I was a deep cover KGB spy Part 2 (141)

Cold War Conversations - "vivid & compelling" The NY Times

Ian Sanders

Documentary, History, Society & Culture

4.8 • 865 Ratings

🗓️ 25 September 2020

⏱️ 56 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This is part 2 of our chat with Jack Barsky who spent ten years as an undercover KGB agent in the United States. He is the longest surviving known member of the KGB illegals programme that operated during the Cold War. In this episode we talk about his first days in the US, his mission and how he managed build his cover enabling him to live and work as a US citizen. He honestly and candidly talks about the impact his secret life had on those closest to him and the moment of his arrest by the FBI. If you can spare it I’m asking listeners to contribute at least $3 USD per month to help keep us on the air (larger amounts are welcome too) plus you can get a sought after CWC coaster as a monthly financial supporter of the podcast and you bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history. Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ I am delighted to welcome Jack Barsky to our Cold War conversation… There’s further information on this episode in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in your podcast app here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode141/ If you can’t wait for next week’s episode do visit our Facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. Just search Cold War Conversations in Facebook. Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/ Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations 0:00 Introduction and Jack Barsky's life as a KGB agent 2:18 Support for the Cold War Conversations podcast 8:18 Living undercover in the United States 15:15 Communication methods with the KGB 18:13 Shift in mission and life as a computer programmer 24:27 Impact of family life on his mission 32:11 Discovery of Jack's identity and confrontation with the FBI 40:20 Revealing his past to his family 44:51 Reunion with his abandoned son and friendship with FBI agent 49:22 Reflections on his decisions and the impact of his past 51:15 Closing remarks and acknowledgements to patrons Chapters powered by PodcastAI✨ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Welcome to Cold War Conversations, the home of real stories of the Cold War.
0:06.3	Somebody actually came up to me, a Russian agent, very briefly just whispered into my ears,
0:12.8	you've got to come home or else you're dead.
0:16.5	This is Cold War Conversations. If you're new here, you've come to the right place to listen to
0:23.3	first-hand Cold War history accounts. Do make sure you follow us in your podcast app or join our
0:29.8	emailing list at Cold Warconversations.com. This is part two of our chat with Jack Barski, who spent 10 years as an undercover KGB agent in the United States.
0:45.8	He is the longest surviving known member of the KGB Illegals program that operated during the Cold War.
0:53.4	In this episode, we talk about his first days in the US, his mission, and how he managed
0:59.5	to build his cover, enabling him to live and work as a US citizen.
1:05.0	He honestly and candidly talks about the impact his secret life had on those closest to him, and the moment of his arrest by the FBI.
1:14.9	If you can spare it, I'm asking listeners to contribute at least three US dollars per month to help keep us on the air,
1:21.9	although larger amounts are welcome to.
1:25.2	Plus, you get that sought-after Cold War Conversations drinks coaster as a monthly
1:30.6	financial supporter and you bask in the warm glow of knowing that you are helping to preserve
1:37.1	Cold War history. Just go to cold warconversations.com slash donate. I'm delighted to welcome Jack Barski to our Cold Warconversations.com slash donate. I'm delighted to welcome Jack Barski to our Cold War
1:48.5	Conversation. And what was the definition of your mission? What were you supposed to do? Because you were
1:57.0	going to arrive in the US as effectively a nobody?
2:01.6	There was never a task list.
2:05.6	There was never, you've got to do this, this and this.
2:09.6	The one thing that was clearly defined was the first two years.
2:14.6	You get authentic US documentation and get a job, any kind of job. And then we'll take it from there.
2:22.3	Well, they take it from there was actually the plan was to move me back to Europe and set me up with a business so that I could then return with some wealth back to the United
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Ian Sanders, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Ian Sanders and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.