German Cabaret Singer Clara Bauerle Declassified

It would seem that Clara Bauerle will forever be linked with the mysterious Bella in the Wych Elm story. There is a lot if interest in the Bella story, and Clara’s name always seems to swirl into the space as a viable identity for the woman found stuffed in a Wych Elm in Worcestershire in 1943. For those who are coming late to the story, I have a blog page on this site that outlines the story of Clara and lists all of the blog posts that I have written which touch upon her story and Bella in the Wych Elm.

Given that Clara Bauerle was rather closely connected with Josef Jakobs, I have written several blog posts in which I seek to present the facts around Clara Bauerle. At least as much as can be discovered from fragmentary historical sources. I have, for a while now, been meaning to do a blog post that outlines the references to Clara contained within the MI5 interrogation records of Josef Jakobs and his fellow spy, Karel Richter.

Richter was a Czech citizen (an ethnic German born and raised in the Sudeten area of Czechoslovakia) who, upon the assimilation of the Sudetenland by the Germans in 1938 became an unwilling “citizen” of Germany. Richter and Josef had several encounters in Hamburg and The Hague in late 1940 and early 1941 while they were being trained as espionage agents. It was during these encounters that Karel met Josef’s mistress, the German cabaret singer, Clara Bauerle. Karel was dismissive of Josef and his lady friend. He rather thought that Josef was more interested in affairs with women than in becoming a spy. His assessment of Clara was that she was a rather large, not-good-looking woman.

It has taken a while to pull the various Clara-related pieces together from the different MI5 folios on Josef Jakobs and Karel Richter. They are presented below as cropped images (with document references as captions) followed by a transcription of the image. I’ve presented them in chronological order as much as possible. One of the Special Branch reports may appear out of place as it was written in mid-April but it only landed in MI5s hands on May 1. I’ve tried to preserve the sequence as it would have appeared to the officers of MI5.

Readers of this blog will know my take on the theory that Clara Bauerle ended up as Bella in the Wych Elm (extremely unlikely). There is a lot of inaccurate material swirling around on the Web and this particular blog post seeks to provide some factual material and original source documentation by making it accessible for those who aren’t familiar with the MI5 files.

On a closing note, I am still awaiting the arrival of the HD Paranormal dvd (ordered in August 2017 and resent in November 2017) which tells the story of Bella. The film apparently accessed declassified MI5 files but no mention is made of which files. It would appear that artists (writers, filmmakers, etc.) like to keep their cards/sources close to their chest. I tend to land more in the scientist camp… share the facts that support your theory and let others come to their own conclusions and/or contribute to the conversation. Enjoy.


February 1, 1941 – Postcard found in the possession of Josef Jakobs

February 1, 2017 - KV 2/24 - Postcard of Clara Bauerle - front
February 1, 2017 – KV 2/24 – Postcard of Clara Bauerle – front
February 1, 2017 - KV 2/24 - Postcard of Clara Bauerle -back
February 1, 2017 – KV 2/24 – Postcard of Clara Bauerle -back

My dear –
I love you
for ever
Your
Clara
Landau, July
1940


February 2, 1941 – Initial Interrogation Report of Josef Jakobs regarding “Clara”

February 2, 1941 - KV 2/24 - 9a - Initial Interrogation of Josef Jakobs regarding "Clara" conducted by Major Stephens, Lt. Sampson & Lt. Meurig-Evans.
February 2, 1941 – KV 2/24 – 9a – Initial Interrogation of Josef Jakobs regarding “Clara” conducted by Major Stephens, Lt. Sampson & Lt. Meurig-Evans.

c) The identity of the woman whose photograph was found in his belongings with a love message on the back, signed CLARA, Landau, July 1940. The woman’s name was BAUERLE of Ulm, Austria [sic], attached to Bernard Itay’s [sic] dance band. She is a singer by profession of German nationality and JAKOBS’ mistress. She had never been in England.


