1905 – 1986
Arne Beurling was a Swedish mathematician and professor of mathematics. In 1940 the mathematician broke the German code used for strategic military communications. This accomplishment is considered by many to be one of the greatest achievements in the history of cryptography. Using only teleprinter tapes and cipher text, he deciphered the code that the Germans believed impossible to crack in just two weeks. Beurling created a device that enabled Sweden to decipher German teleprinter traffic passing through Sweden from Norway on a cable. When Beurling was asked how he broke the code he replied, “A magician does not reveal his secrets”.

Interesting Fact: Beurling code breaking allowed Swedish authorities to know about Operation Barbarossa (The codename for Nazi Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union) before it occurred.



Arne Beurling

General Frantisek Moravec, Chief of Czech Military Intelligence in the years immediately preceding the German takeover of Czechoslovakia.  In the years immediately preceding the war, he established close relations with the British espionage and security services and, on the eve of the German invasion (and following a tip-off from Czech agents in Germany), accompanied by 10 colleagues, he made a hair-raising flight from Prague to London, taking with him the most sensitive Czechoslovak intelligence files.  From 1940 to 1945, he was Head of Intelligence for the Benes Czechoslovak Government-in-Exile in London, planning and co-ordinating espionage and sabotage operations in Czechoslovakia with the Britise SOE.  This was a difficult job, as Czechoslovakia was a problematic environment for clandestine operations - "independent" collaborationist government in Slovakia, and highly competent, ruthless German Occupation security services in the Czech Lands.  The most dramatic, and successful, operation in which he had a part in planning and executing was "Operation Anthropoid", the successful assasination attempt on the life of Reinhard Heydrich, Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia and Head of the Reich security services.  After the war, he returned to Czechoslovakia, but left again following the Communist takeover.  He moved to Washington D.C., where he worked as an adviser to the US Department of Defense.  Died of natural causes in Washington, 1966.  Best regards, JR.

The Czech "M"

An American bomber Boeing B-17, which has diverted into the Swedish airspace after a mission over Germany, is escorted up to the Bulltofta airfield, NE Malmö, where will interned with its crew, by a J 20 (Reggiane Re.2000) fighter of the Svenska Flygvapnet’s Flottilj F10. The Flying Fortress is one of many American aircraft landed in Sweden, intentionally or not, during the WW2. Victor Sierra