THE BERLIN TUNNEL: Cold War Espionage Beneath East Berlin

The Cold War, a period of intense rivalry between the Western Allies and the Eastern Bloc, was characterized by espionage, covert operations, and the constant quest for valuable intelligence. One of the most daring and secretive endeavors of this era was the Berlin Tunnel, an audacious mission to tunnel beneath East Berlin to gather crucial information about Soviet and East German activities. 

In this blog post, we delve into the intriguing history of the Berlin Tunnel, from its construction to its shocking discovery in 1956, and its enduring significance in the annals of Cold War espionage.

A piece of the tunnel has been excavated and now sits as a display at the Spy Museum 

THE START OF OPERATION GOLD

In the wake of the Berlin Blockade (1948-1949) and the subsequent division of Berlin into East and West, a period marked by escalating Cold War tensions, Western intelligence agencies recognized the imperative need for a covert mechanism to collect intelligence from within the Eastern Bloc. Consequently, the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) jointly initiated a clandestine operation named Operation Gold, which was code-named "Operation Stopwatch" by the British.

The genesis of this operation can be traced back to 1954, a year in which Allied powers were gripped by concerns that the Soviet Union might imminently launch a nuclear attack on Western nations. This apprehension was catalyzed by the Soviets' successful detonation of a hydrogen bomb in August 1953, as part of their atomic bomb project. In September 1954, the construction of the covert tunnel commenced, and it spanned a duration of approximately eight months until its completion.

The primary objective of this ambitious endeavor was to enable American intelligence agencies to intercept and monitor telephone conversations among Soviet military personnel, thereby gaining insight into potential conflict intentions. Remarkably, this covert surveillance operation endured for nearly a year, amassing a staggering archive of recorded communications. 

A noteworthy facet of this covert operation, however, was the presence of a double agent within Western intelligence circles. George Blake, operating as a mole, promptly divulged information about Operation Gold to his Soviet handlers. Curiously, the Soviet Union, instead of immediately exposing the operation, opted to allow it to continue. Their strategic decision rested on the fear that unmasking the operation could potentially compromise the identity of their prized agent, George Blake, and, consequently, they permitted the operation to persist for an extended period autonomously.

CONSTRUCTING TUNNELS DEEP BELOW 

Prior to the tunnel's construction, a covert "warehouse" was discreetly established to serve as a cover for a United States Army Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) station. This warehouse was strategically situated in the Neukölln/Rudow district, located within the jurisdiction controlled by the United States. Notably, it possessed an exceptionally deep basement, descending to a depth of 7 meters, which would later serve as the tunnel's initial point of origin.

The meticulous commencement of tunnel construction occurred on September 2, 1954. Delicately executed, the tunnel extended approximately 1,476 feet or 450 meters beneath the earth's surface, penetrating into the territory of East Berlin. Employing a shield method of construction, the excavated space was meticulously lined with sand and 1,700 cast-iron lining plates. To facilitate the excavation process, a compact rubber-wheeled railway system was employed. The project required the removal of a substantial 3,000 tons of material. Throughout the construction phase, several evacuations became necessary, notably one incident where diggers inadvertently breached an undocumented cesspool, resulting in the flooding of the tunnel.

The tunnel was equipped with state-of-the-art listening devices and recording equipment, designed for the purpose of monitoring conversations and intercepting telephone communications. The majority of this equipment was of British origin and prominently labeled as such. Notably, the entire tunnel was rigged with explosives, a precautionary measure in the event of its necessity for complete destruction. Upon its completion, the tunnel's terminus was situated in the Altglienicke area of the Treptow borough. Here, British Army Captain Peter Lunn, who held the position of head of the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) in Berlin, personally oversaw the installation of the three cables.

Once operational, the Berlin Tunnel became a hub of espionage activity. It intercepted invaluable information by tapping into East German and Soviet military communications. The intelligence gathered included insights into troop movements, espionage activities, and political developments within East Berlin. The tunnel served as a vital source of information for Western intelligence agencies during the height of the Cold War.

The inside of the tunnel as it was during construction

SHOCKING SOVIET DISCOVERY

Nevertheless, the shroud of secrecy enveloping the tunnel operation proved to be fleeting. On April 21, 1956, a mere 11 months into its operation, Soviet authorities unveiled the existence of the tunnel. This revelation was precipitated by a significant turn of events in 1955 when the double agent Blake was transferred. Remarkably, the Soviets were confident that his cover would remain intact. Subsequently, Soviet and East German soldiers breached the tunnel's eastern end, unraveling the clandestine endeavor. This disclosure dealt a severe blow to Western intelligence agencies and exacerbated tensions between the superpowers. The Soviets, acting boldly, summoned the press and declared this project to be "a breach of norms on international law," among other grievances.

Following the tunnel's discovery, Operation Gold came to an abrupt conclusion. British and American personnel involved in the operation were repatriated, and the tunnel was sealed off by Soviet forces. Despite its compromised status, the Berlin Tunnel had produced a huge amount of data including 50,000 reels of tape or 443,000 fully transcribed conversations. This amounted to about 40,000 hours of telephone conversations and 6,000,000 hours of teletype traffic which produced 1,750 intelligence reports.

Some argue that its success persisted despite its exposure from the outset.

GEORGE BLAKE ARRESTED 

In 1961, Blake was apprehended, and it was only then that British and U.S. officials became aware that the tunnel had been compromised from its very inception. Blake faced charges of "communicating information that might be directly or indirectly useful to an enemy power" and three violations of the Official Secrets Act. He received the maximum sentence of 42 years in prison, reflecting his determination to exact "maximum vengeance" upon Britain and its allies. This penalty set a historic precedent as the longest sentence in British history for such a crime.

Five years into his imprisonment, Blake staged a daring escape with the assistance of three fellow inmates he had encountered in jail. He sought refuge in safe houses across England until he made the audacious decision to embark on a journey to East Germany. There, his Soviet handler orchestrated Blake's escape to the Soviet Union.

George Blake and his mother

CONCLUSION

The Berlin Tunnel, with its audacious construction and dramatic discovery, stands as a testament to the intense espionage activities of the Cold War era. While it ultimately faced exposure, the information it gathered offered a unique window into the workings of the Eastern Bloc. 

It serves as a reminder of the relentless pursuit of intelligence during a tumultuous period in world history, where secrets and shadows played a pivotal role in shaping the course of the Cold War.

Resources: 

• The New York Post: How one man’s tunnel under the Berlin Wall saved 29 souls from Soviet rule
• Warfare History Network: Operation Gold: The CIA’s Berlin Tunnel
• CIA.gov: About the Berlin Tunnel
• UNITED STATES CRYPTOLOGIC HISTORY: Operation REGAL: The Berlin Tunnel CS-COO)