Hilda Monte - the name by which she was known in socialist and "intelligence"
circles (real name unknown) was born in Berlin around 1914. Jewish parentage
but apparently nonpracticing.  She became a revolutionary socialist as a girl
in the 1920s. Originally in the youth section of the KAPD (opposition communist
party) and an admirer of Rosa Luxembourg, she later became a member of the
anti parliamentary council-communist movement (may have known van der Lubbe -
of Reichstag fire fame). After 1933 she linked up with small groups of activist
s prepared to use terrorist tactics against the Nazis....Anti parliamentary
council communists, Spartakists and anarcho-syndicalists were involved in this
action. They were not allied but here was a certain amount of criss-crossing.

Around 1937 Monte was brought to the attention of the authorities but escaped
arrest by marrying (nominally) John Olday (A.W.Oldag), an anarchist/spartakist
who had British nationality by virtue of a Canadian father (but had always
lived in Germany) They were deported - He came to England (wrote "Kingdom
of Rags") - she does not appear to have come until 1939. He was gay and they
did not cohabit.

She was trying to return to Germany to continue the struggle (reportedly
involved in another plot against Hitler) Olday obtained financial assistance
from George N. Strauss a millionaire industrialist (Lab. MP for Vauxhall)
for this plot... she possibly had contact with groups of Council-communists
in Paris and Amsterdam and Anarchists in Birmingham(UK)

When the war started she was viewed with suspicion by British Intelligence
(recently entered the country, citizenship by marriage to a husband with
whom she didn't live and was reportedly a jewess wanting to go back to
Germany) who despite later propoganda had a very ambivalent attitude towards
anti-nazi activists. Around this time Strauss withdrew his support (under
pressure?)

In the UK Monte appears to have mixed with (mostly German) Socialist Vangaurd
group (Luxembourgists) though they had support from Fenner Brockway of the
ILP (later Lab. MP and Lord). She worked on a plan of her own (with a Birmingha
m based group) and asked British Anarchists through Olday to find another
backer. This was actor Leslie Howard (very anti-nazi) Howard not only got her
released but also persuaded British intelligence to let her return to Germany
on a "mission". They had little to lose. Unfortunatley they appear to have insi
sted (no proof here) that she undertake espoinage as well as resistance.
She was captured in 1942/3 - her fate is unknown but can be guessed

I'm told that Israel (Yad Veshem?) has an archive on her, possibly also in the
US archives of records taken from the Gestapo/German Police
