Hedes & Dekes: Early 20th Century Spy Records Up For Viewing

British spy and art historian Anthony Blunt wrote a 30,000-word memoir during his time as a spy for the Soviet Union between sometime in the 1930s to the early 1950s. Last week, after keeping the memoir sealed in a steel container for twenty-five years, the British Library has made the document public, reports The New York Times.

The memoir does not really reveal much new information about Blunt’s work or espionage, but it does offer some perspective on his opinions of what he was doing. Most notably, it is nearly completely unapologetic for any harm his spying may have caused.

Following Blunt’s death in 1983, the executor of Blunt’s will deposited the memoir with the library on the condition that the document, which Blunt had intended as a testament to family and friends, be kept secret for twenty-five years. Those twenty-five years are up, and the document is finally available to the public.

It’ll be interesting to see who is first to snatch up publishing rights.
--Rachel Frier

Photo: The New York Times