February 2, 1941 – Verbatim transcript of Josef Jakobs regarding Clara Bauerle

This is a 1.5 page verbatim report during which Josef admits her name, that she studied English with him, that she was a member of the Bernard Ette Orchestra and that she lived in Berlin. I have not included the images as they are rather long and do not add much that is not already included in the Interrogation Summary above. One and a half pages of interrogation transcript is essentially distilled into one paragraph!
(February 2, 1941 – KV 2/25 -21a – Verbatim transcript of Josef Jakobs being interrogated by Major Stephens)


February 12, 1941 – SIS report to MI5 re: postcard of Clara Bauerle

February 12, 1941 - KV 2/24 - 25a - S.I.S. report to MI5 re: postcard of Clara Bauerle.
February 12, 1941 – KV 2/24 – 25a – S.I.S. report to MI5 re: postcard of Clara Bauerle.

My dear White,

Reference your PF 55039/B.2. [Josef Jakobs] of 10.2.41. I return herewith the photograph of Clara BAUERLE. We have no trace of this woman, although there is a record of a certain C. BAUERLE who has been reported as a Nazi in Denya [sp? Kenya?]. But there appears to be no other connection.There can be little doubt that the photograph was taken and printed in Germany. It is typical of hundreds one can buy in any shop in Germany. The space for the address on the back shows a thicker underlining, under the penultimate line, a usual thing in continental countries. The writing is is [sic] obviously that of a German. I have consulted our expert on Germany, who considers the address to be Landau. He also informs me that the Bernhard ETTE Orchestra is a very big and well-known one. Bernhard ETTE lives at Aschaffenberger Strasse 9, Berlin.No one in this office recognizes this photograph. It is suggested, however, that you may care to make enquiries of the following persons connected with theatrical ventures:

1. Henry SHEREK, who controls a large number of foreign artists.
2. Harry FOSTER, a theatrical agent, Piccadilly House.
3. PAULSEN, Manager of the Cafe de Paris.
4. Herbert de LEON, 91 Shaftesbury Avenue.You will be in a better position than I to judge how trustworthy some of these people are, and it is quite possible that some of them will have PF’s in your office.Yours sincerely,
(blank)

For J.F.C. (Felix Cowgill)


February 12, 1941 – MI5 Request for Home Office look-up on Clara Bauerle

February 12, 1941 - KV 2/24 - 26k - MI5 request for Home Office lookup of Clara Bauerle.
February 12, 1941 – KV 2/24 – 26k – MI5 request for Home Office lookup of Clara Bauerle.

Request for Information from Home Office Records
BAUERLE or BAUERLEIN, Clara
German
Age – between 20 and 30
Other particulars: May now be in this country.


February 14, 1941 – Result of Home Office Lookup on Clara Bauerle

February 14, 1941 - KV 2/24 - 26k - MI5 request for Home Office lookup of Clara Bauerle.
February 14, 1941 – KV 2/24 – 26k – MI5 request for Home Office lookup of Clara Bauerle.

Results of Home Office look-up
No trace in Traffic Index, Central Aliens Register card or Home Office file.


February 26, 1941 – MI5 request to Special Branch re: Clara Bauerle

February 26, 1941 - KV 2/24 - 40a - MI5 to Special Branch re: Clara Bauerle
February 26, 1941 – KV 2/24 – 40a – MI5 to Special Branch re: Clara Bauerle

I attach a photograph of a German cabaret singer whose name has been given to us as Clara BAEURLE or BAEURLEIN. There is no trace in the Traffic Index of a visit to this country by this woman, but we have reason to believe that she may, in fact, have been here.

I imagine that there may be some of your officers who have reliable contacts in the theatrical world through whom some enquiries could be made. If so, I should be grateful for your assistance in the matter.


April 25, 1941 – Interrogation of Josef Jakobs regarding Clara Bauerle

April 25, 1941 - KV 2/25 - 68a - MI5 Interrogation summary of Josef Jakobs by Lt. Sampson.
April 25, 1941 – KV 2/25 – 68a – MI5 Interrogation summary of Josef Jakobs by Lt. Sampson.

