- Franz von Rintelen
Franz von Rintelen (died 1949) was a German spy working in the United States during
World War I .He came from a banking family with good connections in American banking. He spoke fluent English.
He was sent to the United States in 1915, while the U.S. was still technically neutral. His mission was to sabotage American ships carrying munitions and supplies to the
Allies . Arriving inNew York City , he posed as a businessman and, withHeinrich Albert , set up a dummy corporation called Bridgeport Projectile, through which he purchased gunpowder, which he then destroyed.He worked with a technician to develop time-delayed incendiary devices known as
pencil bombs , which were then placed in the holds of American merchant ships to cause fires in the ships' holds so that the crew would throw the munitions overboard.He also organized the
Labor's National Peace Council to foster strikes to slow American aid to the Allies.His work was largely successful and probably included some part in the
Black Tom explosion in 1916. His colleagues were not all pleased with his success, andFranz von Papen (later Chancellor of Germany) sent a telegram toBerlin complaining about him. The telegram was intercepted and deciphered by British Naval Intelligence. As he sailed back to Germany on a neutral Dutch ship, he was captured atSouthampton , England and interned inAtlanta , Georgia for three years.He returned to Germany in 1920, a forgotten man. He moved to England, where he died.
Von Rintelen wrote "The Dark Invader: War-Time Reminiscences Of A German Naval Intelligence Officer" which was published in 1933.
External Links
* [http://www.gutenberg.org/files/18993/18993.txt History of the World War] by Francis A. March and Richard J. Beamish at [http://gutenberg.org Project Gutenberg]
* [http://gutenberg.net.au/plusfifty-n-z.html#vonrintelen ebooks of works by Franz von Rintelen] at [http://gutenberg.net.au Project Gutenberg Australia]
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