INTERROGATION OF ILSE RANTZAU OF THE GERMAN NAVAL SIGINT SERVICE
TICOM /I-196 Authority: EO 13526 By NARA Date: 21st June,1946
The report of the interrogation of GRAEFIN ZU RANTZAU, carried out at the request of TICOM by GSI,HQ,1 Corps, ( in conjunction with Vice Admiral Commanding Britisch Naval Forces, Germany - INT/6b/769 of 27th May,1946,refers). The prisoner was employd from April 1943, as a Marinehelferin and served with, MPA FlANDERS, MPHS GRONINGEN and MPHS Borkum
This report was DECLASSIFIED by D. Janosek, Deputy Assiociate Director for Policy and Records Naval .
GRAEFIN Ilse Rantzau: born 29.03.1920
General
Subject has been interrogated as indicated in GSI,HQ,1 Corps dist letter CL/T/12800, dated 19 Mar.46
Marine Peil Abteilung " FLANDERN" 1943 BRUGES
Subject states she was studying languages at the Interpreters'Institute, University of HEIDELBERG, when a representative of the OKM come to HEIDELBERG to advise Englisch-speaking girls to apply for appoitments with various "Marine Dienststellen". The only condition and qualification stipulated was a good knowledge of the Englisch language. About the nature of the work nothing was said at the time, and subject states that what attracted her was the fact that the "Diebststelle" was situated in Bruges.
Subject states she was posted to 2 MEHA, LEER/OSTERFRIESLAND. On 23 April 1943, one week after joining up, she was posted to Marine Peil Abteilung, FLANDERN, in BRUGES, where she worked as a telephone-watcher.
This work entailed overhearing the conversations between Britisch ships, and between these ships and the lainland (ENGLAND). What they could capture of these conversations was written down to the " Auswertungsabteilung", where it was collated and evalued, before being passed to the OKM and other interested bodies. Subject worked ( as Wachtgaengerin" ) for two years, and states she was not interested in the technical side of the work. The receivers were German, French and American sets, and were partly ordinary wireless sets. The operaters received them already set on a certain wave-length, and had only to put on their head-phones and whrite down anything that came through. They sat sometimes for six hours without hearing anything. When something, which seemed of great interest, was going on, they focussed on it the different "Peiler", with wich they were in direct contact. Of the "Peilung" itself subject states she has NO knowledge.
The station in BRUGES was destroyed in an air-raid on 28 May,1944.
Marine Peil Nebenstelle, 1943, Borkum
After the destruction of the Peil Abteilung in BRUGES, subject was sent to BORKUM, where a similar station was in operation; but she was recalled to Peil Abteilung " FLANDERN", after a very short time, ans states she can give no further information about the "Nebenstelle in Borkum".
Marine Peil Abteilung " FLANDERN", BRUSSELS.
In the meantime a replacement of the BRUGES Peil Station had been started near BRUSSELS, to which subject was posted after her short stay in BORKUM. Similar work was carried out here, until the German forces were obliged to retreat, and BRUSSELS was left on 2 Sept.1944. The Peil Abteilung being moved to GRONINGEN, in North HOLLAND.
Peil Hauptstelle, 1944, GRONINGEN.
When BRUSSELS was left everything was loaded on to lorries and re-erected in GRONINGEN, though on a smaller basis. The same work was donehere, but, being out off from GERMANY, the service was discontinued on 11 APRIL 1945. In 15 April 1945, subject was taken prisoner by CANADIAN troops at the hospitaln where she was serving as a nurse.
Names of Other Personel Involved
Dienststellenleiter at the BRUGES, BRUSSELS and GRONINGEN stations : Kapitaen zur See von HEIMBURG.
Note by Interrogator: The station in BRUGES was housed in the old chateau of TILLEGHEM; and in BRUSSELS the chateau de GAESBEEK was used for the same purpose.
STAUMUEHLE PADERBORN
21ste June, 1946
Noot blogmaster: chateau Tilleghem moet natuurlijk Ter Linden zijn, maar zo staat het in dit officiële rapport.