JAKOBS began to take lessons in English at the Berlitz School in Hamburg in November/December. He had taken the lessons together with CLARA BAUERLE. She was in Hamburg for the whole of October and then went on tour for a short time and returned to Hamburg at the end of November. When JAKOBS left Hamburg, she was still there. Just before leaving Holland on the 21st January by aeroplane, he received a letter stating that she was very ill and had been sent to hospital. As far as he knew, she might be dead now. She was 33 years of age. When she came to Hamburg for the first time in October, she had had a private apartment in the Hansaplatz. He could not remember the number, but inadvertently mentioned the number 10, although he corrected himself afterwards. he believed that a lot of artists lived in this house in Hansaplatz. When she returned at the end of November, she lived with him at the Hotel Sorgenfrei. JAKOBS met her for the first time in October in the Cafe Dreyer where the “Ette” Band was playing. He was asked why she should write on a postcard to him, “Landau, July, 1940”, if he only met her in October. He could not understand this, but she had been a very capricious woman and had given him picture postcards of herself with various dates. She knew JAKOBS’ wife and knew about his work for the German Intelligence Service. She was anti-Nazi, but did not belong to his society. She did not travel with him when he went to Berlin for the weekend.


April 29, 1941 – Interrogation of Josef Jakobs regarding Clara

April 29, 1941 - KV 2/25 - 69b - MI5 Interrogation Report of Josef Jakobs by Lt. Sampson.
April 29, 1941 – KV 2/25 – 69b – MI5 Interrogation Report of Josef Jakobs by Lt. Sampson.
April 29, 1941 - KV 2/25 - 69b - MI5 Interrogation Report of Josef Jakobs by Lt. Sampson.
April 29, 1941 – KV 2/25 – 69b – MI5 Interrogation Report of Josef Jakobs by Lt. Sampson.

Regarding Clara BAUERLE, JAKOBS said that this woman had been the mistress of the Medical Officer of a U-Boat flotilla at Kiel. JAKOBS had introduced her to Dr. BEYER, who had arranged for her to get an engagement entertaining the troops; for her work with the Ette Orchestra at the Cafe Dreyer, BAUERLE received about 400 R.M. and she naturally preferred the engagement with Dr. BEYER, as she earned more and was independent.

JAKOBS did not know what had happened to her, and although he knew that the Orchestra was in Hamburg in March, 1941, he did not know whether she was appearing with the Orchestra. He did know that in December she had left Hamburg.

As BAUERLE knew many Officers and was not a Nazi, she had unwittingly given him information useful to his anti-Nazi organisation. She knew of his connection with the German Intelligence Service.


April 17, 1941 – Special Branch to MI5 re: Clara Bauerle & Klara Sophie Bauerle

April 17, 1941 (received by MI5 on May 1, 1941) - KV 2/25 - 75a - Special Branch report on Clara Bauerle and Klara Sophie Bauerle by Sgt. W. Allchin.
April 17, 1941 (received by MI5 on May 1, 1941) – KV 2/25 – 75a – Special Branch report on Clara Bauerle and Klara Sophie Bauerle by Sgt. W. Allchin.

With reference to M.I.5. letter PF 55039/B.2. dated 26.2.41, requesting the enquiries be made to trace the whereabouts of Clara Baeurle or Baeurlein, (copy photograph enclosed), a German cabaret singer, believed to have visited this country, but of whom there was no trace in Traffic Index:–

The spelling of the German names given above is rather unusual, and is more likely to be Bauerle or Bauerlein. However, I have made exhaustive enquiries to ascertain whether she has ever visited this country, but without result. A further search in Home Office records revealed that one Klara Sofie Bauerle, a German, born 29.6.06, registration certificate No. 453027, arrived in the U.K. on 20.10.30, and left Warwickshire for Germany, date unknown; (Central Register of Aliens notified of departure on 21.6.32). The Central Register slip is attached herewith. No request for enquiries to identify this woman has been made to the Warwickshire Constabulary.

I communicated with the secretary of D.G. White Esq., and learned that the original of the photograph was taken from a German parachutist captured in this country. When subsequently interrogated and asked who the woman in the photograph was he gave a name which was taken down phonetically as Baeurle or Baeurlein.

