'DUMPED BY C.I.A., SINGER OUTWITS RUSSIAN CAPTORS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000300410002-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 9, 1998
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: May 16, 1964
• Content Type: NSPR

0
7
CPYRGHT
Approved,For Release 2000/08/27 : CIA-RDP75-00149R000300410002-5
MAY 1 6 1964
LAS '%EGAS, :WK
THE SPY WHO NEVER WAS - Part lI
EDITOR'S NOTE: - This is
the second installment in. the
amazing, exclusive account of
the author's c.kperiences at
the h a n d s of `eorn.Aunist
I agents. Miss Hammerstein
was released on March 26,
after serving 27 months in
Russian and East German
jails.
GABRIELE HAMMERSTEIN
(As told to Peter Hahn)
NEW YORK (NANA) - D
cember, 1960, was the gloornies
month of the year in West Ber
lin. A pall of cold, clammy fo
had settled over the city, an
my mood matched the weather
I had arrived there fou
months earlier, to start rehears
ing for an engagement at th
State Opera House in the Sovie
sector. It was the first big brea
'n my singing career as a Wag
nerian soprano, and now-only
short time later-I found mysel
involved in a dangerous cloak
and-dagger game between Eas
and West.
Appealing to my loyalty as a
American citizen, U. S. intelli
."once had asked me to repor
oil my meetings with Russia
diplomats and officers whom
met while performing in Eas
Berlin. Then, the Russian KG
-state secretary service-als
asked me to work for them. An
when I reported this to our side
had been "dumped."
"We can't protect you. Eithe
,,get out of Berlin, or you're or
ycur own," I was told. This wa
Ia bitter choice. I didn't want t
leave Berlin and my big chant
for a singing career, so I de
Icided to string the Reds along
"playing it by ear"-without do
1 ing anything that might harp
1 the West.
I'he Soviet officer- who wa
!Iwas Evgeni Khedrov. As a "p
cultural matters," he had g
me signing contracts in Lei
zig and Dresden, while I was r
hearsing for my role as Brun
Nibelungen." Now he was count
gressive, peace-loving America
the personal habits and govern
ment jobs of my friends witl
lin.
My contact with U. S. intcl
ligenca was Robert Bennett. H
U.S. authorities that I had bee
asked tossing ac the Russia
!embassy in East Berlin. Afte
Soviet officials, and to repor
to him about them.
When I told Bennett of Khed
roe's request, he refused to giv
me false information I coul
that one word from Khedro
could nullify my chance to sin
at the Staatsoper. So I simpl
scriptions, and non-existent jobs
felt he had convinced me of the
My meetings with Khedrov -
later learned that his name is
C o l o n e l Evgeni Alexeyevich
ar enough, and sent the mono
ack to Klredrov with a note
aging: "This is too much for
hristmas present, and I hay
o price for treason.", I hope
his would stop him from pes
ering me further."
The next day I got an unex
ous to rom the U. S. es
pionage - always took place i
East Berlin, and was arrange
by a;complicated code. I woul
write him a post card to. a cov
er address, ask him for a date
and then meet him exactly on
week 1at6r than indicated. Our
rendezvous spots were number-
ed. If he didn't appear within
20 minutes. I was to return i
two-hour intervals. I also had
been given several secret num-
bers. to memorize, through
which I could call him froit
East Berlin.
Evgeni, as he Insisted I cal
him; had never. attempted t
pay me for any of the tidbits of
information - all of them pure
fiction, of course - I fed him.
But just a few days before
hristmas, as we parted com-
pany after one of our talks, he
said:
"I'd like to give you a Christ-
mas present, Gabi. But I don't
now your personal taste. This
tead," and he handed me an
nvelope. "Buy yourself some
erfume," he added. On the
vay home in the elevated rail-
ay to the Western sector, I
pened the envelope, expecting
ificate.. But it contained 800
East German Marks. (nearly
ERPLEXED BY "GIFT"
I was so perplexed by this
ected phone call from Bennett
ho "had to see me urgently.'
When 4; arrived at the privat
West' Berlin address he gay
e, I was taken to a roon
pith was are except for a to
le. and chair. "I want you t
;C down," Bennett. said, Aar.
it
me a complete report t o
,our dealin;;s with the Russirans
epeat the information veu ton
is about them previousiy, aric
xpl ain why you persisted it
isregardin; official advice t
nd your involvement with the
GB."
He gave me pen and paper
nd it tool: me until 4 a.m. t
inish the report. At the end,
'rote: "I du not intend to sacri.
ice my opportunity at a legiti-
'ate singing career. I am not
frond of, the Russians, and I
ntend to stand up to their ef-
orts at recruiting me as a spy."
As soon z!s I had signed "the
tatement, Bennett . took me
ome. I was relieved, for I
bought that somehow I had
ritten "finis" to my career in
spionage.
The next few weeks went by
eacefully. ' crossed into East
erlin every day, unmolested
y anyone. The East German
11inistry of Culture was on the
I ne, telling me that the date
r 'my concert in Dresden had
een set. A few days later, I
her reason for me to contact lied the en;;agement. After the
him, and asked him -,u lnat ton urtain closed, I went back to
xplained that this was l I of as a cu?:umber-was Khed-
Approved For Release 2000/08/27 : Cl
money which the Russ.;ans
e
751
OR08 49R000
}R 0410002-5
I decided t thins had gone
 Approved For Release 2000/08/27 : CIA-RDP75-00149R000300410002-5
CPYRGHT
-
"You sing beautifully," hell(
I,
I ea "information." I y halked. He j?
persisted. "I know you are a
times things happen which can't '
be helped." Then he startedl,
telling mG about persons who
had dropped dead in the streets
of New York," and intimated
,that his country had along
ex-ecutive arm. Though he never
'spoke a direct threat, his in-
ference became crystal clear
1whe.n he started asking me so-'
. 1icitousiy about my mother,.
then 70, but still practicing.
(
medicine in New York.
I was frantic with_ worry.
`Somcho :,, I had to, get out of
this mes:
Fthe motions of making frequent
visits to U. S. headquarters in
!West Berlin, bringing Khedrov
11
"
reports
on the activities of
my-imaginary-friends. All the.
time, T was feverishly seeking
an "but" which would convince
even Khedrov that I could be
of no further use to him as a
spy.
Then I had an inspiration:
I was being "questioned" by an ?--
"American intelligence agent"
named "Mr. Smith," who want-
ed to know "whether I had met
.any Russians in East Berlin.
With the CIA in the picture, I.
was sure, Khedrov would have
no further use for me. The idea
seemed fool-proof.
It turned out to be the most
disastrous mistake I could have
made.
When I told Khedrov of "Mr.
Smith," his eyes ]it up and he.
said: "Splendid, Gabriele! Now'
we're getting somewhere. Your
next step is to make Mr. Smith'
nterested in you as a possible
agent. I'm sure he will wont to
recruit you. Then you can report
to us what the other side is up
to.''
I had jumped from the frying
pan into the fire;
(Next: How I Fooled
my Spymaster with
(Home-Made "Secrets").
Approved For Release 2000/08/27 : CIA-RDP75-00149R000300410002-5