Elli Barczatis

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Elli Helene Barczatis (born January 7, 1912 in Berlin ; † November 23, 1955 in Dresden ) was chief secretary of GDR Prime Minister Otto Grotewohl from April 1950 to January 1953 . Because of espionage , it was in 1955 together with her lover Karl Laurenz executed .

Life

Elli Barczatis was born in Berlin in 1912 as the daughter of a master tailor. From 1918 to 1926 she first attended elementary school in Berlin and then completed an apprenticeship as a clerk at the Banzhaff publishing house by 1928. She then worked as a typist at the Karl Block bookstore in Berlin until 1929 . She joined the union federation of employees in 1929 and acquired the upper secondary qualification in evening classes by 1933 . She then worked as a shorthand typist for the German Labor Front , the Reichsbund der Metallwarenindustrie, the German Institute for Youth Welfare, the East Elbe Brown Coal Syndicate and the Luftschutzbund until 1945 .

After the war she joined the FDGB in 1945 and the SED in 1946 . Barczatis was also a member of the Society for German-Soviet Friendship and the Democratic Women's Association of Germany . She worked as a typist and secretary for various companies before she was hired as secretary by Gustav Sobottka , President of the Central Administration of the Fuel Industry (colloquially known as “coal”) in January 1946 . There she met her future partner, Karl Laurenz. On April 4, 1950, Barczatis changed to the GDR Prime Minister Otto Grotewohl as chief secretary and attended the district party school in 1951. In January 1953, she resigned from the Prime Minister's position and attended a qualification course at the “Walter Ulbricht” administration academy . From June 1953 until her arrest in March 1955, she worked again as the main clerk and consultant in the economics department for the Prime Minister of the GDR. She lived with her mother and sister Herta at Rudower Strasse 52 ( Berlin-Köpenick ).

Suspicion of espionage

On June 26, 1951, the Ministry for State Security (MfS) opened the group case “New Year's Eve” against Elli Barczatis and Karl Laurenz. From then on, both were under strict observation by the MfS. The starting point was a suspicion reported by the former colleague Johanna Lexow to the central administration of the fuel industry that Elli Barczatis had conspiratorially with a "coal" on December 20, 1950 between 3:30 pm and 6:00 pm in the pastry shop of the HO -Gaststätte Leipziger-, corner of Friedrichstraße Met a disgraced man known as a womanizer named Karl Laurenz while handling files. Lexow found the process particularly irritating that Laurenz did not deal with his previous girlfriend from the “Coal Administration”, “Miss. Rettschlag ”, but with a new one, which had also been active in the“ coal ”high up. She reported this to her office a few days later, from where the information was sent to the State Security. From then on, the Stasi ran Johanna Lexow under the code name "Grünspan".

The affair with Karl Laurenz

Karl Laurenz had been Elli Barczatis' lover since the end of 1949. In 1950 the SED excluded him for “behavior that was harmful to the party”, in 1951 he was imprisoned for “favoring prisoners” and then worked as a journalist and translator. Since 1952 at the latest, he has also worked with the Gehlen Organization , the predecessor of the Federal Intelligence Service . Elli Barczatis, who, as Otto Grotewohl's confidante, had access to secret documents, passed them on to Laurenz, believing that Laurenz needed them for his journalistic work.

Laurenz met regularly, occasionally together with Elli Barczatis, in the western sector of Berlin with the Gehlen contact Clemens Laby , where Barczatis met Laby personally, but supposedly knew nothing about his agent activities. At the Federal German secret service, the process ran under the code name "Daisy". Over the years Laurenz received several thousand marks for the transmission of messages and used them to give his lover large and small gifts, from chocolates to radio receivers.

