Former German Chancellor allegedly served as an informant for US intelligence

BERLIN

Former German Chancellor Willy Brandt is believed to have been an informant for the US military intelligence Counter Intelligence Corps (CIC) for four years before he came to power in 1969-1974, according to a German magazine.

Brandt, who was from the Social Democratic Party (SPD), provided intelligence to the CIC from 1948 to March 17, 1952, according to Der Spiegel.

SPD-Ikone Willy Brandt wurde vom Militärgeheimdienst CIC als Informant geführt. Geheimdokumente belegen: Mehr als 200 Mal traf er sich mit den Agenten. Was er ihnen berichtete – und wie er entlohnt wurde. https://t.co/QwC1FuayWh

— DER SPIEGEL (@derspiegel) December 17, 2021

The magazine wrote that Brandt briefed the CIC about the FDJ, the youth wing of the German Democratic Republic (DDR) and the ruling Socialist Unity Party (SED).

It claimed that Brandt also provided information on shipyards, factories, the railway system and the telephone network of the Soviet army.

He met CIC liaison officers who classified him as trustworthy more than 200 times in four years, according to sources.

It was stated that Brandt, who was an informant for four years, was registered with the code "O-35-VIII."

Brandt, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1971, resigned after it was revealed that Gunter Guillaume, his adviser and right-hand man, was a DDR spy.

Brandt died Oct. 8, 1992 in Unkel, near Bonn.