New Book of Interest: Spymaster: The Memoirs of Gordon M. Stewart, CIA Station Chief in Cold War Germany
De Gruyter Publishers 2024
From the publisher:
For over two decades, Gordon M. Stewart guided CIA operations in Cold War Germany. As chief of the agency’s largest worldwide station, he hunted Nazi war criminals, sent spies into the Soviet bloc, and recruited sources inside the West German government. His memoirs, introduced by renowned intelligence scholar Thomas Boghardt, offer a fascinating inside look at the epicenter of Cold War espionage and the career of a most accomplished CIA officer.
Endorsements:
“The long overdue – and utterly fascinating – memoirs of one of the most important American intelligence officers of the early Cold War period, with a masterful introduction by Thomas Boghardt. This is essential reading for anyone hoping to gain an intimate view of the CIA at its inception – or who simply loves a good spy story!” Scott Anderson, author of The Quiet Americans: Four CIA Spies at the Dawn of the Cold War: A Tragedy in Three Acts.
“Gordon Stewart is one of the most important and least well-known Americans who helped shape postwar Germany. In this revealing memoir, masterfully edited and introduced by Thomas Boghardt, Stewart’s guidance and leadership of the CIA comes to life. This book is a critical contribution to our understanding of the Cold War and the role of intelligence in U.S. diplomacy.” Thomas A. Schwartz, author of Henry Kissinger and American Power: A Political Biography.
“Revealing without being sensational, this is a delightful memoir by a thoughtful, modest, principled man – an American George Smiley, you might say. The book benefits both from careful editing and from an excellent and well-written introduction by the intelligence historian Thomas Boghardt.” Adam Sisman, author of John le Carré: The Biography.
“Gordon Stewart is a hidden hero of the early CIA. Chief of its largest spy station,he takes us on a remarkable journey from hunting Nazi fugitives to a subterranean battle beneath Berlin. Spymaster is an essential contribution to Cold War history and a must-read for all those interested in the world of espionage.”–Richard J. Aldrich, author of GCHQ.
“Gordon Stewart was present at the creation and height of the U.S. intelligence effort in Cold War Europe. Superbly edited by Thomas Boghardt, Stewart’s memoirs shed new light on the CIA’s hidden history.”–Christian F. Ostermann, author of Between Containment and Rollback: The United States and the Cold War in Germany(2021)
From the Introduction by Thomas Boghardt:
„Germany was the epicenter of the Cold War. Across the Iron Curtain, hundreds of thousands of soldiers faced each other, and if World War III were to break out, contemporaries surmised, it would happen here. The country’s frontline status made it an El Dorado for spies, who gathered information on military targets, penetrated local governments, and conducted covert operations. For the Americans, the newly established Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) came to take the lead in this silent–and sometimes not so silent–contest. In the heyday of the Cold War, the agency employed roughly 1,700 personnel in West Germany and Berlin, making it the largest overseas station in the world. Ultimately, this far-flung apparatus reported to the CIA station chief in West Germany and his deputy. For many years, either of those positions was held by Gordon Matthews Stewart.“
