RK message intended for CIA September 15, 1981.
258
“Burggraf reported to Ryan . . . ”
October 11 Iskra message from RK to field; interview Burggraf.
“Burggraf reported to Ryan . . . ”
October 11 Iskra message from RK to field; interview Burggraf.
259
“In mid-September . . . ”
UPI, “Moscow Orders Poles to Control ‘Anti-Sovietism, ’”
New York Times
, September 18, 1981;
“The U.S. State Department ...”
Associated Press, “U.S. Says Kremlin Trying to ‘Intimidate the Polish People, ’” September 18, 1981.
“In mid-September . . . ”
UPI, “Moscow Orders Poles to Control ‘Anti-Sovietism, ’”
New York Times
, September 18, 1981;
“The U.S. State Department ...”
Associated Press, “U.S. Says Kremlin Trying to ‘Intimidate the Polish People, ’” September 18, 1981.
259
“Kuklinski, feeling the strain...”
Interview RK.
“Kuklinski, feeling the strain...”
Interview RK.
259-261
“Daniel was soon faced...”
Interview Forden;
“We want to alert you . . . ”
excerpt HQ message October 8, 1981, to field for delivery to RK; interview RK.
“Daniel was soon faced...”
Interview Forden;
“We want to alert you . . . ”
excerpt HQ message October 8, 1981, to field for delivery to RK; interview RK.
261-262
“With our officer . . . ”
Daniel message for RK cabled to field October 7, 1981.
“With our officer . . . ”
Daniel message for RK cabled to field October 7, 1981.
262-263
“Today I have proof...”
Excerpt RK letter to CIA October 9, 1981.
“Today I have proof...”
Excerpt RK letter to CIA October 9, 1981.
263
“Kuklinski smiled broadly...”
Field cable to HQ October 10, 1981.
“Kuklinski smiled broadly...”
Field cable to HQ October 10, 1981.
263
“in the ‘President’s Daily Brief’...”
Archival mention of HQ message to field.
“in the ‘President’s Daily Brief’...”
Archival mention of HQ message to field.
264
“I did something wrong...”
Interview RK.
“I did something wrong...”
Interview RK.
264
“It was my fault . . . ”
RK Iskra message of October 10, 1981, to CIA, received October 11.
“It was my fault . . . ”
RK Iskra message of October 10, 1981, to CIA, received October 11.
264-265
“The military are on alert status . . . ”
Cable from field to HQ reporting RK Iskra message of October 18, 1981.
“The military are on alert status . . . ”
Cable from field to HQ reporting RK Iskra message of October 18, 1981.
265
“penetrate all fields . . . ”
October 25, 1981, Iskra message from RK to CIA.
“penetrate all fields . . . ”
October 25, 1981, Iskra message from RK to CIA.
265
“only when necessary . . . ”
Iskra message for RK October 21, 1981, received October 25.
“only when necessary . . . ”
Iskra message for RK October 21, 1981, received October 25.
Chapter 10 “Everything Is Pointing to the End of My Mission”
Key interviews: Kuklinski, Forden, Burggraf, Iza, Tom and Lucille Ryan, Francis Meehan, Wladyslaw Hermaszewski, Jerzy Skalski, Stanislaw Radaj, Roman and Barbara Barszcz, Brerewood, Brzezinski, Pappas.
266-268
“the latest version of the martial-law plans . . . ”
Interview RK;
“Today [Skalski] declared...”
RK’s Iskra message to CIA November 2, 1981.
“the latest version of the martial-law plans . . . ”
Interview RK;
“Today [Skalski] declared...”
RK’s Iskra message to CIA November 2, 1981.
268
“The Americans might . . . ”
Interview RK; Memorandum for the Record, account of exfiltration (hereafter Memo).
“The Americans might . . . ”
Interview RK; Memorandum for the Record, account of exfiltration (hereafter Memo).
269
“As Bogdan provided cover from a distance...”
Memo; RK interview.
“As Bogdan provided cover from a distance...”
