In Disguise - History's Famous Female Spies

Various

• Publisher: Read & Co. History
• Year: 2021
• ISBN:
  9781528791960
• Topic: Geschichte
• Subtopic: Frauen in der Geschichte

When it comes to espionage and spying, what often springs to one's mind is a well-groomed English Oxford graduate with a penchant for overly-specific alcoholic beverages and womanising. However, what's most important in these matters is the unlikely, and this is perhaps one of the reasons why some of history's greatest and most successful spies have been women. This volume contains a collection of six biographical sketches of incredible female spies, each including descriptions of their unbelievable feats related to espionage. "In Disguise - History's Famous Female Spies" is highly recommended for those with an interest in history and intelligence, and it would make for a fantastic addition to feminist collections. Contents include: "Belle Boyd", "Lydia Darrah", "Miss Edith Cavell", "Despina Davidovitch Storch", "Mata-Hari", and "Chevalier D'eon". Read & Co. History is proudly publishing this brand new collection of classic biographies for the enjoyment of a new generation of readers.

MISS EDITH CAVELL

FIRST MARTYR OF THE GREAT WAR

WHEN Baron von der Lancken permitted the execution of Miss Edith Cavell, he furnished the first martyr of the Great World War. He did more than that. He dealt Germany a blow that robbed it of the respect of civilization. There had been many unpardonable and detestable acts before that event, but when this gentle Englishwoman was placed before a firing squad, the shot that took her life was heard around the world, and decent men and women, regardless of race or religion, instinctively arrayed themselves against the Kaiser and his brutal system. It was the death knell of tyranny, and in her own way this little woman did as much for the cause of liberty as a division of infantry or a squadron of battle-ships.

She was a teacher and a nurse, and before the war was a directress of a home for nurses in Brussels. Her whole life had been spent in doing good for others, and there is every reason for believing that the alleged acts for which she was executed were prompted by a love of humanity. In the beginning there was no suggestion that she had been guilty of espionage, but when the wrath of the world was aroused over her death, her stupid and cruel executioners began to speak of her as '' the spy Cavell." The German Chief of the Political Department in Belgium was warned that the death of Miss Cavell would disgust the world, but he laughed cynically and said, “I am sure the effect will be excellent." It was excellent because, by laying her life on the altar of liberty, this courageous and lion-hearted woman helped to redeem the world.

It was shortly after her arrest, on August 5, 1915, that the matter first came to the attention of Brand Whitlock, the United States Minister to Belgium. It was reported that she had been taken into custody on the charge of aiding stragglers from the Allied armies to cross the Belgian frontier into Holland. It was alleged that she gave them money, clothing and information concerning the route to be followed. At that time the affairs of Great Britain in Belgium were being cared for by the American Minister. A cable-gram of inquiry from London caused Mr. Whitlock to write to the German authorities to ask if it were true that Miss Cavell had been arrested, and if it were true, that authorization be given to Gaston de La Leval, the legal counselor of the American Legation, to take up the matter of her defense. There was no answer to this communication, and a day or so later Mr. Whitlock wrote a similar letter to Baron von der Lancken, Chief of the Political Department. This brought a response. The Baron admitted that Miss Cavell had been arrested, and he added:

"She has herself admitted that she concealed in her house French and English soldiers, as well as Belgians of military age, all desirous of proceeding to the front. She has also admitted having furnished these soldiers with the money necessary for the journey to France, and having facilitated their departure from Belgium by providing them with guides, who enabled them to cross the Dutch frontier secretly. Miss Cavell's defense is in the hands of the advocate Braun, who, I may add, is already in touch with the competent German authorities.

"In view of the fact that the Department of the Governor-General, as a matter of principle, does not allow accused persons to have any interviews whatever, I much regret my inability to procure for M. de Leva! permission to visit Miss Cavell, as long as she is in solitary confinement."

This was disappointing, but it did not dampen the ardor of the American officials. Mr. Hugh Gibson, the Secretary of the Legation, had a premonition that Miss Cavell was doomed to death even before she was tried, and this filled him with an intense desire to do everything in his power to avert the tragedy. In this he was seconded ably by Monsieur Leval, who, although a Belgian, and thus in the black books of the Germans, did not spare himself any effort in a brave attempt to save the unfortunate woman.

Monsieur Leval wrote to the lawyer Braun, who said that he had found it impossible to attend to the case and that he had turned it over to his friend and associate, Mr. Kirschen. Thereupon the Belgian got into communication with Kirschen, and explained to him the deep interest that was felt in the case by the American Legation. One of the difficulties of the situation lay in the fact that lawyers defending prisoners before the German Military Court were not allowed to see their clients before the trial, and were not permitted to know what was in possession of the prosecution. It was playing the game with loaded dice, but that was the German way all through the war. When all of these things had been explained to Monsieur Leval he said that the least he could do would be to attend the trial to see that Miss Cavell was given a semblance of her rights.

