Background
Sorge, Richard was born on October 4, 1895. Son of an oil technician in Baku, where he was born.
intelligence officer journalist
Sorge, Richard was born on October 4, 1895. Son of an oil technician in Baku, where he was born.
Graduated in political science from Hamburg University, 1920.
Grandson of a German Marxist, Friedrich Sorge (1828-1906), who at one time was Karl Marx’s private secretary, and later one of the organizers of the Communist Club in New York. In 1910, the family returned to Germany. Served in the German Army during World War I. Met and became close to socialists at a hospital.
From 1919, a member of the German Communist Party. Editor of a party newspaper. For a short time, taught history at a school in Hamburg, but was more interested in teaching his pupils Marxism and communism.
Dismissed for this activity. Became a coal miner. Tried to recruit fellow workers to the Communist Party. Dismissed again. In 1924, went to Moscow.
Multilingual, highly organized and intelligent he was employed by various organizations, but the main occupation was his training at an intelligence school. Joined the Soviet Communist Party, 1925. Tried, unsuccessfully, to operate in London.
Went to Los Angeles to establish a network of Soviet agents there. Returned to Moscow for more training, this time at a GRU school. Sent to Shanghai to collect information about Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalist Army.
Returned to Germany and made the highest connections with both Abwehr and Gestapo senior officials. Became a member of the Nazi Party and at the same time an instant success with newspapers. Obtained a post in Tokyo as a correspondent for several influential newspapers.
The German Press Association gave a reception in his honour, which Goebbels attended personally. In Tokyo, became an outstanding reporter. His dispatches appeared and were discussed everywhere in the German-speaking world.
Became a press attache at the German Embassy in Tokyo. But his main activity was to serve Stalin. Sent Moscow very valuable political and military information.
Was first to give warning about Hitler’s plan to invade the Soviet Union on 21 June 1941, even supplying Stalin with the exact number of German divisions ready on the border. His warning was ignored. His private life in Tokyo was a series of society scandals.
Embarrassed the German community with his many affairs with famous women. Eventually was entrapped by Japanese military counter-espionage, who introduced him to a cabaret dancer. Arrested in October 1941.
Sentenced to death in Sep. 1943. Executed a year later. The dancer was shot on a Tokyo street by a SMERSH agent soon afterwards.
Under Khrushchev, made a Hero of the Soviet Union (5 November 1964). Became a cult figure. A wide-screen film about his exploits was made by Mosfilm Studio, followed by many articles and several books.
Glorified as an extraordinary Soviet agent.
Religions encourage war and violence to promote their religious goals.
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.