How Much Do You Know About Churchill's "Favorite Spy"?

You know about Eisenhower, Churchill, and Charles de Gaulle, but have you heard of Krystyna Skarbek? Likely Britain's first female secret agent, her bold actions during WWII changed the course of history. Born a Polish countess, she transformed into one of the most formidable and indispensable members of MI6. Using her magnetic personality and stunning beauty to disarm even the most hardened Gestapo officers, her exploits were so incredible that they read more like fiction than fact. Here are 20 things you didn't know about Britain's greatest spy. 

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1. She Was Britain's First Female Spy

Recruited in 1939 by the Secret Intelligence Service, Krystyna Skarbek was Britain's first female spy. She was hired months before the Special Operations Executive (SOE) was even founded. 

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2. She Was Polish Nobility

She was born to Polish aristocrat Count Jerzy Skarbek, making her a countess. Her mother was from a wealthy Jewish banking family.

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3. She Was "Churchill's Favorite"

According to accounts from his daughter, Churchill held Krystyna Skarbek in incredibly high regard. He admired her unparalleled courage and ingenuity. 

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4. She Was The Longest-Serving Female Agent

As well as being the first, she was also Britain's longest-serving female agent. She began her service in 1939 and it ended in 1945, pretty much the entire span of the war. 

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5. She Was An Escape Artist

She had a remarkable ability to get herself and her fellow agents out of perilous situations. She tricked the Gestapo by feigning tuberculosis, convincing them she had a fungus-infected foot in her bag, and smuggling intel across heavily guarded borders countless times. 

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6. She Was Killed By An Obsessed Ex

Unfortunately, Krystyna Skarbek's life was cut tragically short, but not by Gestapo officers or in one of the countless high-risk operations she engaged in. It was an obsessed, heartbroken ex-lover who stabbed her to death in London after she rejected him. 

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7. She Loved Adventure

Even before becoming a secret agent, Krystyna Skarbek loved adventure and danger. She was exceptionally sporty from a young age and engaged in skiing, mountaineering, and exploring, especially with her first husband who was a diplomat. She even smuggled cigarettes across the border over the Tatra Mountains simply for the thrill of it. 

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8. She Was A Master Of Disguise

No, she didn't draw a mustache on her face. She did, however, have a remarkable ability to blend into her surroundings. She was a social chameleon whose tactful changes in demeanor or accent were more convincing than any fake nose. 

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9. She Rescued Two Fellow Agents 

Her most famous exploit was when she rescued two fellow SOE agents from a German prison with mere hours to spare before their scheduled execution. She did this by fearlessly confronting the Gestapo commander of the region, and persuading him with threats, lies, and a bribe. 

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10. She Provided Evidence That The Nazis Were About To Invade Russia

She changed the course of history by providing Britain with evidence for an imminent German invasion of the Soviet Union. She smuggled the microfilm footage of Nazi forces preparing for an invasion across the border in her glove. 

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11. She Convinced Polish Conscripts To Join The French Resistance

While in the Digne sector of France, Krystyna Skarbek encountered a group of Polish constripts who were forced into the German army after the Nazi occupation. Banking on her charisma, she single-handedly convinced over 60 of them to desert and join the French resistance.

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12. She Inspired Ian Fleming's "Bond Girl"

Krystyna Skarbek is widely believed to be the inspiration for Ian Fleming's original Bond girl, Vesper Lynd, due to the striking similarities between them including their Polish heritage, beauty, daring, and ingenuity. Fleming worked in Naval intelligence at the time and would've been aware of agents like Skarbek. 

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13. She Struggled To Find Employment After The War

Despite being one of Britain's greatest heroines, Krystyna Skarbek had trouble adjusting to normal life after the war. She struggled to find stable employment in Britain because she was not British by birth and ended up working as a stewardess on cruise ships: a menial job compared to her intense wartime existence. 

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14. Her Polish Patriotism Compelled Her To Volunteer For Britain

She was abroad in South Africa living with her first husband who was a diplomat there when the Nazis invaded Poland. Upon hearing the news, she immediately went to London to contribute to the war effort out of a sense of Polish patriotism. She saw joining British intelligence as the most effective way to serve Poland and save it from the Nazis. 

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15. She Was Jewish

Although she was baptized Catholic, her mother, Stefania Goldfeder, came from a Jewish banking family. Perhaps because of her Jewish roots, she risked her life facilitating the escape of Jewish Poles several times. 

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16. She Went Back To Poland To Rescue Her Mother

In 1940, Krystyna Skarbek made a dangerous visit to Warsaw in an attempt to rescue her mother. However, her mother refused to leave her home and two years later she was arrested by the Germans as a Jew and taken to Warsaw's Pawiak prison where she died. 

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17. She Was Awarded For Her Bravery

Krystyna Skarbek received prestigious awards from multiple countries in recognition of her bravery. These included the Officer of the Order of the British Empire, the Croix de Guerre from France, and the Polish Cross of Valour.

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18. She Was An Accomplished Skier

Before becoming an agent, Krystyna Skarbek thought about trying for the Olympics as a skier, but she ended up using her alpine skills for espionage instead. She smuggled intel, supplies, money, and arms over the border on skis countless times. 

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19. She Used Her Charm & Beauty To Her Advantage

Krystyna Skarbek was acutely aware of her effect on men and while she wasn't a seductrice, she knew how to harness her allure to disarm, manipulate, and persuade. She was able to appeal to Gestapo officers by making herself look more vulnerable, or in certain cases, scare them with her confidence. 

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20. She Was A Trailblazer For Women In Espionage

When she was recruited, she was neither British nor a man, both prerequisites for MI6. Her recruitment broke down barriers and her success influenced MI6 to recruit more female agents in Nazi-occupied countries. 

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