"But, my dear sir," protested the advocate, in great alarm, “that will never do. You must not think of such a thing. Your presence would do Miss Cavell more harm than good. The Judge would resent the attendance of the representative of the American Legation. If you really desire to help the prisoner, you will stay away."

Astonishing as this may seem, it was the truth. Consultation with those who were familiar with the situation proved that Mr. Kirschner was correct, and so, with a heavy heart. Monsieur Leval remained away from the sittings of the Court. The trial began October 7, and ended the next day. Miss Cavell was tried under paragraph 58 of the German Military Code, which says:

"Any person who, with the intention of aiding the hostile Power or causing harm to German or Allied troops, is guilty of one of the crimes of paragraph 90 of the German Penal Code, will be sentenced to death for treason."

The paragraph 90 thus referred to is that of "conducting soldiers to the enemy." All of the legal authorities who have gone into this phase of the case agree that it was a strained interpretation of the facts to try Miss Cavell under this section of the law. Her perfect candor, which would have helped her in any civilized court, only helped to seal her fate with her barbarous judges. She admitted that she had helped soldiers to cross the frontier, and that some of them had written to her from England thanking her for what she had done. She was fearless enough to say that she had helped them to escape because she thought they would be shot by the Germans if they did not get out of Belgium. After all the evidence was in—and it was all one-sided—the Public Prosecutor asked the Court to pass sentence of death on Miss Cavell and eight other prisoners.

Monsieur Leval then asked permission to see Miss Cavell, and also asked that Mr. Gahan, the English Chaplain, be permitted to visit her. He received a flat refusal. They told him he could not see her until the judgment was pronounced and signed. It was also decided that Mr. Gahan could not visit her, but that she could see any of the three German Protestant clergymen attached to the prison.

While her friends on the outside were trying to save Miss Cavell, she was awaiting her fate with Christian fortitude. One of her fellow prisoners was Dr. Hostelet, of Brussels. He escaped with a five years' sentence, and when the armistice was signed, was released. Like all who came in contact with the heroic English woman, he was filled with admiration for her calm courage. He had known her before her arrest, and was familiar with the whole circumstances surrounding the case. Writing of those earlier days in Brussels, he says:

''In my frequent visits to Miss Cavell, I was able to see the risks she was running. The presence of a lot of men was obvious as soon as one entered the house—voices, songs, cries. I often pointed this out to her, and she replied calmly and resignedly: 'What would you? I cannot impose silence on them.' She even consented to let them go into town to amuse themselves. I remember her fright when one night some of them came back singing and disorderly, scandalizing the neighborhood.

“It was then that I and some other friends determined to put these dangerous guests in private houses or with reliable inn-keepers. But the more we housed, the more came. One day six guides arrived bringing thirty men concentrated at Mons and sent to Rue de la Culture (Miss Cavell's home). At this time the home became publicly known as a refuge for fugitive soldiers. I was very worried and went to try to induce her to break off all relations for a time with this group of guides and soldiers, telling her that the work itself was imperiled and must be diverted into other channels.

"We had sure knowledge, too, that some suspicious persons knew of our prearranged signals. But she would not listen. 'Nothing but physical impossibility, lack of space or lack of money, would make me close my house to Allied fugitives.' So she went on, never ceasing her devotion to the work until the German police got on her track and made three perquisitions in her house, after which she was arrested. In her trial she was accused of recruiting, but she only spoke the truth when she replied: 'My object was to get the men sent to me across the frontier; once there, they were free.' She was also accused of espionage. Denial here was absolutely justified. That espionage was facilitated through her is certain, but she never took an active part in it. Absorbed in her work as head of a nurses' school, she never dreamt of running a recruiting office or a spy service. She wished to save men, Englishmen first, then Allies, and she gave herself up entirely to this humanitarian and patriotic work."

Monsieur Leval made a full report to Brand Whitlock, the American Minister, describing what he had done to assist Miss Cavell during the trial. He tells of the request of the Public Prosecutor to the Court, asking that the death sentence be passed on Miss Cavell, and then adds:

"After I had found out these facts, I called at the Political Division of the German Government in Belgium and asked whether, now that the trial had taken place, permission would be granted to me to see Miss Cavell in jail as there certainly could no longer be any objection in refusing this permission.

"The German official, Mr. Conrad, said that he would make the necessary inquiry at the Court and let me know later on.

"I also asked that permission be granted to Mr. Gahan, the English clergyman, to see Miss Cavell.

"At the same time we prepared at the Legation, to be ready for every eventuality, a petition for pardon addressed to the Governor-General in Belgium, and a transmitting note addressed to Baron von der Lancken.

“On Monday, at eleven o'clock, I called up Mr. Conrad on the telephone from the Legation — as I had already done previously on several occasions when making inquiries about the case—asking ...