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June 2007

The Kardinal and Mavr Case. Folder 94. The Chekist Anthology.

[Translation unavailable. See original. Detailed summary below.]

In this entry, Mitrokhin draws upon KGB files to describe "Kardinal" (formerly "Lord")-Lothar Schwartz (b. 1928), a member of the Socialist Democratic Party of Germany, and a citizen of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG).

Kardinal's work as a KGB operative began in 1970 when the latter was recruited by KGB agent "Mavr" Moorfon Shamie. Throughout his tenure with the KGB, Kardinal maintained ties with agents Emke, Vishnevskii, Fooks, and Mishnikov. Kardinal provided the KGB with intelligence regarding West German Chancellor Willie Brandt's visit to the Soviet Union, and Brandt's intention of pressing General Secretary of the Soviet Union, Leonid Brezhnev on issues concerning West Germany and the internal problems within the USSR. Amongst other things, Kardinal also notified the KGB of the details of a meeting between Brandt, Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir, and Chilean President Salvador Allende, and Brandt's suggestion regarding the turning of events in Portugal.

According to the entry, in 1974 the KGB presented Kardinal with a gift of 877 rubles. In 1975, Kardinal was given $5,000, which was transferred to him by KGB operative M.S Skorik ("Vlas"). By 1976, Kardinal was given another $5,000, in addition to a gift of 11,635 deutschmarks he received in 1977.

Mitrokhin's summary of KGB documents indicates that "Mavr" Moorfan Shamie had been the head of "Aleinsfilm," a West German film studio. An investigation into Mavr's work had revealed that regardless of his ten-year collaboration with the KGB, Mavr did not help the KGB branch in the German Democratic Republic (GDR) infiltrate enemy intelligence agencies.

An analysis of the information received by the KGB from Kardinal led the KGB leadership to come to the conclusion that the evidence provided by Kardinal did not reveal more than what had been presented to the public by the West German press. Moreover, Kardinal's findings had been too general, and often bordered on disinformation. Kardinal's behavior indicated that he acted in agreement with Mavr.

Mitrokhin concludes the entry by stating that the KGB consequently relieved Mavr from his agency duties, and severed all ties with Kardinal.


 

In this entry, Mitrokhin draws upon KGB files to describe “Kardinal” (formerly “Lord”)-Lothar Schwartz (b. 1928), a member of the Socialist Democratic Party of Germany, and a citizen of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG).

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Contributed to CWIHP by Vasili Mitrokhin.

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2011-11-20

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110784