Sluggish investigation

The investigations had already started in January 1951, but delivered hardly any useful results by the end of 1954. Often the trail was lost when shading, because Elli Barczatis took the S-Bahn to the western sector of Berlin. Telephone monitoring and the interception of letters also provided no evidence of agent activity. The transfer succeeded with documents that an MfS employee had prepared and that Barczatis unauthorized took from the minister's safe. She later admitted that she took the documents home to show to Laurenz, but the facts could never be proven.

arrest

The arrest, originally planned for December 8, 1954, was postponed. On March 4, 1955, Elli Barczatis was arrested when leaving the Ministry and Karl Laurenz when leaving his house and taken to the People's Police - Inspection Berlin-Lichtenberg . This was followed by six months' remand in Berlin-Hohenschönhausen . There Laurenz was interrogated by Lieutenant Gerhard Niebling and Barczatis, initially by Lieutenant Karli Coburger and from March 23, 1955 by Niebling. Laurenz - initially confessed - later refused to testify and compared the state security with the National Socialist security service and the Gestapo , until the hour-long night-time interrogations against him were discontinued. Although the Stasi played the two off against each other, Laurenz tried to exonerate his lover, but in vain. Barczatis collapsed after several hours of interrogation, fully confessed, and showed remorse.

Trial and Execution

On June 17, 1955, the investigations were concluded with the recommendation that the main hearing be held in camera. This took place on a single day, September 23, 1955, in Berlin-Mitte in front of the 1st Criminal Senate chaired by Judge Walter Ziegler . Neither Barczatis nor Laurenz had a defense attorney. In addition to the accused, the court and the public prosecutor, only MfS officers sat in the courtroom. The process is said to have lasted 14 hours, around 320 minutes have been handed down as an audio document. Although the original recommendation was life imprisonment , both defendants were sentenced to death on September 23 for " boycotting " under Article 6 of the GDR constitution . It was the eighth and ninth death sentences in 1955 in this court. The mercy petitions rejected GDR president Wilhelm Pieck on November 11.

Both judgments were carried out on November 23, 1955 in the central execution site of the GDR in the Dresden I remand prison using the guillotine and the bodies cremated. On October 12, 1955, the Stasi officially closed the "New Year's Eve" case.

The public did not find out about the trial, verdict, and execution until months later. In the spring of 1956, the relatives did not know anything about the whereabouts of Barczatis and Laurenz. Elli's younger sister, Herta Barczatis, told a New York Times reporter on March 7 that she had learned that her sister had been sentenced to death as a "spy for the United States" and that she "suspected" she had been executed.

Evaluation and legal processing

While the GDR press was not allowed to report on the Barczatis case (the trial was kept secret), it announced the successful arrest of more than 1,000 Western spies as part of a major exposure. Most of them weren't spies, just instruments of politics.

The assessment of the intelligence service value of Elli Barczatis for the Federal Republic is inconsistent. On the one hand, Barczatis is described as an important agent; the former BND boss Reinhard Gehlen even called Elli Barczatis in his memoirs published in 1971 "one of the first important connections in the other part of Germany" and thanked her - whom she knew nothing about the cooperation - for her "dedicated and successful work". On the other hand, most of the facts discussed in court, which Barczatis provided about Karl Laurenz to Gehlen's service, were a few days later, some of them before in the newspapers in East and West or were broadcast on the "radio in the American sector" RIAS . The majority of the information concerned announced visits to Grotewohl - facts that were largely known in West Germany. Information about problems in GDR companies (such as delivery bottlenecks for certain raw materials) as well as problems with feeding the population was probably of higher intelligence value. According to Barczatis' testimony in court, for example, there was dissatisfaction among the Dresden bakers at Christmas 1953:

“My official job was to check whether the supply of the so-called Christmas plate - that was before Christmas 1953 -, that is, the supply of the population with tropical fruits, raisins and almonds, was assured. The planned, planned quantities had been received, but there had been planning errors insofar as it was precisely in this circle that local conditions had not been considered in this circle, especially in this circle in which the Dresdner Stolle is baked, the infinite amount Raisins needed, yes, no one thought about it and assigned the same amount of raisins to this district, this district as other districts, where these traditions are not common. "

The associate judge Helene Heymann (at the time of the trial Helene Kleine) had to answer in 1995 for manslaughter , deprivation of liberty and perversion of justice before the Berlin regional court . She was sentenced to five years ' imprisonment for knowingly imposing excessive sentences , which was suspended.

