Skip to content
quotesby

For some time he had been using captured Russian agents to communicate false intelligence to the Soviet armies, using their own codes and their own wireless sets; and it would have been entirely possible for him to enter into detailed communication with the enemy by this means without anyone being the wiser. Be that as it may, like a perfect Civil Servant, he went, leaving not a trace, his files totally destroyed.

Heinrich Muller#6

HistoryDeceptionIntelligenceMilitary

WhatsApp (opens in a new tab)X (opens in a new tab)

About this quote

What does it mean?
He used captured enemy agents to feed false info to Soviet armies using their own methods, and vanished without a trace after destroying his files.
In plain terms
He tricked the enemy using their own spies and tools, then disappeared completely.
What can you take from it?
Deception works best when it uses the enemy's own tools against them.

Where it applies

  • military intelligence
  • covert operations
  • historical analysis

Putting it to work

  • analyze spy methods
  • study deception tactics
  • review intelligence history

Questions to consider

  • How important is anonymity in espionage?
  • What defines a perfect servant in war?

Another view

The text does not confirm if this strategy succeeded or failed in the end.

More from Heinrich Muller

  1. You are in the hands of the Gestapo. Don't imagine that we shall show you the slightest consideration. The Fuhrer has already shown the world that he is invinc…

    Permalink to quote #5

  2. He worked anonymously, and he has left hardly a trace behind. We find his signature on orders authorising the most atrocious deeds. We glimpse him once or twic…

    Permalink to quote #7

  3. You are a very interesting case, General. Do you know what fat file of evidence we have against you here?

    Permalink to quote #4

Related quotes

  1. He (Otto Skorzeny) also saved Mussolini...and Hitler hoped that Skorzeny would do the same in Tehran, but he didn't succeed at it.

    Gevork VartanianGevork Vartanian quote #1

  2. The group that was headed by me...we succeeded in discovering about four hundred agents who were connected with German intelligence...they were Generals, Minis…

    Gevork VartanianGevork Vartanian quote #6

  3. If Paulus's army had capitulated before the end, the Russians would have had the advantage of withdrawing forces against Paulus and against the southern front,…

    Erich von MansteinErich von Manstein quote #1