Shaked Shapira

י’1

5 points

Juan Pujol García was born in February 1912 in Barcelona. In 1939, during the early days of World War ll, Pujol decided that he must make a contribution “for the good of humanity” by helping Britain – which, with its empire, was Germany’s only enemy at the time. He initially approached the British three times, including through his wife, but they showed no interest in employing him as a spy. Therefore, he decided to establish himself as a German agent before approaching the British again to offer his services as a double-agent.

Pujol created an identity as a fanatically pro-Nazi Spanish government official who could travel to London on official business. He also obtained a fake Spanish diplomatic passport by fooling a printer into thinking Pujol worked for the Spanish embassy in Lisbon.

Pujols Honours

As Alaric, his german codename he was awarded the Iron Cross Second Class on 29 July 1944, for his services to the German war effort.

As Garbo his British codename, he received an MBE from King George VI, on 25 November 1944.

The Nazis never realised they had been fooled, and thus Pujol earned the distinction of being one of the few – if not the only one – to receive decorations from both sides during World War II.