Otto Pünter | |
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![]() Otto Pünter | |
Born |
Bern, Switzerland | 4 April 1900
Died | 13 October 1988 Bern, Switzerland | (aged 88)
Nationality | Swiss |
Espionage activity | |
Service branch | Red Orchestra |
Service years | 1939–1945 |
Codename | Pakbo |
Otto Pünter (4 April 1900 – 13 October 1988) [1] was a Swiss journalist and anti-Nazi resistance fighter. During the Second World War, his codename was Pakbo, and he was a member of the Rote Drei.
Pünter was born in Bern, Switzerland. [1] His father was a merchant. [1] He gained an apprenticeship from the University of Neuchâtel. [2] Afterwards, he lived in France, Spain and the United Kingdom. [3]
In 1928, Pünter was a founding member of the socialist news agency INSA. [2] [3] INSA aimed to spread anti-fascist news and worked with anti-fascist groups in Italy. [3] Through this role, Pünter met many Italian informants. [4] Pünter was also suspected to be a secret member of the Communist Party of Switzerland, [5] and he saw Stalinism as less evil than fascism, Nazism, and Francoism. [6] During the Spanish Civil War, it was claimed that Pünter built his own intelligence network, in order to sell secrets to the French and British. [7] He also met many Soviet GRU agents, and decided to become a Soviet spy. [4]
During the Second World War, Pünter was a member of the Red Orchestra, [1] and the Red Three. [8] His codename was Pakbo, [1] or sometimes Paquebot, [8] and Pünter worked with the Soviet intelligence agencies. [1] His encryption methods included crosswords and lemon juice. [3] Others in the movement included Georges Blun (codename Long) and Rachel Dübendorfer (codename Sissy), [9] [10] and they collaborated with Hungarian spy Alexander Radó. [11] [12] Pünter helped Georges Blun to become part of Radó's network, [4] and Pünter also managed a Yugoslav spy codenamed Gabel, and a German social democrat codenamed Poisson. [13] Radó was accused of using Pünter to sell information to the British secret service. [7]
In 1941, Pünter claimed he had intelligence from the French of the German invasion of the USSR; his source was said to be Rudolf Roessler. The information was believed to be fabricated. [5] Pünter also claimed to have received information from German general Alfred Jodl, and had a team of agents in a secret monastery location in the Alps. None of these claims have ever proved to have been true. [5] However, the USSR saw Pünter as an important ally, and Pünter was called one of the most useful agents in Switzerland. [6]
After the War, he became President of the Association of Federal Parliament Journalists. [1] From 1956 to 1965, he was the head of public relations of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG). [1] [2] [3] Afterwards, he worked as a district judge. [3] In 1966, he appeared on a panel discussion show about Switzerland's involvement in the Second World War. [14]
In 1948, he was awarded the Turin journalism prize. [3] In 1975, he was awarded the Hans Bredow medal for services to radio. The ceremony was in West Berlin. [1] [2]