My suggestion that the matter be referred back to M.I.5. pending a further interrogation of the prisoner – he is at present in hospital – was agreed to, and should an alternative spelling be obtained further enquiries will be made by me.


May 2, 1941 – Special Branch report on Clara Bauerle & Klara Sophie Bauerle sent to Camp 020

May 2, 1941 - KV 2/25 - 75a - MI5 to Camp 020 re: Special Branch report.
May 2, 1941 – KV 2/25 – 75a – MI5 to Camp 020 re: Special Branch report.

I have now received a reply from Special Branch in connection with our enquiry about CLARA BAEURLE [sic].

The material part of the Police Report is as follows: –

“A further search in Home Office records revealed that one KLARA SOPHIE BAUERLE,  German, born on 29.6.06, registration certificate No. 453027, arrived in the U.K. on 20.10.30, and left Warwickshire for Germany, date unknown; (Central Register of Aliens was notified of departure on 21.6.32). The Central Register slip is attached herewith. No request for enquiries to identify this woman has been made to the Warwickshire Constabulary.”

I am calling for the Home Office Records relating to this woman and will let you know in due course whether anything further emerges about her.


May 2, 1941 – MI5 to SIS re: Clara Bauerle & Klara Sofie Bauerle

May 2, 1941 - KV 2/25 - 74a - MI5 to SIS re: Clara Bauerle & Klara Sofie Bauerle
May 2, 1941 – KV 2/25 – 74a – MI5 to SIS re: Clara Bauerle & Klara Sofie Bauerle

Herewith a B.L. Report [Camp 020] dated 30th April relating to JAKOBS. You will no doubt let us know whether you have any light to throw on the identity of RICHTER.

With regard to CLARA BAUERLE, Home Office Records show that one KLARA SOPHIE BAUERLE, a German born on the 29.6.06, arrived in the United Kingdom on the 20th October 1930 and apparently left Warwickshire for Germany at some date which is unknown, though Central Register of Aliens appear to have been notified of her departure on the 21.6.32.


May 4, 1941 – MI5 to Special Branch re: correct spelling of Bauerle

May 4, 1941 - KV 2/25 - 76a - MI5 to Special Branch re: correct spelling of Bauerle.
May 4, 1941 – KV 2/25 – 76a – MI5 to Special Branch re: correct spelling of Bauerle.

I thank you for your minute 405/41/960 of the 1st May, and regret that you should have been put to the trouble of sending an extra copy owing to a delay at this office which resulted in our correspondence over-lapping.

I have now ascertained that the correct spelling of the woman’s name is BAUERLE, and in the circumstances I would be most grateful if you would pursue your enquiries as suggested in the final paragraph of your report.


May 15, 1941 – Special Branch to MI5 re: no hits on Bauerle

May 15, 1941 - KV 2/25 - 81a - Special Branch Report to MI5 re: no hits on Clara Bauerle.
May 15, 1941 – KV 2/25 – 81a – Special Branch Report to MI5 re: no hits on Clara Bauerle.

With reference to M.I.5 letter PF. 55039/B.2.c. of 4.5.41, regarding Clara BAUERLE, a German cabaret singer, who may have visited this country:-

Exhaustive enquiries have been made among contacts in the theatrical world and elsewhere, but nothing has come to light to suggest that this woman has visited London.


May 15, 1941 – Various Interrogation Reports of Karel Richter – re: Clara Bauerle

May 15, 1941 - KV 2/30 - 4a - Interrogation of Karel Richter by Major Stephens, Lt. Sampson & Lt. Short.
May 15, 1941 – KV 2/30 – 4a – Interrogation of Karel Richter by Major Stephens, Lt. Sampson & Lt. Short.

Richter said he had met JAKOBS afterwards in the Cafe Dreyer and had on this occasion seen CLARA who was in the company of JAKOBS.
He had seen CLARA later in the street, but had not spoken to her on either occasion. He had also seen JAKOBS again in the cafe.

May 16, 1941 - KV 2/30 - 4a - Summary of Karel Richter statement.
May 16, 1941 – KV 2/30 – 4a – Summary of Karel Richter statement.