Memo; RK interview.
270
“Field [officers] in process ...”
Excerpt of field cable to HQ November 3, 1981.
“Field [officers] in process ...”
Excerpt of field cable to HQ November 3, 1981.
270
“Langley initially instructed . . . ”
Interviews Forden, Burggraf, Tom Ryan.
“Langley initially instructed . . . ”
Interviews Forden, Burggraf, Tom Ryan.
270
“We appreciate . . . ”
Excerpt cable from Casey to Ambassador Francis Meehan in Warsaw.
“We appreciate . . . ”
Excerpt cable from Casey to Ambassador Francis Meehan in Warsaw.
271
“Your message received . . . ”
Excerpt HQ cable to field November 3 for delivery via Iskra to RK.
“Your message received . . . ”
Excerpt HQ cable to field November 3 for delivery via Iskra to RK.
271
“Were you present . . . ”
Excerpt HQ cable to field with questions for Burggraf to discuss with RK.
“Were you present . . . ”
Excerpt HQ cable to field with questions for Burggraf to discuss with RK.
272
“We desperately need...”
Interview Forden.
“We desperately need...”
Interview Forden.
273
“He found blank sheets of paper...”
Memo; interview RK.
“He found blank sheets of paper...”
Memo; interview RK.
273-274
“Everything is pointing...”
Excerpt RK note given to Burggraf on night of November 3, 1981.
“Everything is pointing...”
Excerpt RK note given to Burggraf on night of November 3, 1981.
274-276
“he entered a path that led into . . . ”
Memo; interviews RK, Burggraf.
“he entered a path that led into . . . ”
Memo; interviews RK, Burggraf.
277
“Bogdan had wanted to see Iza . . . ”
Interview Iza; Memo. The Memo says Bogdan gave Iza the news in her apartment on Tuesday night, November 3; Iza recalls that Bogdan picked her up at her mother’s house, perhaps Tuesday or Wednesday, and gave her the news as they drove. Either way, it is unlikely Bogdan told her later than Wednesday, since he knew he might be leaving Poland as early as Wednesday night. I have placed the incident on Tuesday, the earlier date, as the Memo states, but have used Iza’s account of how she was told.
“Bogdan had wanted to see Iza . . . ”
Interview Iza; Memo. The Memo says Bogdan gave Iza the news in her apartment on Tuesday night, November 3; Iza recalls that Bogdan picked her up at her mother’s house, perhaps Tuesday or Wednesday, and gave her the news as they drove. Either way, it is unlikely Bogdan told her later than Wednesday, since he knew he might be leaving Poland as early as Wednesday night. I have placed the incident on Tuesday, the earlier date, as the Memo states, but have used Iza’s account of how she was told.
277
“We are prepared . . . ”
Excerpt HQ cable to field after receipt of RK note.
“We are prepared . . . ”
Excerpt HQ cable to field after receipt of RK note.
278
“for his beloved dog, Zula . . . ”
Interview RK. He does not recall the precise date he visited Czeslaw Jakubowski, except that it was probably early in the week, again because his departure was imminent. Jakubowski gave a similar account in a 1992 article by Iwona Jurczenko, in which he said RK’s visit occurred Wednesday or Thursday. I have used the earlier date. (Iwona Jurczenko, “The Ideal Agent,”
Prawo I Zycie
[Warsaw], no. 33, 1992.)
“for his beloved dog, Zula . . . ”
Interview RK. He does not recall the precise date he visited Czeslaw Jakubowski, except that it was probably early in the week, again because his departure was imminent. Jakubowski gave a similar account in a 1992 article by Iwona Jurczenko, in which he said RK’s visit occurred Wednesday or Thursday. I have used the earlier date. (Iwona Jurczenko, “The Ideal Agent,”
Prawo I Zycie
[Warsaw], no. 33, 1992.)
279
“Burggraf was anguished...”
Interview Burggraf.
“Burggraf was anguished...”
Interview Burggraf.
