Hitler's Lost Spy (18 page)

The evaluation commences with the questions:

What material may be extracted from the evidence we have of Annette and her activities to broadly formulate the type of individual she was? What were the behavioural traits she demonstrated that were consistent with the expected functions of a pre-World War II female spy?

The evidence is assembled from the surveillance operations, the Military Intelligence reporting and the CIB interview – data we may deem reliable.

In this process, however, it is necessary to take into account two important obstacles that could interfere with the process of identifying conclusive results. The first is that if Annette had been a spy, she would have done what all good spies do and have
adapted
to her working and social environment. A spy's community appearance may readily change to conform to the demands of another condition. If Annette had been a good spy and slotted in well with her temporary homeland, this would complicate the search for her ‘real' 
distinctiveness.

The second obstacle is that the period of her residency in Australia – March 1938 to February 1940 – 
endured the continuing social impacts of the Great Depression, the political intrigues in Europe and Asia and the onset of World War II. In the Pacific region, Japan appeared destined for a broader war and ignored international calls for military and behavioural restraint. 
This was a period of great international anxiety, and an impending fear of a major military conflict lingered in the world's capital cities. The era did not experience ‘normal' 
international events, which generally produce a period of peace and economic stability. People react to such pressures in different ways and how these international background issues affected Annette comprises a small portion of cautious calculation, and a larger portion of speculation.

How then, was Annette's behaviour influenced by these two factors? There are three elements to consider: her background, as we know it, her presentation while in Australia (i.e. how a reasonable person would appraise her), and the collected facts on how she spent her spare time.

The foremost problem in constructing a case against Annette evolves from the nature of her undercover activities. Should an individual excell in his or her occupation, this may result in public recognition – in one form or another. If a spy excels in his or her assignments, the opposite occurs, and a good spy with sufficient protection may disappear from the historical radar forever. The signals are that Annette was a
very
good spy, but this should not deter us from briefly probing into what we know of her and then drawing a comparison with her perceived character while she lived in Australia.

First, a brief assessment of the activities that yielded considerable data on Annette.

The Surveillance

The precise covert procedures introduced to monitor Annette Wagner are unknown. For report purposes, detailing the methods used in most operations is unnecessary. The available records of the field agents who observed Annette derive solely from unusual events or ‘breakthrough' comments that warranted a special file mention. The only useful information, in this regard, is that we know one of the agents, and possibly more, was female. A female agent would have been more successful in penetrating Annette's inner circle of friends and associates than a male agent. The matter of importance is what information, and its reliability, the agents collected.

The evidence also allows us to accept that the surveillance blueprint was intense – maybe not for the entire period of the operation, but certainly a good part of it. At
The Manor
, observing people entering Annette's room at night, and leaving early in the morning, as had occurred, would have required one or more observers uncomfortably sheltering in the bushes nearby. At that time, it's fair to suggest that Annette would have been monitored twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

The information collected on Annette was not limited to apparent covert activities. There are details of her conversations in
The Manor
that clearly imply a source from within. This was subsequently confirmed in February 1939. There are opinions of her character obtained from others, such as Miss Caspers, mentioned below. Jack Clancy was a personal friend and his precise relationship with Annette would have been closely explored by Military Intelligence. There would have been others, all offering opinions that collectively may have assisted in shaping a character report inconsistent with Annette's public face. Evidence may also have been acquired through her telephone taps, monitored mail and enquiries rendered at the radio stations at which she had worked.

But inevitably, the surveillance net catches more than just the facts. The secret collection of information unavoidably means the entrapment of data that is not always reliable. An unbiased assessment of such information's correctness may not always rank highly in the business of espionage. It is useful to look at some of this information to briefly consider interesting possibilities in Annette's broader resume.

The Surveillance Results – Rumour, Myth or Fact?

There are interesting comments in Annette's file that have not been described in earlier chapters. The reason for their omission has been the difficulty in locating documentary evidence to support their substance. Some examples from her file reports include the following:

She has made various statements about herself, that she is of Swiss, French or Swedish origin.

If you will refer to Colyn's report on her dated 30/11/38, you will notice as I have the following points. This report suggests she was born in Corsica of Italian and French parents and was adopted at an early age. Speaks German fluently. Now she has not mentioned to her friends at The Manor that she speaks German at all. She has not mentioned her time at Newcastle either. The only thing missing is, what mail comes to The Manor for her? I am inclined to
think none, but I will easily find out.

The possibility that Annette's origin may be other than we believe adds more mystery to an already secretive lady. Was the person bearing Annette's name a 1930s equivalent of the modern day identity thief? It is an interesting thought, but all we can do is compare the available evidence against the opposing possibilities. This evidence corroborates Annette's origins and early life as having occurred as she described. How the claims of her possibly being of Corsican or Swedish origin came about, we don't know. Annette may have been responsible for this, but an incorrect interpretation or rumour was more likely.

However, the mention of her ability to speak German is quite different. Being fluent in her father's first language is more than a remote possibility. Although only seven when she moved to England, the elements of the language would have been in place and these may have been readily expanded upon later, at school, for example. Her meetings with Germans at
The Manor
would have been more comfortable with German as the language of choice.

