German Spy Network in Neutral Norway
By Jamie Bisher
Baron Walter von Rautenfels
State sponsorship of Baron von Rosen's 1916 anthrax mission became apparent with the apprehension of Baron Friedrich Walter von Rautenfels, a German diplomatic courier. Baron von Rautenfels had an unusual background for a German intelligence operative. He appears to have been an ethnic German born in the Russian Duchy of Finland in July 18, 1870, and had served as a lieutenant in the Russian Imperial Guard. The world war found von Rautenfels in the German intelligence service, spying in Stockholm under the alias Walter von Gerich. He was also known as Harald Broms, Herr Stromberg and Herr Jansson. Using a German diplomatic passport, von Rautenfels smuggled explosives into Norway that were cached at Kirkenes, Bodo, Narvik, Trondheim and Bergen. On his return trips to Berlin, he smuggled butter, eggs and other precious foods made scarce by the Allied blockade. His espionage career ended the morning of June 16, 1917.
Shortly before his arrest, Norwegian authorities had boldly approved the request of their counterintelligence service (Opdagelsespolitiet) to defy the diplomatic sanctity of von Rautenfels' sealed luggage and inspect it at Christiania (now Oslo) railway station. The Norwegian police notified the German Legation to have a representative present to witness the examination of the luggage. Of course, the German Minister protested strongly against the breaking of the seals, and dispatched an attache, Prince zu Wied to protest in person, though the prince left before the embarrassing moment when the luggage was opened to reveal "...a large supply of bombs, percussion heads, poisoned sugar [containing vials of anthrax] and apparatus for destroying machinery."
Von Rautenfels had been allowed to proceed to Christiania's Grand Hotel. Norwegian Secret Police officer Redvald Larssen roused him from his bed there to arrest him. "At first he denied everything and warned the Norwegian police to not touch him nor his luggage under penalty of suitable reprisals at the hands of the German Imperial Foreign Office," stated a U.S. intelligence report. "However, he was told to re-enter his bed--after it had been thoroughly examined; was ordered to put on his clothes piece by piece after examination... In short, he was handled without gloves and finally broke down and confessed that he was a German spy..."
Von Rautenfels had been allowed to proceed to Christiania's Grand Hotel. Norwegian Secret Police officer Redvald Larssen roused him from his bed there to arrest him. "At first he denied everything and warned the Norwegian police to not touch him nor his luggage under penalty of suitable reprisals at the hands of the German Imperial Foreign Office," stated a U.S. intelligence report. "However, he was told to re-enter his bed--after it had been thoroughly examined; was ordered to put on his clothes piece by piece after examination... In short, he was handled without gloves and finally broke down and confessed that he was a German spy..."
The explosives transported into Norway by von Rautenfels were primarily intended to sabotage ships sailing from Bergen to the U.S.
Below is von Rautenfels diplomatic passport, issued to him by the German Foreign Ministry.
Below is von Rautenfels diplomatic passport, issued to him by the German Foreign Ministry.
Agents of the German Network in Norway
Six months after von Rautenfels' arrest, Norway put the German spy network on trial January 26, 1918. The German intelligence operatives who were exposed included:
William Isidor Persson - Persson was the German's primary agent in Christiania. He was born in Russian-occupied Finland of Swedish parents. His aliases included Willy Bill, William Brander, William Berntson, William Pettersen, and Erik Ramfeldt. He got 6 years in the penitentiary.
Hjalmar Wirtanen - Wirtanen was a Finnish tailor who had served as a volunteer in the German Army's Ausbildungstruppe Lockstedt, whose ranks were filled with nationalist Finns.
Waino Ilmari Pessonen - Pessonen, alias Bjorkmann and Sahlin, was born July 28, 1891, in Helsingfors (Helsinki). He got 2 years in the penitentiary.
William Isidor Persson - Persson was the German's primary agent in Christiania. He was born in Russian-occupied Finland of Swedish parents. His aliases included Willy Bill, William Brander, William Berntson, William Pettersen, and Erik Ramfeldt. He got 6 years in the penitentiary.
Hjalmar Wirtanen - Wirtanen was a Finnish tailor who had served as a volunteer in the German Army's Ausbildungstruppe Lockstedt, whose ranks were filled with nationalist Finns.
Waino Ilmari Pessonen - Pessonen, alias Bjorkmann and Sahlin, was born July 28, 1891, in Helsingfors (Helsinki). He got 2 years in the penitentiary.
Johannes Søhr
Johannes Søhr, Norway's counterintelligence chief (Opdagelsessjef) was decorated for his success with Norway's Order of Saint Olav (Knight First Class), Sweden's Order of the Polar Star, France's Legion of Honor (Knight), Holland's Order of Orange-Nassau (Officer), and Great Britain's Order of the British Empire and Royal Victorian Order. His law enforcement career continued two decades more as an investigator and chief. In 1938, he published a detailed, illustrated account of his counterspy experiences titled Spioner og bomber: Fra opdagelsespolitiets arbeide under verdenskrigen . He passed away in 1949 at the age of 81 years old.