Halina Szymańska

Halina Szymańska (1906–1989) was a Polish spy, working for the British government, known as the Allies' conduit to Nazi German Admiral Wilhelm Canaris.

She went to boarding school in England, coincidentally called Poles, married Mirek Malewski (another Polish officer who acquitted himself with distinction) and had two children, Anouchka and Michael.

Michael Fabian, Halina's grandson was very close to both his grandmother and grandfather, Antoni Szymanski, in whose house, Chiswick, he grew up in with his mother Marysia, father Mirek and sister Anouchka.

Michael Fabian, many years later, assisted the English spy expert/writer (and MP) Nigel West - real name Rupert Allason - with the section of his book, MI6: British Secret Intelligence Service Operations, 1909-45, which dealt with his grandmother Szymańska.

Among other documents, the book shows Halina's French identity card, which was forged by the MI6's printing expert, Mr Adams in Potters Bar, in order to enable her to travel to occupied France to meet Admiral Canaris, collect information and report back to the Allies in Switzerland.

Stamped with numerous entry and exit visas, it includes two relating to her rendezvous with Admiral Canaris in Italy, April 1941, at which he disclosed details of Hitler's imminent attack on the Soviet Union.