CASSIA Spy Ring in World War II Austria

C. Turner’s 25-year career in foreign affairs included postings in the Far East, South Asia, and Europe. Before serving in the government, he conducted anthropological fieldwork in Asia, Oceania, and North America.

“Fills a gap in OSS history. It is well-documented and should be of interest to all those concerned with the OSS in WWII.”—Studies in Intelligence; “Well-researched…a riveting account of an OSS operation gone wrong…[Turner] gives us a scholarly work that reads like a spy novel rather than an academic study…a solid case study of an early intelligence operation”—Military Review; “A gripping story of forgotten heroes, and a must read for anyone interested in the early days of spies and espionage.”— Against the Grain ; “Turner lifts the veil on [the Cassia] operation with research and deep analysis from an extensive array of never-before used primary sources...deftly recounts the multinational Cassia team’s heroic exploits... With panoramic descriptions of the infamous Gestapo headquarters and detention center, Turner tells this intriguing and inspiring narrative with the highest attention to detail. Turner transports the reader, making us feel we’re among the key Cassia operatives.... [Turner is] a substantive expert in the history and practice of intelligence...the lessons about agent handling and communications are valuable in their own right...eloquently recounts how OSS officers refined the art of spy craft by learning from their successes and failures...Turner has done a great service to the memories of the valiant men and women of Cassia, who made such an extraordinary contribution to the war effort of the U.S. and allied forces against Nazi Germany.”—The Cipher Brief; “With this volume, Turner proves himself to be not only an accomplished researcher and interpreter with an eye to detail and accuracy, but also a preeminent expert on the secret service milieu and on the craft of espionage.  ...Increasing public awareness about these courageous people’s sacrifices…is another reason why Turner's work is an important contribution to the history of the Austrian resistance—to be added to those by other foreign researchers such as Joseph E. Persico, Radomir V. Luza, Barry Rubin, and Charles Fenyvesi.  ...In his smooth writing style, C. Turner painstakingly traces the resistance activities of each member of the [CASSIA] group.” —Dr. Siegfried Beer, Journal for Intelligence, Propaganda and Security Studies.

• Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsPrefaceIntroductionDramatis PersonaeComments on TerminologyPart One: The Communion of Nightfall1. The Student2. The Priest3. The Communist4. The MusicianPart Two: The Confession of Splinters5. The Merchant6. Intelligence Esoterica—A Brief Analysis of Intelligence Reporting on Peenemünde7. The Forester8. The Associate9. The Middleman10. The Handler11. Intelligence Esoterica—A Closer Look at CASSIA’s Intelligence Reporting12. The Snitch13. The Policeman14. The SoldiersPart Three: The Eulogy of Triumph15. The Professional16. The Mole17. The Arrests18. Intelligence Esoterica—Analysis of the Order of Arrests19. The Hotel and the Prison20. The Interrogations21. The Executions22. The Opposition23. The Survivors24. The Actor and the ArchitectPart Four: The Benediction of Tragedy25. Operational Analysis—CASSIA26. Operational Analysis—OSS27. The CodaAfterwordAppendix I: ­Gestapo-Vienna Final Report on the Interrogations of Heinrich MaierAppendix II: Contact Between CASSIA and the British in Istanbul in 1943Appendix III: Background on the Austrian Committee of Liberation and Memorandum of Agreement Between CASSIA and OSSChapter NotesBibliographyIndex