DUESSELDORF : To Catch a Spy
The country he served no longer exists; the secrets he stole no longer matter. Nonetheless, Markus Wolf, former maestro of East Germany’s formidable spy network, goes on trial today on charges of bribery, espionage and treason.
Wolf, 70, one of the Communist East’s most colorful characters, fancied danger and life’s finer things. Reputedly, thriller writer John Le Carre based his protagonist Karla on Wolf.
Debate rages around the merits of the case. Prosecutors say Wolf’s crime was using his spy network to support an illegal dictatorship. His supporters denounce the trial as political. As for the defendant, he has said: “I feel no guilt because I’m accused of treason and I didn’t betray my country.”
The trial is expected to last for months, possibly until October.
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