The new head of Mi6 is the granddaughter of a Nazi spy chief named ‘The Butcher’, it has been claimed. Earlier this month, Blaise Metreweli was announced as the new head of the secretive spy agency, the first woman to earn the job in the organisation’s 116-year history.
Unsurprisingly, little is known about Metreweli, who graduated from Cambridge having excelled in her studies before seemingly disappearing. But her announcement as the next person to hold the position of ‘C’, a role played by Dame Judi Dench in the James Bond franchise, has seen many people delve into her past to discover more about the imminent leader of British intelligence. Archives in Germany show that despite little being known about Metreweli’s life and career, her family tree reveal an interesting tale.
According to the Daily Mail, archives show that her grandfather Constantine Dobrowolski defected from the Red Army to work as the Germans’ chief informant in the region of Chernihiv in Ukraine during the Second World War.
Known as ‘Agent No 30’, Dobrowolski boasted in letters of participating in the execution of Jews and mocked the sexual assault of female prisoners.
The trove of archives uncovered show that at one point, Dobrowolski had a bounty on his head of 50,000 roubles, the equivalent of £200,000.
Metreweli never met her paternal grandfather but there are fears that her grandfather’s role in the war could hand a gift to Russian propaganda who regularly accuses the UK of aiding ‘nazis’ in Ukraine.
Beka Kobakhidze, a professor of modern history at Ilia State University in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, told the Daily Mail: “As a historian and researcher from a country that grapples daily with Russian propaganda, I can say with confidence that this will become a favourite talking point for Kremlin propagandists for years to come.”
“Of course, children should not be held responsible for the sins of their fathers – or grandparents, for that matter.
“But I do find it puzzling why the UK would willingly hand such ‘ammunition.”
The Russians have already posted false claims about her step-grandfather, who her grandmother married after arriving in Britain after the war, wrongly calling him a nazi in an indication that they were close to uncovering the truth.
A Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office spokesman said last night: “Blaise Metreweli neither knew nor met her paternal grandfather.
“Blaise’s ancestry is characterised by conflict and division and as is the case for many with eastern European heritage, only partially understood.
“It is precisely this complex heritage which has contributed to her commitment to prevent conflict and protect the British public from modern threats from today’s hostile states, as the next chief of MI6.”