Article on a former illegal in The Guardian

[lovingboth]

'I thought I was smarter than almost everybody': my double life as a KGB agent.

East German rather than Russian, but lots of interesting details. I like the pre-written letters to his family, with space for someone else to fill in anything topical or in response to what they've asked.

Comments

[jae]

I've actually read a number of pieces about this man (he's even served as a consultant on our show!), but this is a good one! Thanks.

-J

[jae]

PS: For anyone who understands German, this is a great little film (which uses music from The Americans!) in which Barsky comes back to Germany for the first time since he left to go work in the US as an illegal. Fascinatingly, he actually has a slight American accent when he speaks German!

-J

[saraqael]

Good article. I'm looking forward to reading his book when it's published in March. Some of this information has been covered in other articles or interviews I've seen before. I found it totally understandable that ultimately he became disillusioned and just wanted to disappear into the US with his family (without defecting) and be left alone by the KGB and the FBI, which of course was not possible.

His description of the depressed looking, sad middle aged American woman who helped him with his English in Moscow immediately reminded me of Martha. The woman had fallen in love with a Russian but never assimilated to life in Russia. Terribly sad. Much as I would like for Martha to find a way to find happiness in Russia, the odds are heavily stacked against her there.