Marie Christine Chilver, known as Christine,[1] (12 September 1920– 5 November 2007) (Latvian: Marija Kristīne Čilvere), also known by the codename Agent Fifi, was a British secret agent in World War II. Originally recruited after escaping the Nazis and helping a British airman return to England, she worked for the Special Operations Executive (SOE) assessing and testing the security awareness of trainee secret agents.[2][3][4]
Chilver was born in London, England, to an English father, a correspondent for The Times of London,[3] and Latvian mother.[5] Raised in Latvia, she was educated at a German school in Riga before moving to Paris, France in 1940.[6] When Paris fell to Nazi Germany she was interned in the Frontstalag 142 internment camp at Besançon. She escaped and reached England in 1941, helping a wounded RAF officer during her journey.[5] Meanwhile her mother and sister had fled to Sweden from Soviet-occupied Latvia, where their property had been confiscated by the Russians. The pilot, flight lieutenant Simpson, suspected Chilver was a foreign spy, as she seemed too well fed when they met. His suspicions were found to be unsubstantiated, but Chilver had already come to the notice of British authorities.[5]
Special Operations Executiveedit
"Keep Mum - She's Not so Dumb! - Careless Talk Costs Lives" - One of the posters about secrecy from WWII
In 1942, Chilver joined the SOE, and was given the task of assessing and testing the security awareness of trainee agents while they were on 96-hour training missions in the UK. Her code name was "Fifi", and she had a cover identity of Christine Collard. It was rumoured that the SOE employed agents who would attempt to seduce men to persuade them to reveal their secrets; Chilvers reports show that flattery and attention were all that some trainee agents needed for them to reveal everything they knew. As a result of her reports, agents were sacked from SOE.[citation needed]
Her wartime documents were declassified and released by the National Archives in 2014.[2][4]
Retirementedit
After leaving the SOE, Chilver lived in Chelsea. While in Chelsea, she studied French at Birkbeck College, London, graduating from there with First Class Honours in French in 1960. Later she moved to the Wye Valley, living in Lydney, Gloucestershire. She spent much of her retirement with her friend, the widowed Jean "Alex" Felgate, a retired SOE intelligence officer. Chilver founded Dzīvnieku Draugs ("Animal Friends") in Latvia, an animal charity and sanctuary. She died on 5 November 2007.
Referencesedit
^Singh, Anita (17 September 2014). "Revealed: identity of Fifi the stunning wartime spy". The Daily Telegraph.
^ ab"Files reveal WW2 secret 'Agent Fifi' test for spies". BBC News. 17 September 2014.
^ abCahal Milmo (17 September 2014). "Revealed after 75 years of secrecy: 'Fifi' the glamorous WW2 special agent who tested British spies' resolve". The Independent.
^ abJonathan Cole (17 September 2014). "'Our Special Agent': 'Fifi' and the Special Operations Executive". National Archives.
^ abcAnita Singh and Gregory Walton (17 September 2014). "Revealed: identity of Fifi the stunning wartime spy". Daily Telegraph.(Printed version, page 3)
^Klein, Christopher (29 August 2018). "British Files Reveal Secrets of WWII Spies, Traitors". History.
Bibliographyedit
Māris Puķītis (23 April 2001). "LinkBijušie aktīvisti "Dzīvnieku draugu" uzskata par komerciālu iestādi". Vakara Avīze Vakara Ziņas: 11–12. ISSN 1407-4931. (Latvian)
marie, christine, chilver, known, christine, september, 1920, november, 2007, latvian, marija, kristīne, Čilvere, also, known, codename, agent, fifi, british, secret, agent, world, originally, recruited, after, escaping, nazis, helping, british, airman, return. Marie Christine Chilver known as Christine 1 12 September 1920 5 November 2007 Latvian Marija Kristine Cilvere also known by the codename Agent Fifi was a British secret agent in World War II Originally recruited after escaping the Nazis and helping a British airman return to England she worked for the Special Operations Executive SOE assessing and testing the security awareness of trainee secret agents 2 3 4 Marie Christine ChilverMarie Chilver when running her animal charityBorn 1920 09 12 12 September 1920LondonDied5 November 2007 2007 11 05 aged 87 NationalityBritishEducationSorbonneEmployerSOEKnown forBritish spy Agent Fifi Contents 1 Early life 2 Special Operations Executive 3 Retirement 4 References 5 Bibliography 6 External linksEarly life editChilver was born in London England to an English father a correspondent for The Times of London 3 and Latvian mother 5 Raised in Latvia she was educated at a German school in Riga before moving to Paris France in 1940 6 When Paris fell to Nazi Germany she was interned in the Frontstalag 142 internment camp at Besancon She escaped and reached England in 1941 helping a wounded RAF officer during her journey 5 Meanwhile her mother and sister had fled to Sweden from Soviet occupied Latvia where their property had been confiscated by the Russians The pilot flight lieutenant Simpson suspected Chilver was a foreign spy as she seemed too well fed when they met His suspicions were found to be unsubstantiated but Chilver had already come to the notice of British authorities 5 Special Operations Executive edit nbsp Keep Mum She s Not so Dumb Careless Talk Costs Lives One of the posters about secrecy from WWIIIn 1942 Chilver joined the SOE and was given the task of assessing and testing the security awareness of trainee agents while they were on 96 hour training missions in the UK Her code name was Fifi and she had a cover identity of Christine Collard It was rumoured that the SOE employed agents who would attempt to seduce men to persuade them to reveal their secrets Chilvers reports show that flattery and attention were all that some trainee agents needed for them to reveal everything they knew As a result of her reports agents were sacked from SOE citation needed Her wartime documents were declassified and released by the National Archives in 2014 2 4 Retirement editAfter leaving the SOE Chilver lived in Chelsea While in Chelsea she studied French at Birkbeck College London graduating from there with First Class Honours in French in 1960 Later she moved to the Wye Valley living in Lydney Gloucestershire She spent much of her retirement with her friend the widowed Jean Alex Felgate a retired SOE intelligence officer Chilver founded Dzivnieku Draugs Animal Friends in Latvia an animal charity and sanctuary She died on 5 November 2007 References edit Singh Anita 17 September 2014 Revealed identity of Fifi the stunning wartime spy The Daily Telegraph a b Files reveal WW2 secret Agent Fifi test for spies BBC News 17 September 2014 a b Cahal Milmo 17 September 2014 Revealed after 75 years of secrecy Fifi the glamorous WW2 special agent who tested British spies resolve The Independent a b Jonathan Cole 17 September 2014 Our Special Agent Fifi and the Special Operations Executive National Archives a b c Anita Singh and Gregory Walton 17 September 2014 Revealed identity of Fifi the stunning wartime spy Daily Telegraph Printed version page 3 Klein Christopher 29 August 2018 British Files Reveal Secrets of WWII Spies Traitors History Bibliography editMaris Pukitis 23 April 2001 LinkBijusie aktivisti Dzivnieku draugu uzskata par komercialu iestadi Vakara Avize Vakara Zinas 11 12 ISSN 1407 4931 Latvian Kate Pankhurst 8 September 2016 Agent Fifi Bloomsbury ISBN 978 1 4088 7697 8 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a work ignored help External links editMarie Christine Chilver born 12 09 1920 at the National Archives Life in Pictures of the Secret Agent Seductress at the Daily Telegraph 21 September 2014 by Anita Singh and Rayyan Sabet Parry Dzivnieku Draugs also available in Latvian Russian and Finnish Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Marie Christine Chilver amp oldid 1178459269, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
