Soviet spy William Fisher, a.k.a. Rudolf Abel, was convicted of espionage in the U.S. in 1957 and later exchanged for imprisoned American Francis Gary Powers.
Background
Rudolf Abel was born William August Fisher on July 11, 1903, in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Parents Heinrich and Lyubov were Bolshevik supporters from Russia, and young Fisher helped his father by distributing "Hands Off Russia" literature during World War I.
Education
Following his family's return to Russia in 1921, Fisher joined the Komsomol, the Communist Party youth organization, and worked as a translator. He eventually became fluent in several languages and developed a love for radio communications. After completing a two-year stint with a radio battalion of the Red Army, he joined the OGPU security agency in 1927.
Career
Following his family's return to Russia in 1921, Fisher joined the Komsomol, the Communist Party youth organization, and worked as a translator. He eventually became fluent in several languages and developed a love for radio communications. After completing a two-year stint with a radio battalion of the Red Army, he joined the OGPU security agency in 1927.
Little is known of Abel’s life and work before World War II. A GRU agent in Nazi Germany during the war. It is believed that his father was a German communist who took his family to the Soviet Union in the 1930s. In 1947, entered Canada as a German national and went from there to the USA using a false Canadian passport.
Provided by the US Communist Party with the birth certificate of a dead child. Surfaced in Brooklyn where he set up a photographic studio. Also known as a good musician, artist and craftsman.
Multilingual and a first-class radio engineer. Under the name of Emil Robert Goldfus, operated a large network of Soviet agents throughout America. Recalled to Moscow, but soon sent to Finland where his mission was to eliminate anticommunist Russians living there.
Married a Finnish woman although at the time already married to a Russian woman in Moscow. In 1952, returned to America with his Finnish wife. Arrested by the FBI when another GRU agent, who had defected to the USA, exposed him.
Tried and sentenced to 30 years in prison in 1957. After only 5 years, in February 1962, exchanged in East Berlin for Gary Powers, who had been shot down when flying his U-2 plane over Soviet territory. Promoted to General in Moscow and appointed head of the Anglo-American network, working from his Lubianka office.
Religion
Religious leaders contribute to secular and religious wars by endorsing or supporting the violence.
Views
The emphasis on peaceful coexistence doesn’t mean that the Soviet Union accepted a static world with clear lines. Socialism is inevitable and the "correlations of forces" were moving towards socialism.
Membership
A member of the OGPU's "illegals" division, Fisher spent several years training operatives in radio work throughout Europe. He was dismissed from the agency during the Great Purge of the late 1930s, but he returned to its service after the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941.
Connections
His private life was very quiet. Visited at his dacha, outside Moscow, by a small circle of friends and colleagues including K. Khenkin who later published memoirs about him.