Soldatensender Calais
Encyclopedia
Soldatensender Calais was a British
black propaganda
broadcaster during the Second World War operated by the Political Warfare Executive
. It pretended to be a station of the German military broadcasting network ("Soldiers' Radio Calais"). The station was in operation from October 24, 1943 to April 30, 1945, when it ceased operations.
Soldatensender Calais operated on the mediumwave band on 833 kHz (360 meters), 714 kHz (420 meters), and 612 kHz (490 meters), with an associated shortwave station Kurzwellensender Atlantik created to broadcast to U boat crews. The station used a 500 kilowatt transmitter originally built for American broadcaster WJZ
, in Newark, New Jersey
. This transmitter had lain unused at the factory after the United States Federal Communications Commission
imposed a 50 kW power limit on all U.S. stations, and so RCA
was glad to sell it overseas and the British Secret Service bought it for £165,000. Codenamed Aspidistra
, it was installed in a huge, underground bunker near Crowborough
in Sussex, England, where it was briefly the world's largest medium wave station, perfect for deceptive "black" operation.
Soldatensender Calais operated from 6 p.m. local time to dawn. Unlike its predecessor Gustav Siegfried Eins
the programmes were live from the purpose built broadcast studio at Milton Bryan
in Bedfordshire
and presented by Agnes Bernelle
using the codename "Vicky".
The method of propaganda
used by Soldatensender Calais was described by Sefton Delmer
its creator in his book, Black Boomerang, as "cover, cover, dirt, cover, dirt"; that is, using good music and providing coverage of sports and other events of interest to a German serviceman, the station made that listener receptive to propaganda items aimed at decreasing morale. An example was a warning of confidence men swindling German soldiers being transferred from France to the Russian front. This approach could be compared to those used by Tokyo Rose
and Axis Sally
, without the heavy-handedness of the Axis
programs. Soldatensender Calais, as part of its cover, relayed speeches by Adolf Hitler
and other Nazi officials.
During the D-Day
invasion of June 6, 1944, Soldatensender Calais broadcast information that was intended to impress German intelligence officers that the invasion area was wider than it actually was. After the Pas de Calais area was overrun, the station changed its callsign to Soldatensender West.
Soldatensenders broadcast was repeated in print the next day in the PWE/OSS
Nachrichten für die Truppe air-dropped newspaper for German troops.
The station closed on April 30, 1945, without any official announcement.
Other Clandestine radio stations operated by the Political Warfare Executive and its foreruners during the war included Das wahre Deutschland (G.1), Sender der Europäischen Revolution (G.2), Gustav Siegfried Eins
(G.3), Wehrmachtssender Nord (G.5) and the German Priest (G.7) station.
The United States Army maintained a similar operation, Radio 1212
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
black propaganda
Black propaganda
Black propaganda is false information and material that purports to be from a source on one side of a conflict, but is actually from the opposing side. It is typically used to vilify, embarrass or misrepresent the enemy...
broadcaster during the Second World War operated by the Political Warfare Executive
Political Warfare Executive
During World War II, the Political Warfare Executive was a British clandestine body created to produce and disseminate both white and black propaganda, with the aim of damaging enemy morale and sustaining the morale of the Occupied countries....
. It pretended to be a station of the German military broadcasting network ("Soldiers' Radio Calais"). The station was in operation from October 24, 1943 to April 30, 1945, when it ceased operations.
Soldatensender Calais operated on the mediumwave band on 833 kHz (360 meters), 714 kHz (420 meters), and 612 kHz (490 meters), with an associated shortwave station Kurzwellensender Atlantik created to broadcast to U boat crews. The station used a 500 kilowatt transmitter originally built for American broadcaster WJZ
WJZ
WJZ may currently refer to:*WJZ , a radio station licensed to Baltimore, Maryland, United States*WJZ-TV, a television station licensed to Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
, in Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
. This transmitter had lain unused at the factory after the United States Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
imposed a 50 kW power limit on all U.S. stations, and so RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
was glad to sell it overseas and the British Secret Service bought it for £165,000. Codenamed Aspidistra
Aspidistra (transmitter)
Aspidistra was a British mediumwave radio transmitter used for black propaganda and military deception purposes against Nazi Germany during World War II. At one time, it was the most powerful broadcast transmitter in the world...