279
“Share frustration ...”
Excerpt HQ cable to field November 5, 1981.
“Share frustration ...”
Excerpt HQ cable to field November 5, 1981.
279
“Kuklinski was summoned to see Skalski ...”
Memo; interview RK.
“Kuklinski was summoned to see Skalski ...”
Memo; interview RK.
280
“If they were unsuccessful...”
Interview Burggraf.
“If they were unsuccessful...”
Interview Burggraf.
280
“The continuing presence . . . ”
Excerpt of cable from field to HQ November 6, 1981.
“The continuing presence . . . ”
Excerpt of cable from field to HQ November 6, 1981.
280-281
“Copies of the cables...”
Interviews Tom and Lucille Ryan.
“Copies of the cables...”
Interviews Tom and Lucille Ryan.
281
“So you also have...”
RK interview.
“So you also have...”
RK interview.
281
“You don’t look well...”
Radaj interview.
“You don’t look well...”
Radaj interview.
282
“Security situation unchanged . . . ”
RK Iskra message to station November 6, 1981.
“Security situation unchanged . . . ”
RK Iskra message to station November 6, 1981.
282-283
“Our officers had . . . ”
Excerpt CIA Iskra message to RK delivered November 6, 1981.
“Our officers had . . . ”
Excerpt CIA Iskra message to RK delivered November 6, 1981.
283
“Kuklinski felt enormous relief...”
Interview RK; Memo.
“Kuklinski felt enormous relief...”
Interview RK; Memo.
283
“both teams heavily . . . ”
Excerpt of Warsaw Station cable to HQ November 7, 1981.
“both teams heavily . . . ”
Excerpt of Warsaw Station cable to HQ November 7, 1981.
283
“confusion about where Kuklinski would turn up . . . ”
Memo; interviews RK, Burggraf, Forden.
“confusion about where Kuklinski would turn up . . . ”
Memo; interviews RK, Burggraf, Forden.
283
“we wonder if the heavy surveillance . . . ”
HQ to field November 8, 1981.
“we wonder if the heavy surveillance . . . ”
HQ to field November 8, 1981.
283-284
“Tom and Lucille had trained together...”
Interview Ryans. Tom and Lucille Ryan were so moved by the deprivation of the Poles that they had stopped shopping for food in Polish grocery stories. Lucille had felt as though she was taking food from the Poles. Instead, they shopped at the commissary in the embassy and at a store for diplomats, where food was abundant and more expensive.
“Tom and Lucille had trained together...”
Interview Ryans. Tom and Lucille Ryan were so moved by the deprivation of the Poles that they had stopped shopping for food in Polish grocery stories. Lucille had felt as though she was taking food from the Poles. Instead, they shopped at the commissary in the embassy and at a store for diplomats, where food was abundant and more expensive.
284-285
“Hermaszewski, was standing in...”
Interview Hermaszewski by Marek Skrzydelski.
“Hermaszewski, was standing in...”
Interview Hermaszewski by Marek Skrzydelski.
285
“Today, we do not have to hur ry . . . ”
Interview RK. He also gave an account of this last drive home in the
Kultura
interview.
“Today, we do not have to hur ry . . . ”
Interview RK. He also gave an account of this last drive home in the
Kultura
interview.
286
“sensed some tension...”
Interview Barbara Barszcz.
“sensed some tension...”
Interview Barbara Barszcz.
286
“it would not matter to you . . . ”
The text of Bogdan’s fake letter first appeared in print in Iwona Jurczenko’s “The Ideal Agent,”
Prawo I Zycie
(Warsaw), no. 33, 1992. Iza told me that she recalled the text of the letter to be essentially the same. The letter also appears to have been introduced as evidence in RK’s trial-in-absentia in 1984.
“it would not matter to you . . . ”
The text of Bogdan’s fake letter first appeared in print in Iwona Jurczenko’s “The Ideal Agent,”
Prawo I Zycie
(Warsaw), no. 33, 1992. Iza told me that she recalled the text of the letter to be essentially the same. The letter also appears to have been introduced as evidence in RK’s trial-in-absentia in 1984.