4. I saw JAKOBS twice in Hamburg. Once with Dr. SCHOLZ. Once he was alone or with a lady, with whom I did not speak. It was at the beginning of November.

Then I saw JAKOBS twice in The Hague, Holland. Once in Cafe Picadilly [sic], once in Cafe Central, end of January.

I saw CLARA twice, once in Cafe Dreyer with JACOBS [sic]. I did not speak to her.

JAKOBS told me that she was a singer with the Kapelle Ette. She was noticeable on account of her height; a second time I saw her with JAKOBS passing in the street.

May 16, 1941 - KV 2/30 - 4a - Summary of Karel Richter statement.
May 16, 1941 – KV 2/30 – 4a – Summary of Karel Richter statement.

In the meantime I had again met JAKOBS twice, once in the Cafe Dreyer where he had a lady with him. He told me that she was a singer with the Ette Orchestra. I have never spoken to her, but when I saw her a second time in the street with JAKOBS I recognized her on account of her tallness.

JAKOBS told me that if I wanted to hear the Ette Orchestra I would have to come to Berlin. He also mentioned the name of a Cafe in, I think Schoneberg. He intended going here on the following Saturday, and said that if I liked we could meet in Berlin in this Cafe.


May 19, 1941 – Interrogation report of Karel Richter re: Clara Bauerle

May 19, 1941 - KV 2/30 - 15a - Interrogation of Karel Richter by Lt. Short re: Clara Bauerle.
May 19, 1941 – KV 2/30 – 15a – Interrogation of Karel Richter by Lt. Short re: Clara Bauerle.

He went on several trips to places such as SCHEVINGEN and THE HAGUE on amusement, and it was while in THE HAGUE that he met JAKOBS. The latter never mentioned to him his illegal smuggling activities on behalf of Jewish refugees, and in fact appeared to be mainly interested in his affairs with women. KLARA BEURLE is described as a large, not very good-looking woman by RICHTER, who still insists that it was in November and not in October that he met JAKOBS [PF 55039].


May 20, 1941 – Interrogation Report of Josef Jakobs re: Clara Bauerle

May 20, 1941 - KV 2/30 - 19b - Interrogation report of Josef Jakobs by Lt. Short & Lt. Winn. A copy of this report is NOT found in Josef
May 20, 1941 – KV 2/30 – 19b – Interrogation report of Josef Jakobs by Lt. Short & Lt. Winn. A copy of this report is NOT found in Josef’s KV files, but only in Karel Richter’s file.

At this time JAKOBS was still living at the Reichshof Hotel where he remained until October 26th, when he removed to the Sorgenfrei at the request of Clara BAUERLE. Clara BAUERLE was not, at the time, living at the Sorgenfrei but at another boarding house. Several of her friends from the ETTE orchestra lived at the Sorgenfrei, so that this place was suitable for the meetings between JAKOBS and his mistress. On October 31st in the evening Clara BAUERLE left Hamburg with the ETTE orchestra for a tour which included Leipzig, Dresden, Forst, East Prussia and Berlin. JAKOBS telephoned to Clara at Forst on November 7th to arrange a meeting in Berlin. She was with the Orchestra at Schöneberg, Berlin on the 18th, 19th and 20th November, and at the Neue Welt, Hasenheide, Berlin, on November 23rd and 24th. She returned to Hamburg on November 25th and lived with JAKOBS at the Sorgenfrei.

JAKOBS was asked whether it was not possible that RICHTER had seen Clara for the first time after November 25th when she came back to Hamburg. JAKOBS was quite positive that he had seen RICHTER twice at the Cafe Dreier [sic] after their first meeting on October 22nd, before the end of the month, and that RICHTER had on these occasions heard Clara sing in the ETTE Orchestra.

May 20, 1941 - KV 2/30 - 19b - Interrogation report of Josef Jakobs by Lt. Short & Lt. Winn. A copy of this report is NOT found in Josef
May 20, 1941 – KV 2/30 – 19b – Interrogation report of Josef Jakobs by Lt. Short & Lt. Winn. A copy of this report is NOT found in Josef’s KV files, but only in Karel Richter’s file.