, it was installed in a huge, underground bunker near Crowborough
Crowborough
The highest point in the town is 242 metres above sea level. This summit is the highest point of the High Weald and second highest point in East Sussex . Its relative height is 159 m, meaning Crowborough qualifies as one of England's Marilyns...
in Sussex, England, where it was briefly the world's largest medium wave station, perfect for deceptive "black" operation.
Soldatensender Calais operated from 6 p.m. local time to dawn. Unlike its predecessor Gustav Siegfried Eins
Gustav Siegfried Eins
Gustav Siegfried Eins was a British black propaganda radio station during World War II operated by the Political Warfare Executive . It was the brainchild of Sefton Delmer, a former BBC German service announcer recruited by PWE in 1940, and claimed to be an illegal radio station operating within...
the programmes were live from the purpose built broadcast studio at Milton Bryan
Milton Bryan
Milton Bryan is a village and civil parish located in Central Bedfordshire. It lies just off the A4012 road, near to its junction with the A5 at Hockliffe. The nearest large town to Milton Bryan is Leighton Buzzard, very closely followed by Dunstable...
in Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
and presented by Agnes Bernelle
Agnes Bernelle
Agnes Bernelle was an actress and singer, long-based in the UK for much of her career, although she later settled in Ireland. Her family had fled Berlin in 1936...
using the codename "Vicky".
The method of propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
used by Soldatensender Calais was described by Sefton Delmer
Sefton Delmer
Denis Sefton Delmer was a British journalist and propagandist for the British government. Fluent in German, he became friendly with Ernst Röhm who arranged for him to interview Adolf Hitler in the 1930s...
its creator in his book, Black Boomerang, as "cover, cover, dirt, cover, dirt"; that is, using good music and providing coverage of sports and other events of interest to a German serviceman, the station made that listener receptive to propaganda items aimed at decreasing morale. An example was a warning of confidence men swindling German soldiers being transferred from France to the Russian front. This approach could be compared to those used by Tokyo Rose
Tokyo Rose
Tokyo Rose was a generic name given by Allied forces in the South Pacific during World War II to any of approximately a dozen English-speaking female broadcasters of Japanese propaganda. The intent of these broadcasts was to disrupt the morale of Allied forces listening to the broadcast...
and Axis Sally
Axis Sally
Axis Sally can refer to:*Mildred Gillars, German-American female radio personality during World War II, best known for her propaganda broadcasts for Nazi Germany...
, without the heavy-handedness of the Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
programs. Soldatensender Calais, as part of its cover, relayed speeches by Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
and other Nazi officials.
During the D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
invasion of June 6, 1944, Soldatensender Calais broadcast information that was intended to impress German intelligence officers that the invasion area was wider than it actually was. After the Pas de Calais area was overrun, the station changed its callsign to Soldatensender West.
Soldatensenders broadcast was repeated in print the next day in the PWE/OSS
Office of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency, and it was a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency...
Nachrichten für die Truppe air-dropped newspaper for German troops.
The station closed on April 30, 1945, without any official announcement.
Other Clandestine radio stations operated by the Political Warfare Executive and its foreruners during the war included Das wahre Deutschland (G.1), Sender der Europäischen Revolution (G.2), Gustav Siegfried Eins
Gustav Siegfried Eins
Gustav Siegfried Eins was a British black propaganda radio station during World War II operated by the Political Warfare Executive . It was the brainchild of Sefton Delmer, a former BBC German service announcer recruited by PWE in 1940, and claimed to be an illegal radio station operating within...
(G.3), Wehrmachtssender Nord (G.5) and the German Priest (G.7) station.
The United States Army maintained a similar operation, Radio 1212
Radio 1212
Radio 1212 or Nachtsender 1212 was a black propaganda radio station operated from 1944 to 1945 by the Psychological Warfare Branch of the US Office of War Information under the direction of CBS radio chief William S. Paley, who was based in London...
.
External links
- Black Boomerang Sefton Delmer's out-of-print book.
- The Biggest Aspidistra in the World About the activities of Soldatensender Calais, Atlantiksender and other World War II European propaganda stations.
- Gray and Black Radio Propaganda against Nazi Germany Extensively illustrated paper describing the Allied effort in World War II to undermine Germany through unidentified or misidentified radio broadcasts.
- Policy and Methods of Black Propaganda against Germany Official Memorandum signed by Brigadier-General Robert A. McClure, Chief of PWD/SHAEF, regarding policy and methods of black propaganda against Germany. Although signed by McClure the author of the memo is almost certainly Sefton Delmer.