Alexander Halpern

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Alexander J. Halpern (1879-1956) was a Russian lawyer. In 1917 he served as cabinet secretary to the Kerensky government.[1]

According to historian Thomas E. Mahl, Halpern worked for British Security Coordination (BSC) in the US during World War Two, with the cover symbol G.111. Under this designation he was responsible for controlling Arabic, Senegalese, French Persian, Italian and Turkish broadcasts at WRUL, a Boston shortwave radio station under cover British influence. Later, his designation was changed to G.400, which signified he was the head of Special Operations Executive's Political and Minorities Section at BSC.[2]

According to a 10th July 1941 note on the organisation of SO.1, New York by Sydney Morrell, G111 also handled the following organisations for SO.1 purposes:

(a) Austria Action
(b) Near Eastern Information Bureau: for our broadcasts and for propaganda among Arabs in the Americas, including the Arab Newspaper AL HODA.
(c) Serbian organisations.
(d) France Forever
(e) Ukrainians[3]

Affiliations

Notes

  1. Thomas E. Mahl, Desperate Deception: British Covert Operations in the United States 1939-44, Brassey's, 1999, p.195.
  2. Thomas E. Mahl, Desperate Deception: British Covert Operations in the United States 1939-44, Brassey's, 1999, p.195.
  3. Piece titled S.O.1, New York Organisation Plan, July 10th 1941 in FO 898/103, National Archives.