286
“He then wrote a second letter...”
Interview Iza.
“He then wrote a second letter...”
Interview Iza.
287
“It was mid morning...”
Memo; interviews Ryans, RK.
“It was mid morning...”
Memo; interviews Ryans, RK.
288
“the van pulled out of the lot . . . ”
Interviews RK, Ryans, Forden, Burggraf.
“the van pulled out of the lot . . . ”
Interviews RK, Ryans, Forden, Burggraf.
288
“Don’t tell me who you are...”
Interview RK.
“Don’t tell me who you are...”
Interview RK.
288-289
“After the plane...”
Interviews RK, Forden.
“After the plane...”
Interviews RK, Forden.
289
“Well done, Warsaw...”
Excerpt of “Flash” cable from reception team in Berlin to HQ.
“Well done, Warsaw...”
Excerpt of “Flash” cable from reception team in Berlin to HQ.
289
“Skalski asked...”
Interview Skalski by Skrzydelski.
“Skalski asked...”
Interview Skalski by Skrzydelski.
289
“Zula, meanwhile...”
Jurczenko, “The Ideal Agent.”
“Zula, meanwhile...”
Jurczenko, “The Ideal Agent.”
290
“solemnly addressed him...”
Interview Brzezinski.
“solemnly addressed him...”
Interview Brzezinski.
290
“Pappas was not told...”
Interview Pappas.
“Pappas was not told...”
Interview Pappas.
Chapter
11
Patriot or Traitor?
11
Patriot or Traitor?
Key interviews: Kuklinski, Forden, Tom and Lucille Ryan, Les Griggs, Pappas, Simon, Kliss, Al Gray, Richard Stolz, Hubert Romanowski, Jacek Szymanderski, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Jerzy Kozminski, Siwicki, Kiszczak, Roman Barszcz, Wojciech Jaruzelski, Wladyslaw Hermaszewski, Kazimierz Oklesinski, Czeslaw Poltorak, Richard Davies.
292-293
“One Monday evening...”
Interviews RK, Forden.
“One Monday evening...”
Interviews RK, Forden.
294
“One day shortly...”
Interviews RK, Forden, Kliss.
“One day shortly...”
Interviews RK, Forden, Kliss.
294
“While facing great personal danger...”
Translation of citation.
“While facing great personal danger...”
Translation of citation.
295
“debriefed Kuklinski for six months . . . ”
Interviews Griggs, Pappas, RK.
“debriefed Kuklinski for six months . . . ”
Interviews Griggs, Pappas, RK.
295-296
“
Newsweek
magazine repor ted . . . ”
David C. Martin, “A Polish Agent in Place,”
Newsweek
, December 20, 1982, p. 49.
“
Newsweek
magazine repor ted . . . ”
David C. Martin, “A Polish Agent in Place,”
Newsweek
, December 20, 1982, p. 49.
296
“A few days later...”
Letter to RK from William J. Casey December 15, 1982.
“A few days later...”
Letter to RK from William J. Casey December 15, 1982.
297-298
“In early September...”
Interviews RK, Forden, Iza, Dwyer.
“In early September...”
Interviews RK, Forden, Iza, Dwyer.
298
“In November 1983 ...”
Interview RK.
“In November 1983 ...”
Interview RK.
299
“Waldek ended his story...”
Waldemar Kuklinski, “Fulfillment,” 1983 manuscript (provided by RK; translated by Kliss).
“Waldek ended his story...”
Waldemar Kuklinski, “Fulfillment,” 1983 manuscript (provided by RK; translated by Kliss).
299-300
“On May 23, 1984 . . . ”
Translation of RK sentence, May 23, 1984, archive.
“On May 23, 1984 . . . ”
Translation of RK sentence, May 23, 1984, archive.
300-301
“During Kuklinski’s first three years...”
