Rudy de Mérode
Encyclopedia
Rudy de Mérode, real name Frédéric Martin (1905, Silly-sur-Nied
, Moselle
- ?, probably in Spain) was a French collaborator during the German occupation of France in the Second World War.
and then in Germany, where he was recruited by the Abwehr
in 1928. In 1934 he participated in building works on the Maginot Line
and passed on the plans (to which he had access) to the German intelligence services. Unmasked as a spy in 1935, he was condemned in 1936 to 10 years in jail (which he served at the prison de Clairvaux) and 20 years' exile from France.
During the debacle of the Battle of France
, hundreds of thousands of prisoners roamed the roads of France. On 14 June, at Bar-sur-Aube
, a group of prisoners was evacuated from the central prison at Claivaux, including Rudy de Mérode and other spies, who all took advantage of the anarchy to escape and request help from the Germans.
In July 1940, he returned to Paris and set himself up at German military intelligence's HQ in the Hôtel Lutetia
. Attached to a supply office at 18 rue Pétrarque in Paris as a cover, he spied for the Abwehr alongside another SD
agent, the Dutchman Gédéon van Houten (called the baron d'Humières).
At first, he gathered intelligence via a team of thirty, under his orders, who he trained himself. Most of them were fugitives from justice, and he used them to gather equipment and buildings. His team requisitioned several apartments and hôtels particuliers under the cover of being French or (more often) German policemen.
His speciality was bank convoys, of money gathered from different sources or in the form of gold, jewels, art objects or ingots. In 1941, he set himself up at 70 boulevard Maurice Barrès in Neuilly-sur-Seine
, but van Houten and de Mérode separated after a disagreement in 1942.
With the aid of the DSK (Devisen Schütz Kommando) he opened bank vaults, buying gold and silver objects from their owners at a debased price or, if they refused to cooperate, having them deported. If the property belonged to Jews, it was entirely confiscated and the Gestapo had the owner imprisoned and often deported. The "gestapo de Neuilly" team confiscated over 4 tonnes of gold, and de Mérode's network accumulated enormous sums of silver and had over 500 people arrested and deported.
. At first setting himself up in Saint-Jean-de-Luz
, in mid 1945 he was initially to be found in San Sebastián
before reaching Madrid
, where he dubbed himself "the prince de Mérode". In 1953, he was still living in Spain, now 60 km north of Madrid in a brick-manufacturer. He was never brought to justice, and the date of his death remains unknown to this day.
Silly-sur-Nied
Silly-sur-Nied is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Moselle department...
, Moselle
Moselle
Moselle is a department in the east of France named after the river Moselle.- History :Moselle is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
- ?, probably in Spain) was a French collaborator during the German occupation of France in the Second World War.
Life
Originating in Luxemburg, his family emigrated to France and were naturalised as French citizens in the 1920s. He studied engineering in StrasbourgStrasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
and then in Germany, where he was recruited by the Abwehr
Abwehr
The Abwehr was a German military intelligence organisation from 1921 to 1944. The term Abwehr was used as a concession to Allied demands that Germany's post-World War I intelligence activities be for "defensive" purposes only...
in 1928. In 1934 he participated in building works on the Maginot Line
Maginot Line
The Maginot Line , named after the French Minister of War André Maginot, was a line of concrete fortifications, tank obstacles, artillery casemates, machine gun posts, and other defences, which France constructed along its borders with Germany and Italy, in light of its experience in World War I,...
and passed on the plans (to which he had access) to the German intelligence services. Unmasked as a spy in 1935, he was condemned in 1936 to 10 years in jail (which he served at the prison de Clairvaux) and 20 years' exile from France.
During the debacle of the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
, hundreds of thousands of prisoners roamed the roads of France. On 14 June, at Bar-sur-Aube
Bar-sur-Aube
Bar-sur-Aube is a commune of France in the Aube department, of which it is a sub-prefecture.-Population:The inhabitants of the commune are called Baralbains.-Culture:*Market every Saturday morning in the halls...
, a group of prisoners was evacuated from the central prison at Claivaux, including Rudy de Mérode and other spies, who all took advantage of the anarchy to escape and request help from the Germans.
In July 1940, he returned to Paris and set himself up at German military intelligence's HQ in the Hôtel Lutetia
Hôtel Lutetia
The Hôtel Lutetia, located at 45 Boulevard Raspail, in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés area of the 6th Arrondissement of Paris, is one of the best-known hotels on the Left Bank...
. Attached to a supply office at 18 rue Pétrarque in Paris as a cover, he spied for the Abwehr alongside another SD
Sicherheitsdienst
Sicherheitsdienst , full title Sicherheitsdienst des Reichsführers-SS, or SD, was the intelligence agency of the SS and the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany. The organization was the first Nazi Party intelligence organization to be established and was often considered a "sister organization" with the...
agent, the Dutchman Gédéon van Houten (called the baron d'Humières).
At first, he gathered intelligence via a team of thirty, under his orders, who he trained himself. Most of them were fugitives from justice, and he used them to gather equipment and buildings. His team requisitioned several apartments and hôtels particuliers under the cover of being French or (more often) German policemen.
His speciality was bank convoys, of money gathered from different sources or in the form of gold, jewels, art objects or ingots. In 1941, he set himself up at 70 boulevard Maurice Barrès in Neuilly-sur-Seine
Neuilly-sur-Seine
Neuilly-sur-Seine is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.Although Neuilly is technically a suburb of Paris, it is immediately adjacent to the city and directly extends it. The area is composed of mostly wealthy, select residential...
, but van Houten and de Mérode separated after a disagreement in 1942.
With the aid of the DSK (Devisen Schütz Kommando) he opened bank vaults, buying gold and silver objects from their owners at a debased price or, if they refused to cooperate, having them deported. If the property belonged to Jews, it was entirely confiscated and the Gestapo had the owner imprisoned and often deported. The "gestapo de Neuilly" team confiscated over 4 tonnes of gold, and de Mérode's network accumulated enormous sums of silver and had over 500 people arrested and deported.
Escape to Spain
At the start of 1944, the Abwehr charged him with secretly setting up an office in SpainSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. At first setting himself up in Saint-Jean-de-Luz
Saint-Jean-de-Luz
Saint-Jean-de-Luz is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.Saint-Jean-de-Luz is part of the province Basque of Labourd and the Basque Eurocity Bayonne - San Sebastian .-Geography:...
, in mid 1945 he was initially to be found in San Sebastián
San Sebastián
Donostia-San Sebastián is a city and municipality located in the north of Spain, in the coast of the Bay of Biscay and 20 km away from the French border. The city is the capital of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. The municipality’s population is 186,122 , and its...
before reaching Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, where he dubbed himself "the prince de Mérode". In 1953, he was still living in Spain, now 60 km north of Madrid in a brick-manufacturer. He was never brought to justice, and the date of his death remains unknown to this day.
See also
- Friedrich Berger
- Gédéon van Houten
- Henri LafontHenri LafontHenri Lafont, real name Henri Chamberlin was the head of the French Gestapo during the German occupation in World War II.-Sources:*Magazine Historia Hors Série n°26 1972 by Fabrice Laroche...
- Christian Masuy