Elli Barczatis was criminally rehabilitated on November 28, 2006 by the Berlin Regional Court .

Original documents

State Security observation protocol February 8-10, 1951
Elli Barczatis, Stasi observation protocol

" Observations . From 8.2.51 to 12.2.51 observations were carried out by Department VIII with the following results:
On 8.2.1951 - 6:55 p.m. - Barczatis leaves the official seat and goes through the following streets: Prinz-Albrecht-Str., Stresemannstr., Potsdamer Platz S-Bahn station. 7:05 p.m. she gets on the train in the direction of Stahnsdorf. As the next station was in the west sector, the observation was broken off.
On 9.2.1951 - Barczatis leaves the official seat at 17.43 and talks to the driver of the car BMW, GB-066-411, who was parked in front of the official seat. 17.47 the property climbs into the above-mentioned car together with a gentleman and a lady who came out of the entrance of the funding committee. The car leaves the official headquarters at 5:48 p.m. through the Leipziger Strasse exit. 5:55 p.m. the observation was broken off.
On 9.2.1951 - from the Spindlersfeld S-Bahn station - 7.23 p.m. - the property leaves the train from the direction of Schönweide and goes down Bahnhofstrasse. along, crosses Oberspreestr. and turns into Westendstr. and go on to Rudower-Str. - 7:29 pm she enters the house at Rudower-Str. 52. "

- Source : BStU MfS 57/56 Volume 1, p. 89f. Typewriter document. Excerpt from the days 8 and 9 February 1951. All typographical peculiarities and errors have been taken from the original protocol.
Opening of the official investigation "New Year's Eve" June 26, 1951
The MfS opens the espionage file "Sylvester"

"German Democratic Republic. Ministry of State Security. Decision on the creation of a group event Gr.V.44/51. Berlin, June 26th, 1951. About: Miss Barczatis Elli, birthday 7.1.1912, place of birth Berlin, home address Berlin Köpenik [street name blacked out by BStU]
The Barczatis, today's secretary at Mr. Grotewohl's, was observed as she was in the HO restaurant Leipzigerstr. Under suspicious circumstances, handed over a bundle of files to a Mr. Laurenz, with whom she was previously employed in the coal headquarters. Laurens was a member of the SED and was expelled. He makes himself suspicious by trying to establish relationships with female employees. In connection with this, Barczatis / Laurenz / Rettschlag, who is suspected of belonging to an agent activity, has to set up a group process and take the necessary measures. The process is to be carried out in the recording and statistics department under the name Sylvester .
[signed] The employee: Böhm. The leader: chaste. Confirmed 6/28/51 Mielke "

- Source : BStU MfS 57/56 Volume 1, p. 67f. Typewriter document. All typographical peculiarities and errors have been taken from the original protocol.
State Security telephone surveillance report April 21, 1953
Telephone monitoring of Laurenz and Barczatis

"Main Department S.
Berlin, April 21, 1953. Ref .: 168/73 Bg X / 6
Report on a conversation between a gentleman from Potsdam and a lady on April 16, 1953 at 7:25 p.m.
The gentleman asks the lady how she is doing.
She then says that you wrote your exam paper today. She would have felt really sick with excitement. So she would be in Grünau on Saturday at 3:45 p.m. She asks if they wanted to go straight away, or if she should bring the bag home first and where they would then meet. The Lord says that they should go straight ahead and that they wanted to meet in the Mole (or a similar word). The lady says that they would rather meet at the tram.
Then the gentleman says that if it should rain, then he would go to the community center.
The lady agrees and asks him to get her a small pack of Otalgan for a friend.
The Lord asks if this is here or there.
The lady says it is there.
The Lord says everything would be clear then.
Then the lady says again that they would either meet at the tram or in bad weather in the society house in the society house.
They say goodbye to each other.
[signed] Lieutenant Colonel "