Interviews Forden, RK.
“During Kuklinski’s first three years...”
Interviews Forden, RK.
301-302
“In early June 1986 ...”
Interviews Pappas, Simon, Gray.
“In early June 1986 ...”
Interviews Pappas, Simon, Gray.
302-303
“
Post
had published...”
Bob Woodward and Michael Dobbs, “CIA Had Secret Agent on Polish General Staff,”
Washington Post
, June 4, 1986.
“
Post
had published...”
Bob Woodward and Michael Dobbs, “CIA Had Secret Agent on Polish General Staff,”
Washington Post
, June 4, 1986.
303
“The U.S. administration could have . . . ”
Urban press conference,
“The U.S. administration could have . . . ”
Urban press conference,
“USA Accused of Advance Knowledge of Martial Law in Poland,” BBC, June 9, 1986 (Warsaw home service 2005 and Polish Press Agency in English).
303-304
“Kuklinski sailed...”
Interview RK.
“Kuklinski sailed...”
Interview RK.
304
“There is no question that...”
RK interview in
Kultura
, April 1987.
“There is no question that...”
RK interview in
Kultura
, April 1987.
305
“In mid-November, 1990 ...”
Interview Stolz.
“In mid-November, 1990 ...”
Interview Stolz.
306
“Kuklinski decided not to risk...”
Interview RK. RK says he returned the next day and met with Hubert Romanowski, the newly appointed consul general, who had not been available the previous day. Romanowski later told me that he and Kuklinski had a good meeting, which lasted about an hour, during which Kuklinski asked about his citizenship status. “It is possible that Col. Kuklinski felt comfortable in meeting with me because I was not only the first non-communist consul general in Chicago since WWII, but was a former political refugee to the United States,” Romanowski wrote to the
Washington Post
in December 1992 after the
Post
articles appeared. Romanowski died five months later in a car crash near Waverly, Tennessee, where he was on embassy business.
“Kuklinski decided not to risk...”
Interview RK. RK says he returned the next day and met with Hubert Romanowski, the newly appointed consul general, who had not been available the previous day. Romanowski later told me that he and Kuklinski had a good meeting, which lasted about an hour, during which Kuklinski asked about his citizenship status. “It is possible that Col. Kuklinski felt comfortable in meeting with me because I was not only the first non-communist consul general in Chicago since WWII, but was a former political refugee to the United States,” Romanowski wrote to the
Washington Post
in December 1992 after the
Post
articles appeared. Romanowski died five months later in a car crash near Waverly, Tennessee, where he was on embassy business.
306
“I am deeply concerned...”
Translation of Walesa letter to Brzezinski, January 12, 1991.
“I am deeply concerned...”
Translation of Walesa letter to Brzezinski, January 12, 1991.
306-307
“In July 1991, Polish television ...”
Excerpts from Polish television broadcast July 21, 1991.
“In July 1991, Polish television ...”
Excerpts from Polish television broadcast July 21, 1991.
307
“In my opinion...”
Waldek’s letter to
Politika
March 1992.
“In my opinion...”
Waldek’s letter to
Politika
March 1992.
307-308
“Was it an authentic Polish state . . . ”
Brzezinski speech at Polish American Congress Heritage Dinner October 15, 1992, Washington, D.C.
“Was it an authentic Polish state . . . ”
Brzezinski speech at Polish American Congress Heritage Dinner October 15, 1992, Washington, D.C.
308
“Some of Kuklinski’s friends...”
Interview Roman Barszcz.
“Some of Kuklinski’s friends...”
Interview Roman Barszcz.
309-310
“We had full trust in Kuklinski . . . ”
Interviews Siwicki, Kiszczak, Jaruzelski.
“We had full trust in Kuklinski . . . ”
Interviews Siwicki, Kiszczak, Jaruzelski.
310
“If he would...”
Interview Hermaszewski by Marek Skrzydelski.
“If he would...”
Interview Hermaszewski by Marek Skrzydelski.
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