Finally, JAKOBS was questioned about the Klara Sofie BAUERLE who is recorded as having arrived in the United Kingdom on October 20th, 1930. He said the name of the woman he knew was always spelt with a “C” and that as far as he knew she had no second name. He was not certain when her birthday was, but that it might be July. It might, however, have been in June. The woman he knew was 35 years old last summer, and would, therefore, have been born in the year 1905. He was quite certain she had never been in England.


May 20, 1941 – MI5 request for Home Office lookup of Klara Sofie Bauerle

May 20, 1941 - KV 2/25 - 83b - MI5 request for Home Office Records lookup of Klara Sofie Bauerle.
May 20, 1941 – KV 2/25 – 83b – MI5 request for Home Office Records lookup of Klara Sofie Bauerle.

Request for Information from Home Office Records

BAUERLE, Klara Sofie – German – born 29.6.06

Home Office records have already revealed that Klara Sofie BAUERLE registration certificate No. 453027, arrived in the U.K. on 20.10.30 and left Warwickshire for Germany, date unknown; (Central Register of Aliens was notified of departure on 21.6.32) but we are anxious to have any further details that may be procurable.


May 22, 1941 – Home Office results for lookup of Klara Sofie Bauerle

May 22, 1941 - KV 2/25 - 83b - Home Office result of lookup on Klara Sofie Bauerle.
May 22, 1941 – KV 2/25 – 83b – Home Office result of lookup on Klara Sofie Bauerle.

There has been no further movement by this woman since this C.A.R. [indecipherable] and as she had no File I’m afraid we cannot give you any more information. I have copied the C.A.R. again and given the date she left U.K.

May 22, 1941 - KV 2/25 - 83b - Home Office result of lookup on Klara Sofie Bauerle.
May 22, 1941 – KV 2/25 – 83b – Home Office result of lookup on Klara Sofie Bauerle.

Copy of Card in Traffic Index (blank)

May 22, 1941 - KV 2/25 - 83b - Home Office result of lookup on Klara Sofie Bauerle.
May 22, 1941 – KV 2/25 – 83b – Home Office result of lookup on Klara Sofie Bauerle.

Copy of Alien’s Registration Card
BAUERLE, Klara Sophie
German
Born 29.6.06 in Stuttgart
Arrived U.K. 20/10/20 Left U.K. 22/1/32 Re-entered U.K. 22/2/32
Last Registration District – Warwickshire
R.C. No. 453027
Remarks: To Germany 21/6/32


June 25, 1941 – Summary Report on Josef Jakobs re: Clara Bauerle

June 25, 1941 - KV 2/25 - 96a - Summary Report on Josef Jakobs written by Lt. Sampson.
June 25, 1941 – KV 2/25 – 96a – Summary Report on Josef Jakobs written by Lt. Sampson.

While in Hamburg in October, 1940, JAKOBS met Clara BAUERLE, a singer in the Ette Orchestra, which was performing at the time in the Cafe Dreyer. During November the orchestra was touring other parts of Germany, but returned to Hamburg at the end of that month and Clara BAUERLE then went to live with JAKOBS at the Hotel Sorgenfrei. JAKOBS states that she had previously been the mistress of the medical officer of a U-Boat flotilla at Kiel. She knew many officers and was not a Nazi, and had unwittingly given him information useful to his anti-Nazi organization.

She knew of JAKOBS’ connection with the Intelligence Service, and he had in fact introduced her to Dr. BEYER who had arranged for her to get an engagement entertaining the troops. Among JAKOBS’ possessions was a picture postcard of Clara BAUERLE with an affectionate message in English, dated Landau, July, 1940 and signed Clara. He said the message was in English because they had taken English lessons together at the Berlitz School in Hamburg. he could not explain why the card was dated July, 1940 while he first met her in October, 1940, except that she was a very capricious woman who distributed photographs of herself generously. JAKOBS was introduced in October by a girl-friend of Clara to a man called von ROEDERN, who organized Fifth Column activity outside Germany. JAKOBS was on this occasion introduced as a member of the Intelligence Service. If JAKOBS’ statements are true, it is curious that he was known to belong to the Intelligence Service not only to Clara Bauerle, but also to her girl-friends and presumably therefore to a large number of other people.