- Source : BStU MfS 57/56 Volume 2, p. 136. Typewriter document. All typographical peculiarities and errors have been taken from the original protocol.
Indicted July 16, 1955
Indictment by the GDR public prosecutor von Laurenz and Barczatis, 1955

"The Attorney General of the German Democratic Republic
- I a 27/55
Berlin, July 16, 1955
To the Supreme Court of the German Democratic Republic
- I. Criminal Senate -
Berlin N4, Scharnhorststr. 34
Indictment
I am indicting:
1) Laurenz, Karl, b. on 9/11/1905 in Brno, profession: lawyer and journalist, most recently working as a freelance translator, resident: Berlin-Pankow [street blackened from BStU], nationality: German, criminal record: 5 months imprisonment for favoritism, in this matter in custody since 5.3.1955
2) Barczatis, Elli, Helene, b. on 7.1.1912 in Berlin, occupation: commercial clerk, most recently as a consultant in the office of the Presidium of the Council of Ministers of the GDR, resident: Berlin - Köpenick, [street blackened by BStU], nationality: German, criminal record: none, in the matter in Imprisonment since March 5, 1955
[Pages 2 and 3, not shown here:]
Both of the accused are guilty of the most serious crimes against the German people. They acted on behalf of the Gehlen espionage organization and served the American and German imperialists as henchmen in their criminal efforts to deepen the division of Germany and to unleash a new war. They are enemies of the working class and the German Democratic Republic.
[...] I apply
1. to open the main proceedings before the first criminal division of the Supreme Court of the German Democratic Republic,
2. to schedule a date for the main hearing in camera,
3. to decide on the continuation of pre-trial detention. "

- Source : BStU MfS AU 406/55, Volume 3, p. 38ff. Typewriter document. All typographical peculiarities and errors are taken from the original document.
Death sentences September 23, 1955
Death sentences against Laurenz and Barczatis, 1955

“Supreme Court of the German Democratic Republic
1. Criminal
Senate 1 Zst (I) 7/55
In the name of the people In the criminal case against 1. Laurenz, Karl [...], 2. Barczatis, Elli, Helene [...]
because of Crimes against Article 6 of the Constitution of the German Democratic Republic by the 1st Criminal Senate in the session of September 23, 1955, which were attended by:
Vice-President Ziegler as Chairman, Chief Justice Dr. Löwenthal, Chief Justice Ms. Kleine as the associate judge, Public Prosecutor Lindner as the representative of the Attorney General of the German Democratic Republic, Chief Clerk Klenke as the recorder,
recognized for the law: The following are sentenced to death for crimes against Article 6 of the Constitution of the German Democratic Republic:
the accused Laurenz who
have favourited B arczatis to death.
The defendants have to bear the costs of the proceedings.
Reasons [...]"

- Source : BStU MfS AU 406/55, volume 3, p. 132. Typewriter document, photocopy of the copy. All typographical peculiarities and errors are taken from the original document.
Execution record of the execution on November 23, 1955
Protocol of the execution of Elli Barczatis

“Remand Prison I Dresden, George-Bähr-Str. 5
Dresden, 11.23.1955
enforcement protocol
in the criminal case against B arczatis, Elli born, 7.1.1912, sentenced to death by the Supreme Court of the GDR, 1st Criminal Senate, for crimes against Article 6 of the Constitution of the GDR on September 23, 1955, on November 22, 1955 after finding the identity of persons at 10:00 p.m.,
Gen. Public Prosecutor J ahnke as representative of the General Prosecutor
in the presence of the Gen. VP.-Rat J onak as representative of the enforcement authority.
The condemned was informed that her petition for clemency was rejected and that the execution will take place on November 23, 1955 in the morning hours.
The condemned woman took the announcement calmly and asked if she could write to her relatives. She also asked for tobacco products. Both wishes were granted to her.
The convict spent the night smoking and writing. She was calm and did not cause any trouble.
At 2.55 am, she was handcuffed and her neck hair cut short. Then she was brought to the execution room at around 3 a.m., where the director of the institution in the presence of Gen. Chief physician Dr. Skrobeck was briefly pronounced the verdict and then handed it over to the executioner.
The execution took about 3 seconds.
After all the required papers had been completed, the corpse was transported in the VP's own vehicle. brought to the Tolkewitz crematorium with the district attorney's certificate of release and the cremation in the presence of Gen. VP.Hwm. Bachmann completed.
as representative of the public prosecutor general [signature] Jahnke, public prosecutor
as representative of the enforcement authority [signature] Jonak, VP.-Rat "

- Source : BStU MfS AU 406/55, volume 3, p. 140. Typewriter document. All typographical peculiarities and errors have been taken from the original protocol.

