Moscow Centre
Encyclopedia
Moscow Centre is a nickname used by John le Carré
for the Moscow central headquarters of the KGB
, especially those departments concerned with foreign espionage
and counterintelligence. It arises from use by Soviet officers themselves, and le Carré probably just utilised the nickname to gain greater credibility for his books.
The part of Moscow Centre most often referred to in le Carré's novels is the fictional Thirteenth Directorate headed by Karla
, the code name for a case officer who has risen and fallen from political favour several times and was at one point 'blown' by the British in the 1950s. Karla and George Smiley
meet while Karla is in prison in Delhi at this time, with Smiley trying to persuade Karla to defect during an interrogation in which Karla gave away nothing. Karla refused these advances and eventually returned to favour in the USSR, masterminding the Witchcraft/Source Merlin operations supporting the mole
Gerald in the Circus. Karla possesses a cigarette lighter given to Smiley by his wife Lady Ann; he took this during Smiley's interrogation.
In Smiley's People
, a murder in London sets in motion a chain of events that lead to the defection of Karla; it is implied that without him, Moscow Centre will be considerably weakened.
Karla was played in the TV adaptation of the novels by Patrick Stewart
.
John le Carré
David John Moore Cornwell , who writes under the name John le Carré, is an author of espionage novels. During the 1950s and the 1960s, Cornwell worked for MI5 and MI6, and began writing novels under the pseudonym "John le Carré"...
for the Moscow central headquarters of the KGB
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
, especially those departments concerned with foreign espionage
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
and counterintelligence. It arises from use by Soviet officers themselves, and le Carré probably just utilised the nickname to gain greater credibility for his books.
The part of Moscow Centre most often referred to in le Carré's novels is the fictional Thirteenth Directorate headed by Karla
Karla (fictional character)
Karla is a fictional character in several novels by John le Carré. A Soviet Intelligence officer, he most often appears as a distant antagonist of George Smiley...
, the code name for a case officer who has risen and fallen from political favour several times and was at one point 'blown' by the British in the 1950s. Karla and George Smiley
George Smiley
George Smiley is a fictional character created by John le Carré. Smiley is an intelligence officer working for MI6 , the British overseas intelligence agency...
meet while Karla is in prison in Delhi at this time, with Smiley trying to persuade Karla to defect during an interrogation in which Karla gave away nothing. Karla refused these advances and eventually returned to favour in the USSR, masterminding the Witchcraft/Source Merlin operations supporting the mole
Mole (espionage)
A mole is a spy who works for an enemy nation, but whose loyalty ostensibly lies with his own nation's government. In some usage, a mole differs from a defector in that a mole is a spy before gaining access to classified information, while a defector becomes a spy only after gaining access...
Gerald in the Circus. Karla possesses a cigarette lighter given to Smiley by his wife Lady Ann; he took this during Smiley's interrogation.
In Smiley's People
Smiley's People
Smiley's People is a spy novel by John le Carré, published in 1979. Featuring British master-spy George Smiley, it is the third and final novel of the "Karla Trilogy", following Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and The Honourable Schoolboy...
, a murder in London sets in motion a chain of events that lead to the defection of Karla; it is implied that without him, Moscow Centre will be considerably weakened.
Karla was played in the TV adaptation of the novels by Patrick Stewart
Patrick Stewart
Sir Patrick Hewes Stewart, OBE is an English film, television and stage actor, who has had a distinguished career in theatre and television for around half a century...
.