Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
Highest-ranking KGB officer ever to work as a British double agent, providing unprecedented insight into the Soviet threat.
On the island
Eight records
Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major, K. 488: II. Adagio
Alfred Brendel, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, conducted by Sir Neville Marriner
the loveliest pieces of music by Mozart and many people will recognize that piece.
Fyodor Shalapin is the most famous Russian singer. And he was a really very Russian man, his voice, his behavior, his dignity, his pride.
Tristan und Isolde: Mild und leise wie er lächelt (Mild und leise)
Birgett Nielsen, who is a fantastic singer, Sings an Add by Wagner which one of the most profound and philosophical. and complicated pieces.
Peter, Peter, komm zu mir zurück
Marlene Dietrichem is an anti-fascist, brilliant singer. She was fighting on the Allied side. Her songs were so Warm for the soul. that nearly all are beautiful, and I f found one which I regard as the most beautiful and nicest nicest of all of them.
I actually like modern and super modern avant-garde music. And people don't understand me because nobody likes avant-garde music. But for me it is like reading a book about which you never heard about.
String Quartet No. 10 in E-flat major, Op. 74, "Harp"
for me he was close because he was writing music which was really Central European music and I liked everything which was Central European.
St Matthew Passion, BWV 244: Erbarme dich, mein GottFavourite
It is an famous area. And Arbarmadik means have pity with me. And here the person is singing, You can't forgive me, but at least I ask for pity.
Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Daniel Barenboim
Daniel Barenboim came to East Berlin and organized a concert. In the Woods for the East Germans. and played for them the old German music. And it was a wonderful success.
In conversation
Presenter asks
0:56What did you take the decision to do [after the 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia]?
It was certainly the invasion of Czechoslovakia by the Soviet Union and other Communist countries. It was so outrageous that I decided now it is the end, and I'll stop working for this criminal, awful regime.
Presenter asks
1:36What did you do to make it known to the British that you may be available to them?
I um made a telephone call to my wife. when I expressed my outrage. I knew the telephone was listened to by the Danes. They would immediately to tell the British about them. My attitude? And they will pay more attention to me.
Presenter asks
4:34What does the phrase 'homo sovieticus' mean?
Homo Seriaticus is a man which was created by the regime of Stalin. And uh Homo Seriaticus has got a different um mentality, different behavior, different attitude to everything which is in the West. Distorted, distorted and um unpleasant and very poorly behaved in nearly in all
The keepsakes
The book
The luxury
a nice collection of toiletries
I would like to have a nice collection of the toiletries. For for my bath. Particularly good uh soaps and good uh shaving creams and good blades for shaving and so that type of uh uh things.
Presenter asks
8:48Were you approached by the KGB, or did you make it known to them that you would be interested in working for them?
Yes, it's a very good question, very typical for the Western person, what you are asking now. Because people don't realize that in each Russian university there is one at least one or several KGB officers attached to the university for all the time. And they s firstly, they supervise the s behavior of the students. Are they loyal? Are they okay? And what are their potential professional abilities? And they uh the KGB actually, not the university, was sending the students to the jobs.
Presenter asks
16:35Did your wife know that you were working for the British?
No, she didn't. It was impossible. Homo savieticus. Homo Savietikus who b should run to the K. There was n no chance to cooperate with wife who is the mother of your lovely children, but it is impossible to be on confidential relations.
Presenter asks
21:24Why did you feel that you would be willing to put your very life on the line for Britain?
Because stiff upper lip. I thought I should be a courageous man, courageous. So I will go and they will regret it. But we will know that people Russian people like me, they are dedicated to the Western values, and it's very important.
“It was certainly the invasion of Czechoslovakia by the Soviet Union and other Communist countries. It was so outrageous that I decided now it is the end, and I'll stop working for this criminal, awful regime.”
“It was a culture shock. It was the beautiful European city, with wonderful uh libraries, universities, colleges. I was so so deeply impressed that I started doing everything which I was able to do, like going to the library and taking b bags, plastic bags of books, because there was no limitation.”
“I thought I should be a courageous man, courageous. So I will go and they will regret it. But we will know that people Russian people like me, they are dedicated to the Western values, and it's very important.”
“It was fantastic. I was alive and I was free.”