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c See Helmut Müller-Enbergs:  Barczatis, Helene (Elli) . In: Who was who in the GDR? 5th edition. Volume 1. Ch. Links, Berlin 2010, ISBN 978-3-86153-561-4 .
  2. ↑ a b cf. Silvia Oberhack / Katri Jurichs / Elke Steinbach: The tones of the state security - the audio transmission of the MfS (PDF, 676 kB), in: Info 7, 2/2010, pp. 10-13, here p. 3.
  3. ↑ Acknowledgment of receipt "received from Gen. Steinbeck “on January 10, 1951. BStU ZA, MfS AOP 57/56, p. 14.
  4. ↑ Clemens Laby (* November 22, 1900, † unknown) is unknown to the archives of the Federal Intelligence Service (status: end of 2011). However, he was mentioned in several criminal trials in the GDR in the 1950s, always as a contact for Western secret services. See BStU files MfS HA IX / Tb / 2166-2188, MfS AOP 77/53, MfS AU 406/55.
  5. ↑ This is supported by several statements by Laurenz during interrogations and in court that Laby had explicitly wanted to recruit Elli Barczatis, but he (Laurenz) prevented this "in order to protect her".
  6. ↑ Cf. Gessler, Philipp: Die teuren Diener , in: taz of June 29, 2002.
  7. ↑ BStU , ZA, MfS AU 406/55, p. 92: Opening resolution “The date for the main hearing is on September 23, 1955, before. 9.00 a.m. Bl. [For Berlin], d. September 16, 1955 ".
  8. ↑ See Staadt, Jochen: Gänseblümchens Tod , in: Frankfurter Allgemeine, April 11, 2001, Berliner Seiten, p. 3.
  9. ↑ "A girl who for almost five years was chief secretary to Otto Grotewohl, East German Premier, has been sentenced to death as a United States spy, her sister reported today. [...] Elli is said to have been on friendly terms with both Herr Grotewohl and his wife, and to have been a frequent guest in their home. Personal letters to Elli, apparently from the Premier and Frau Grotewohl, have been brought to West Berlin. "- New York Times, March 8, 1956.
  10. ^ See museum magazine online: Top Secret: 50 Years of the Federal Intelligence Service.
  11. ↑ cf. Hermann Zölling, Heinz Höhne: Pullach internally . In: Der Spiegel . No. 17 , 1971, p. 156 ( online - April 19, 1971 , This article identifies Barczatis as an important agent, but contains some errors and is often exaggerated.).
  12. ↑ Reinhard Gehlen : The service. Memories 1942–1971 , Munich 1971, p. 201.
  13. ↑ A lack of raw materials in industrial production in the GDR was a central issue in other "espionage cases" such as that of Otto Fleischer .
  14. ↑ See Berliner Zeitung of January 17, 1995: Six people died under the guillotine.
  15. ↑ See Berliner Zeitung of March 31, 1995: Punishments that were knowingly too high.
  16. ↑ Regional Court Berlin, business number (551 Rh), 3 Js 322/06 (331/06).
  17. ↑ Gertrud Rettschlag was Karl Laurenz's lover before he met Elli Barczatis.
personal data
SURNAME Barczatis, Elli
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Barczatis, Elli Helene (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German agent, Otto Grotewohl's secretary sentenced to death for espionage
DATE OF BIRTH January 7, 1912
PLACE OF BIRTH Berlin
DATE OF DEATH November 23, 1955
Place of death Dresden