Interestingly, notes in Annette's file refer on several occasions to the large volume of typing she carried out during the evenings. It was acknowledged in one report that this may have been related to script writing for her radio work, which is very plausible. But an extract from a report on Annette from the Australian Military Forces, 2nd Military District dated 30 November 1938, includes:

Discreet enquiries were made through Mrs M
¹⁶
 for 
Wagner's present address and Mrs M admitted that the movements of Wagner were very mysterious and were causing considerable worry and anxiety to her, that she appeared to be very busily occupied in writing and making notes and received considerable correspondence, and while professing to be anxious to take up a job, had apparently made no endeavours
so to do.

Plainly, in this instance, Annette's ‘writing and making notes' had nothing to do with script writing, this being prior to her finding employment in radio. It appeared as being suspiciously unusual – and it probably was.

Her evening typing bouts at
The Manor
caused annoyance to some residents, and during her stay at the
Hydro Majestic
in July 1939, the volume of Annette's typing drew complaints from other guests.

What proportion of Annette's typing was divided between her script work, personal correspondence and 
‘other' is of course unknown.

Annette's Physical Appearance

The only known photograph of Annette is from the
Australian Women's Weekly
accompanying the article detailed in Chapter 3. Her file includes the following note dated 1 April 1939.

I now have an accurate description of her. Brunette, with dark curly hair and brown eyes, height about 5 
ft. 7 in., slender, no make-up whatever except a little face powder, creamy complexion and very good skin,
rather plump face, dresses quietly. Attractive woman.

Another report to Military Intelligence includes:

Dresses quietly, generally in tailor-mades, and straw hats for streetware. Does not favour makeup.

From these descriptions, Annette appears to have been in the cast of a naturally attractive and conservative lady, with a good dress sense. Consistent with this description is the likelihood she was well presented with manners to match. Her choice of
tailor-mades
suggests she may have been more equipped to conduct her fashion program than could normally have been expected.

Family and Early Years

Annette's mother, Sophie Schneider, passed away in 1919. Her father (according to Annette) did not work and was supported by income from an inheritance received by her mother. Following her mother's passing, Annette, aged seven, lived in London with a relative who had married an Englishman. Annette spent her school years in London and remained there following the relocation of her adoptive parents to a town near Lewes in East Sussex. Her employment subsequent to leaving school has been previously detailed.

Annette's travelling experiences since leaving school were, for both her age and time, extensive. However, her travels in Europe would have followed the onset of the Great Depression in 1929. It is likely that the subsequent economic slump could have influenced her perspectives on life, as she witnessed the rapid increase in unemployment and the resulting evident hardship experienced by very large numbers of people.

She would have also witnessed Germany setting the pace for recovery following the ascension of Hitler as Chancel or in 1933. As the German economy found its low point and gradually recovered while the remainder of Europe stumbled, Annette, like everyone else who travelled through Europe at the time, would have observed with some degree of admiration the economic achievements of the Nazi state. It is understandable that, at her impressionable age, the contrast between the German recovery and the economic pain in other countries would be directly related to the systems of government in Europe – one working and the others not. 
The impact and possible effect of the more unpleasant accompaniments to Nazism would probably have passed her by.

The Missionary Enigma

Nowhere in the known history of Annette is the term 
‘conflict and contradiction' more valid than her service to medical missions in southern Africa. From March 1934 to July 1935 Annette worked with the missions, in what capacity is unknown, but with an incentive as far from the motives of a foreign spy as is almost possible to imagine. The period of her work in the missions is in her early adult years and from this we can only draw positive findings.

Annette's transition into the field of espionage was therefore likely to have been influenced by her husband. 
However, the seeds may have been sown earlier, or even perhaps while in Africa. The pro-German sentiments in South Africa were powerful and may have influenced Annette when news from the world reaching into distant missions was slow and politically filtered.

Perhaps Annette's work in South Africa was not an enigma after all. She may well have harboured humane intentions that were directed into volunteer work within a Christian environment – and evidence to the contrary does not exist. The drift into something else would come later.

Marriage

Annette's marriage to Robert Wagner is likely to have caused a giant leap forward in her political transition in the direction of Germany and the Nazis. Robert was born a German, but while his birthplace, Alsace, was now French, a strong contingent of the population retained many of the old German roots and welcomed the German return during Hitler's invasion of France in May 1940. Robert was not the only connection Annette had with Alsace. She had travelled there to visit her Godmother, Madame Lauth, whose family controlled interests in the textile industry. Alsace, therefore, had held common interests for both Annette and Robert.

Annette's Personality

Stealing a post-dated gaze into Annette's personality traits is fraught with several difficulties. However, in understanding the fundamental process of why she availed herself to German espionage in Australia, and how effective she was at doing this requires some attention. Taking into consideration the length of time since her death, that personal witness statements can no longer be obtained, general documentary corroboration being sketchy and that little is known of her life and relationships prior to arriving in Australia, the prospects of producing a meaningful account of her character may appear to be remote. Further, Annette was a spy, and this will naturally impact on her ‘normal' conduct and activities, as well as anyone's capabilities to find evidence of them. A spy automatically adopts a suitable disposition designed to lead those with whom the spy associates to believe they are someone else. This adds to the complication of assessing Annette. One witness familiar with Annette was Jack Clancy. His descriptions of his involvement with her did not offer any specific leads as to her personality traits, but his enduring smile during his recollections perhaps offered an indirect pointer to his assessment of the lady.