The Spy and the Devil

The untold story of the MI6 agent who penetrated Hitler’s inner circle

Tim Willasey-Wilsey, TBA

• Publisher: Blink Publishing
• Year: 2025
• eBook ISBN: 9781789468694
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: German History
• Index: History

This is the forgotten tale of MI6's top spy in Nazi Germany and his bid to stop the Second World War. In the world of espionage, where the accounts of renowned spies often dominate the narrative, this is a rare gem - an untold story of a completely unknown spy. Baron William de Ropp, a Baltic German aristocrat, wasn't just any ordinary spy; he was MI6's top-secret agent in Nazi Germany from 1931 to 1939, managing to escape Berlin just before war broke out. This unsung hero had direct access to Adolf Hitler and an inside track on the Nazi regime. His reports, shrouded in secrecy, had the power to shape British policy toward Germany in a pivotal period of history.
The Spy and the Devil is a riveting tale of espionage, intrigue, and the untold impact of one man's secret mission on the course of history. A journey into the shadows of Nazi Germany, where a forgotten British spy worked tirelessly to avert catastrophe, and discover the secrets that history almost left behind.
Although aspects of de Ropp's activities appear in other books, notably the authorised history of MI6, his story has never been published in full before, adding an extra dimension to what is, by any standard, the account of a very remarkable man. Drawing on his years of service in the Foreign Office, Tim Willasey-Wilsey offers an insider's view of this enigmatic British spy.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• About the Author
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Abbreviations
• Maps
• Introduction
• 1. ‘THE HANGMAN’S ROPE’
• 2. ‘WHAT SHOULD WE DO?’
• 3. ‘WHO IS BARON DE ROPP?’
• 4. ANATOMY OF A MASTER SPY
• 5. DICING WITH DEATH
• 6. ‘EVERY FORM OF OUTRAGE’
• 7. ‘BETWEEN BOCHE AND BOLSHEVIK’
• 8. ‘MOSCOW ORDERS TO OUR REDS’
• 9. MISSION CREEP
• 10. ‘THE PRIMITIVE IN US’
• 11. ‘STARTLING DISCLOSURES’
• 12. ‘A GENTLEMAN’S AGREEMENT BETWEEN TWO SOLDIERS’
• 13. ‘THE LIVING EMBODIMENT OF RACE HATRED’
• 14. ‘A BUNCH OF GANGSTERS’
• 15. ‘THE LONG KNIVES’
• 16. THE NAZIS ARE ‘INTENSELY SINCERE’
• 17. ‘YOUR WONDERFUL FÜHRER’
• 18. ‘MADMEN’S DREAMS’
• 19. ‘THE KNOCK-OUT BLOW’
• 20. ‘A RED LIGHT OF PERSONAL WARNING’
• 21. ‘I SUGGEST YOU LEAVE GERMANY’
• 22. ‘HEAVY NEW SNOW’
• 23. ‘INFLUENCED BY AGENTS OF THE BRITISH SECRET SERVICE’
• 24. TWILIGHT OF A MASTER SPY
• 25. DOWNFALL
• 26. ‘ON THE KNEES OF THE OLYMPIAN GODS’
• 27. THE VERDICT
• Acknowledgements
• Sources and Bibliography
• Notes
• Index
• Photos