Herbert Gollnow
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Herbert Gollnow | |
|---|---|
 Herbert Gollnow | |
| Born | 13 June 1911 |
| Died | 12 February 1943 (aged 31) |
| Cause of death | Execution by firing squad |
| Education | Deutsche Reichsbahn, Friedrich Wilhelm University |
| Occupation(s) | Luftwaffe officer, Diplomat |
| Years active | April 1939-February 1943 |
| Movement | Member of the Red Orchestra ("Rote Kapelle") |
Herbert Gollnow (* 13 July 1911 in Berlin, † 12 February 1943 in Berlin) was a German resistance fighter, consulate secretary and later second lieutenant in the Luftwaffe.[1] Gollnow career was influenced by Harro Schulze-Boysen while Gollnow studied at the Faculty for Foreign Studies (Auslandswissenschaftliche Fakultät) of the Friedrich Wilhelm University in Berlin,[2] and as he rose through the ranks of the Luftwaffe, he became a counter-intelligence officer in the Luftwaffe and an informer to Schulze-Boyen.[3] Gollnow became a member of a Berlin anti-fascist resistance group that was associated with Schulze-Boysen, that was later called the Red Orchestra (Rote Kapelle).[4] He was later arrested and executed in 1943.
Gollnow was the son of Reinhold Gollnow, a musician, and his wife Else.[4] He had no siblings.[4] After graduating from high school in March 1931, Gollnow began training with the Reichsbahn, working there from 1 May 1931 to 5 December 1938, achieving the rank of Reichsbahn inspector on 1 August 1938.[1] His work in the railways was interrupted for a year training between May 1936 to June 1937, as a volunteer in the Luftwaffe learning to be a pilot, attaining the rank of Sargeant ("Feldwebel").[1]
Foreign Office
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On 5 December 1938, Gollnow joined the Foreign Office to prepare for service as consulate secretary.[1] On 19 August 1939 Gollnow was appointed consulate secretary[4] by Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop.[1]
Looking to learn the English language, so as to enable him to achieve a more senior position at the Foreign Office, Gollnow answered an advert by Jane Donner, the niece of Mildred Harnack that read Studentin unterrichtet Englisch, ihr Muttersprache in a Berlin newspaper.[5] Gollnow was initially taught by Donner at the Faculty of Foreign Studies.[4] but when she became too busy, she passed Gollnow onto Mildred Harnack,[5] who taught him at her home.[6] He became friends with the Mildred Harnack, an American professor of American English Literature.[7] From April 1939, Gollnow studied part-time at the Institute of Foreign Affairs.[4]
On 1 April 1939, Gollnow became a reserve officer in the Luftwaffe with the rank of second lieutenant.[4] In June 1940, Gollnow was drafted to a Luftwaffe Jagdfliegerschule in Tutow where he taught aircraft identification. While there, he underwent paratrooper training. In the summer of 1941 he was promoted to first lieutenant.[4] At Arvid Harnack's suggestion, Gollnow continued his studies at the institute.[4] Gollnow met Harro Schulze-Boysen through Mildred Harnack. Under the guise of helping him, Schulze-Boysen became an influence on Gollnow[3] in the hope of turning him into an informer. In October 1941, Gollnow was promoted to a position in The Foreign Branch of the Abwehr in the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht of the Armed Forces High Command.[4] Looking to impress the Harnacks, resulted in gross carelessness as Gollnow gave away information on the Abwehr that should have remained secret.[3] Eventually, he became an important source to both the Harnacks and Schulze-Boysen.[3]
