[3] Gollnow became a member of a Berlin anti-fascist resistance group that was associated with Schulze-Boysen, that was later called the Red Orchestra (Rote Kapelle).

[1] His work in the railways was interrupted for a year training between May 1936 to June 1937, as a volunteer in the Luftwaffe learning to be a pilot, attaining the rank of Sargeant ("Feldwebel").

[1] Looking to learn the English language, so as to enable him to achieve a more senior position at the Foreign Office, Gollnow answered an advert by Jane Donner, the niece of Mildred Harnack that read Studentin unterrichtet Englisch, ihr Muttersprache in a Berlin newspaper.

In October 1941, Gollnow was promoted to a position in The Foreign Branch of the Abwehr in the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht of the Armed Forces High Command.

[4] Looking to impress the Harnacks, resulted in gross carelessness as Gollnow gave away information on the Abwehr that should have remained secret.

On 19 December 1942, the 2nd senate of the Reichskriegsgericht sentenced Gollnow to death for disobedience in the field and disclosing state secrets to the enemy.