Josef Rudolf Waldberg (born Mainz, Germany), known as Jose Waldberg, was a German national (then aged 25), who, with his accomplice, Karl Heinrich Meier, a Dutchman of German origin (then aged 24), was hanged at

Pentonville Prison HM Prison Pentonville (informally "The Ville") is an English Category B men's prison, operated by His Majesty's Prison Service. Pentonville Prison is not in Pentonville, but is located further north, on the Caledonian Road in the Barnsbury ar ...

in London on 10 December 1940, following their conviction at the

Old Bailey The Central Criminal Court of England and Wales, commonly referred to as the Old Bailey after the street on which it stands, is a criminal court building in central London, one of several that house the Crown Court of England and Wales. The s ...

the previous month The spies were sent to Britain in preparation for the planned German invasion, which never arrived. When questioned by the Intelligence Services Waldberg told them that he would soon be in charge. At his trial Waldberg finally realised the seriousness of his situation and told the court that he'd only taken the mission because his father was in trouble with the Gestapo. Waldberg also admitted that he wasn't a fully trained spy, but that he was studying it. During the entire Second World War, Waldberg was the only ethnic German who actually volunteered to go to Britain to spy. In total 116 spies were sent. The three caught with him were Dutch, which caused the British authorities to detain all asylum seekers from Europe and screen them, or in some cases detain them on the Isle of Man. These were the first executions under the

Treason Act Treason Act or Treasons Act (and variations thereon) or Statute of Treasons is a stock short title used for legislation in the United Kingdom and in the Republic of Ireland on the subject of treason and related offences. Several Acts on the subje ...

. They both spoke good English, and carried papers showing them to be Dutch refugees from the Nazis.Time (magazine)
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References

1910 births 1940 deaths World War II spies for Germany Executed people from Rhineland-Palatinate Aliens executed under the Treachery Act 1940 People from Mainz People executed by the United Kingdom by hanging {{Germany-bio-stub