Olga Chekhova: Hitler's Favorite Artist or Kremlin Secret Agent?

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Who this woman really was is still a mystery. Actress Olga Chekhova was the niece of Olga Knipper, wife of A. Chekhov. After emigration, she became a famous actress in Germany, Hitler took care of her. There is a version that not only the USSR knew about her successes in Nazi Germany, but also directed all her actions. In post-war Europe, she was called the Russian Mata Hari.

Olga Konstantinovna von Knipper-Dolling was born in 1897 in Alexandropol (Leninakan) in the family of a Russified German. Many representatives of this family were creative people: her aunt, Olga Leonardovna Knipper-Chekhova, was an actress of the Moscow Art Theater and the wife of A. P. Chekhov; her brother, Lev Knipper, was a songwriter.

Olga became an actress thanks to the patronage of her famous aunt. At that time she was looked after by two nephews of A. Chekhov - Mikhail and Vladimir. Olga chose the actor Mikhail. The rejected Vladimir Chekhov shot himself shortly thereafter, possibly due to the refusal of the actress. After 4 years, she left her husband for the Hungarian Friedrich Yaroshi, married him and in 1921 went with him to Germany.

Before issuing an exit permit, the actress was interviewed at the Office of Military Intelligence. It is not known exactly what was discussed - no documentary evidence has been preserved. Some researchers suggest that it was then that Chekhova was recruited, and that her mother and daughter were left in Moscow as a guarantee.

She made her debut in German cinema at the age of 24, and since then has appeared regularly, in 6-8 films a year. She did not have outstanding acting data, she performed the same roles - aristocrats and adventurers, but Olga knew how to conquer and charm, so they started talking about her. In 1923 she divorced her second husband and took up a career. In 1928, after the release of the film "Moulin Rouge", actress Olga Chekhova was recognized by the whole world. She was invited to Hollywood, where she starred in several films, including Hitchcock's. Upon returning to Germany, she continued to act in films, in total she played in 132 films, none of which were shown in the USSR.

In 1935, at the Munich Opera, Olga met Eva Braun, Hitler's mistress. The women became friends and began to see each other often. This fact served as another reason to suspect Chekhova of espionage - perhaps through Eva Braun she managed to get some information. In addition, before the start of the war with Germany, Olga often sent parcels and letters to the USSR, which at that time was possible only with the approval of the NKVD.

After the Nazis came to power, many actors and directors left Germany, while Olga Chekhova remained. She was introduced to Hitler, Himmler and Goebbels, Hitler encouraged her friendship with Eva Braun and patronized her as an actress, calling her his favorite artist. In 1936 she was awarded the title of State Artist of the Third Reich. In the same year, she married the Belgian millionaire Marcel Robins.

In the Western media after the war, Chekhova was unanimously dubbed a Soviet spy, it was she who was called that secret source of information with whom the legendary resident of the USSR intelligence Sandor Rado kept in touch throughout the war. There is also a version that Olga Chekhova participated in the preparation of the assassination attempt on Hitler, but on Stalin's orders this plan was canceled. In April 1945 Chekhova was arrested by Smersh counterintelligence officers. After interrogation, she was sent by military plane to Moscow. Oddly enough, the Nazi accomplice was not arrested or shot. For 3 months Abakumov and Beria had conversations with her, and then the actress was returned to Germany, which again gives rise to a conclusion about her secret mission. Beria's son Sergo said that he had no doubts that the actress Olga Chekhova was a high-class illegal Soviet intelligence officer.

But there is another opinion: this specially planned misinformation was launched in order to create a myth about the omnipotence of Soviet intelligence and the skill of the Russian Mata Hari, who made her way into the very lair of the Nazis. Nowadays, few people know about Olga Chekhova, her aunt and namesake is much better known. Olga Knipper - the last love of Anton Chekhov