Flora Wovschin
Encyclopedia
Flora Don Wovschin was a Soviet spy who later renounced her American citizenship.
She was born in New York City
. Her mother was Maria Wicher
and her stepfather was Enos Wicher. She attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison
, Columbia University
and Barnard College
. At Barnard, she was active in the American Students Union and may have been a member of American Youth for Democracy. She attended Barnard with Marion Davis Berdecio
and Judith Coplon
, both of whom Wovschin later recruited into service for the NKVD
.
From 9 September 1943 to 20 February 1945, she worked in the Office of War Information, then transferred to the United States Department of State. She resigned from the State Department 20 September 1945. Wovschin acted as courier between Judith Coplon
and Soviet intelligence. Wovschin transmitted to the Soviet Union the information that the Americans had somehow become aware of NKVD internal codenames for various American institutions, including CLUB, HOUSE, BANK and CABARET, as used in the NKVD's most secret communications.
After the war, she renounced her American citizenship and travelled to the Soviet Union
where she married a Soviet engineer. An FBI counterintelligence report on Wovschin has a hand written note in the margin stating she may have died serving as a nurse in North Korea
. Her code name in Soviet intelligence and in the Venona project
is "Zora".
She was born in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Her mother was Maria Wicher
Maria Wicher
Maria Wicher was married to Professor Enos Wicher and was the mother of Flora Wovschin. The family were all spies for the Soviet Union during the 1940s. Maria had previously been married to Dr. William A. Wovschin, Flora's father....
and her stepfather was Enos Wicher. She attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
, Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
and Barnard College
Barnard College
Barnard College is a private women's liberal arts college and a member of the Seven Sisters. Founded in 1889, Barnard has been affiliated with Columbia University since 1900. The campus stretches along Broadway between 116th and 120th Streets in the Morningside Heights neighborhood in the borough...
. At Barnard, she was active in the American Students Union and may have been a member of American Youth for Democracy. She attended Barnard with Marion Davis Berdecio
Marion Davis Berdecio
Marion Davis Berdecio born Marion Davis, and married to Roberto Berdecio.Marion Davis Berdecio worked on the staff of the Office of Naval Intelligence at the United States Embassy in Mexico City. She was allegedly recruited into Soviet intelligence accomplished during World War II along with...
and Judith Coplon
Judith Coplon
Judith Coplon Socolov was one of the first major figures tried in the United States for spying for the former Soviet Union; problems in her trials in 1949–50 had a profound influence on espionage prosecutions during the McCarthy era.-Work and arrest:Coplon obtained a job in the Department of...
, both of whom Wovschin later recruited into service for the NKVD
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
.
From 9 September 1943 to 20 February 1945, she worked in the Office of War Information, then transferred to the United States Department of State. She resigned from the State Department 20 September 1945. Wovschin acted as courier between Judith Coplon
Judith Coplon
Judith Coplon Socolov was one of the first major figures tried in the United States for spying for the former Soviet Union; problems in her trials in 1949–50 had a profound influence on espionage prosecutions during the McCarthy era.-Work and arrest:Coplon obtained a job in the Department of...
and Soviet intelligence. Wovschin transmitted to the Soviet Union the information that the Americans had somehow become aware of NKVD internal codenames for various American institutions, including CLUB, HOUSE, BANK and CABARET, as used in the NKVD's most secret communications.
After the war, she renounced her American citizenship and travelled to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
where she married a Soviet engineer. An FBI counterintelligence report on Wovschin has a hand written note in the margin stating she may have died serving as a nurse in North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
. Her code name in Soviet intelligence and in the Venona project
Venona project
The VENONA project was a long-running secret collaboration of the United States and United Kingdom intelligence agencies involving cryptanalysis of messages sent by intelligence agencies of the Soviet Union, the majority during World War II...
is "Zora".