July 1, 1941 – Verbatim Transcript between Richter & Josef re: Clara

July 1, 1941 - KV 2/26 - 101x - Taped conversation between Richter & Jakobs re: Clara Bauerle.
July 1, 1941 – KV 2/26 – 101x – Taped conversation between Richter & Jakobs re: Clara Bauerle.

J. Now I will tell you something. They told me all they could during January. That means I didn’t swallow it whole, but can you understand how they send these people over – under what pretext? So they would be here by June…. in the middle of July, what they now……. the journalists. A message was received in The Hague from Hamburg that KLARCHEN was coming, was coming too, KLARA KLARA, who –

R. They know that already, they know all about that.

J. And then the Major said to me: “Now you work hard, because KLARA is coming soon and I have heard that you will have an important job of work to do together” and he said that I knew that the war would never be finished by June or August, for if they are now depending upon my working with…. [the following is completely inaudible, due to extraneous noises, and the suggestion concluding the previous report can only be endorsed.]


July 9, 1941 – Camp 020 Report re: Clara Bauerle as possible Abwehr spy

July 9, 1941 - KV 2/26 - 101x - Camp 020 to MI5 re: Clara as a possible Abwehr Spy.
July 9, 1941 – KV 2/26 – 101x – Camp 020 to MI5 re: Clara as a possible Abwehr Spy.

I am writing to you personally as the subject is a secret intercept between JAKOBS and RICHTER of 1.7.41.

The relevant extract in German, together with a translation, is attached and I think you will agree it justifies the inclusion of KLARCHEN in our list of prospective enemy agents to this country. I asked Captain Sampson to proceed further with the case and the summary of his interrogation of 8.7.41. is, I submit, decidedly informative.


July 8, 1941 – Camp 020 Report on Clara Bauerle as potential Spy

July 8, 1941 - KV 2/26 - 101 - Summary Report on Josef Jakobs by Lt. Sampson on Clara Bauerle.
July 8, 1941 – KV 2/26 – 101 – Summary Report on Josef Jakobs by Lt. Sampson on Clara Bauerle.

If JAKOBS had worked for the Nachrichtendienst [Abwehr or German Intelligence Service] after arriving in England, CLARA would have come over to help him in his work. She was being trained in Hamburg in wireless. He thought that the instructor was BIERMANN, but was not certain. On two occasions when the instructors had been ill, he had been replaced by PETERSEN, who gave KLARA two lessons in the Hotel Sorgenfrei. He said that CLARA got on very well with the German officers and had obtained information from them which they were not entitled to give. On one occasion, she had been admitted to a Stuke plane and as she had considerable technical knowledge, she was able to describe the apparatus in detail several months later. In the last letter which JAKOBS received from her before she left, she had said that she would come over if she got news of him. He was sure that as no news of him had been received,CLARA would not come to this country.

Description of CLARA BAUERLE
Age: 36 in June (1941)
Height: About the same as JAKOBS, i.e. 6′
Hair: Dark blond.
Eyes: Brown
Complexion: Fair
Nose: Wide
Voice: Deep. She is a contralto singer.


July 10, 1941 – Interrogation report of Josef Jakobs re: Clara Bauerle

July 10, 1941 - KV 2/26 - 101a - MI5 interrogation report of Josef Jakobs by Lt. Sampson re: Clara.
July 10, 1941 – KV 2/26 – 101a – MI5 interrogation report of Josef Jakobs by Lt. Sampson re: Clara.

When CLARA went with SINCLAIR to the Air Defense Base in Hamburg, he thought that he had been with them.

CLARA was one of the main witnesses in his defence when he had been denounced by van HEES.

She had said that although JAKOBS was not a Nazi, he was quite reliable and she was quite prepared to work with him in England.

References

National Archives – MI5 files on Josef Jakobs – KV 2/24, 2/25, 2/26 and 2/27
National Archives – one of the MI5 file on Karel Richter – KV 2/30

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