Maximilian Ronge

Ronge was promoted to Colonel and head of the Evidenzbureau in 1917, a position he held until the end of the monarchy brought about the dissolution of the Bureau in 1918.

Ronge retired in 1932, but was recalled to duty in the following year as director of the staatspolizeiliches Sonderbüro ("state police special bureau").

When Ronge refused to join the SS after Austria’s Anschluss to the German Reich in 1938, he was arrested and deported to the Dachau concentration camp.

From prison, Ronge wrote a “declaration of loyalty“ to Wilhelm Canaris when the latter was promoted to vice admiral, upon which he was released in August 1938.

As chief of Austrian Intelligence, he is the main antagonist and foil of the British agent, the Duke de Richleau, who visits Austria-Hungary several times in various guises.