This is the 3rd sensational fresh by Jan Vernik from the series “Counts Provocations”. Previous, “Syke of the Snake” and “head on a tray” (ed. von borowiecky) treated the operations of Russian services during the January Uprising and UB during the period of fighting the underground after 1945.
This time the subject is the celebrated operation of the departments of Dzierżyński and Mienżyński "Trust", in the early 1920s. It consisted of creating a fictional monarchist anti-bolshevik organization (MOCR), with the aid of which Western services, including Polish, were infiltrated. 1 of the officers of Polish intelligence, Lt. Władysław Michniewicz, convinced by another Polish agent operating in the USSR, Viktor Drobyszewskithat this is pure provocation, trying to inform the office of Polish intelligence. There, however, 1 believes in this fiction and treats Michniewicz's statements as fantasies. Here is 1 of the key scenes:
– So you're telling me, Lieutenant, that you think MOCR is inspired by the Bolsheviks? That it's just their very effective misinformation? So effective that we were fooled, not only us, but besides the Estonians, the French, the English. They besides didn't announcement white men with Kutiepov and Wrangle in the lead. All of their military emigration, in which there are plenty of Czarski staff officers, did not catch on with the clever operation of Comrade Dzierżyński, and you did it, Lieutenant Michniewicz?! Talikovsky laughed mockly. But his amusement lasted only a short moment, after which the mine immediately stopped, and his eyes began to throw lightning again. I think you're wrong, Lieutenant.
Michniewicz clenched his jaws until the muscles of the jaw appeared under the skin of his cheeks. He was in a rage he could barely mask.
– I just want to point out that I besides based my doubts about the anti-bolshevik conspiracy on Colonel Wiktor Drobyszewski's report. This is our best located...
– I know who he is! I'm the goddamn head of the East.
Thus, Polish intelligence continued to venture into this acacia until 1926. Then a commission was appointed to explain who was responsible. At her head Captain Ludwik Bociański becameIt was already during Piłsudski's rule. The problem was that the shadow was falling on Lida from the erstwhile P.O.W., and there were suspicions that another Second Branch officers could work for the GPU. Stork along with Colonel Tadeusz Schaetzlem They've decided to blow the case. Here's the second passage of the novel:
‘- What is it, Louis? You come to me like a fire. Is something wrong? You want to change something in your report? I was just analyzing it...
– And I just got a message from Tallinn. As a consequence of the MOR investigation conducted by Major Palme's people, it was clearly confirmed that Roman Birk was a russian spy. Which means Kasatkin might have been telling the truth! Tough disease! Tadeusz, we must launch the counter immediately. Have them take Drymmer and Niedziński for a fork... Let them look for that 3rd mole!
- Calm down! Sit down. Light it. Take a deep breath.
You don't want to sweep it under the rug, do you?
No, not at all. But you see... I wouldn't believe russian spies like that, even erstwhile they bring gifts. due to the fact that don't you find it strange...
- Tadeusz, what are you talking about? Palme... I have it in writing. And Birk's already in jail.
Schaetzel took a deep breath.
– Whose image hangs on the wall? – he pointed his chin at Piłsudski's image. Do you truly want to origin a storm in Poland? It's been a twelve months since we took over. We have a minute of comparative peace, of course, for Polish conditions, and you want to blow it up? Do you know what will happen if the end decision finds out that Polish intelligence was swarming with russian spies? You know what the press is gonna do to us? I can already see this title in the “Warsaw Gazette”: russian spies in the Saski Palace! What will happen in the Sejm? After May, the marshal and his most trusted men took over the army... Human resources have been exchanged at command levels... Besides, you know as well as I do. No, Louis, we're not going to make a mess right now.
– But we gotta do something!
– We will do what is right of state, what is in the best interests of the military. I don't gotta explain to you that our service has all the shades of gray, and it's practically never black and white.
– No, you don't. Nevertheless...
- No! No! “ Schaetzel raised his voice. - We'll just do what we gotta do, nothing else. I'll study to your committee tomorrow. And then, quietly, without publicity, we're gonna start pushing people active in the alleged Monarchist Organization of Russia. 1 at a time, slow and quiet.
– Like nothing happened?
The head of Polish intelligence did not respond".
What are the references of this fresh to modern times? In the case of the alleged anti-putin opposition, which can be believed and able to act in Poland – this could be a "rerun from entertainment". It would turn out that we have learned nothing and we take our own wishes as reality. I don't know if that was the author's purpose, but specified conclusions come from reading this novel. And 1 more thing – during this Operation "Trust" in 1923 he was Minister of abroad Affairs for any time Roman Dmowskiwho, despite the proposal, refused to agree to meet with alleged members of the monarchist organization. He didn't see the point due to the fact that at the time he thought the power of the Bolsheviks was permanent.
Jan Engelgard
Jan Wernik, “On the cord of illusion”, volume III of the series Counts Provocation, von borowiecky, Radzymin-Warsaw 2023, p. 429.
Think Poland, No. 31-32 (30.07-6.08.2023)
