WRFH/Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM - Undetected: Marthe Cohn Part 1

Episode Date: September 14, 2024

This week, Megan and Alessia explore the beginning of Marthe Cohn's journey as a spy as she becomes a spy for French Intelligence during World War II.

Welcome to Undetected on Radio Free Hillsdale. Go undercover with your hosts, Alessia Sandala and Megan Lee, as they uncover the stories of spies from every country and time. The most thrilling yet the most secret of lives in history. Thanks for joining us again this week on Undetected. I'm Megan. And I'm Alessia. This week, our spy is a woman no one would have thought to be a spy during World War II.

That's right. She was a tiny 4-11 and Jewish, but she had qualities that made her the perfect spy. She had blonde hair, blue eyes, and spoke perfect German. Now, let's dive into the thrilling story of Mark Cohn. Mark Cohn was born on April 13, 1920 in Metz, France. Cone was born into an Orthodox Jewish family. The family home was unfortunately located near France's border with Germany, so just prior to the outbreak of World War II,

the French government recommended Jewish families move closer to Western France. Cone's family were among those who elected to move. When France fell to German forces in 1940, everything changed for Cohn. Life grew more difficult each day. The family's wholesale business was taken and Cohn was fired from her job. After being fired, Cone chose nursing as her new career. She soon began studying at the local Red Cross School. However, attending nursing school was difficult because she was Jewish.

Yeah, whenever German soldiers came by, she had to be hidden. Despite the attempts to hide Cone, she was forced to quit after only one year. In 1942, Cohn's sister, Stephanie, was arrested for allegedly participating in resistance activities. Cohn and her family had to escape to Vichy, France, otherwise known as the Free Zone, with the help of co-worker Odeel de Morin. That same September, Stephanie was deported to Auschwitz. She was never heard from again. I can't even imagine how Cohn felt when she heard the news that her sister had been taken. In Marseille, France, Cone tried to continue training as a nurse.

She eventually finished school but faced severe discrimination throughout the process. In November, 1943, things took yet another dark turn. Yes, they did. Cohn's fiancé, Jacques de Launy, was arrested and executed for his involvement with the resistance. What a heartbreaking development. Cohn displayed true strength as she overcame the trauma of losing not only her sister, but her beloved fiancé. In the wake of this, Cohn moved to Paris thanks to her nursing qualification and a fake passport.

She moved in with her other sister, Cecile. While in Paris, she found a job as a caregiver for an elderly woman. It was the perfect job. It kept her under the radar and out of the craziness of a bustling hospital. All right. Now, we're going to fast forward to 1944. Paris has been liberated by the Allies, but the war is still not over for Cohn. She chose to join the French Army where her nursing skills would be a valuable asset.

She hit a roadblock when joining, though, as a result of her fake identity card. The mother of her murdered fiancé was able to enter and Cohn was allowed to join. However, she was made a social worker rather than a nurse. An officer named Colonel Fabian was a key leader in the French resistance and happened to be the colonel of Cohn's regiment. The colonel learned that Cone spoke fluent German and was immediately interested. He offered a transfer Cone to the French intelligence service and she accepted. Cone went through training as the only female. She learned code, navigation, and other key skills a spy behind enemy lines would need. She truly was in the right place at the right time,

to be offered this job. The most challenging part of her journey was yet to come, though. First, she had to create and defend a cover story. Cohn would claim to be a German nurse looking for her fiancé in the chaos of war. French intelligence was pleased with her story. They chose a German POW named Hans and forced him to write letters to Cohn as her fake fiancé. Cohn's first mission as a spy was to gain information about civilian morale and German troop movements, especially the routes the Germans would use for their inevitable retreat. After trying to cross into Germany about 13 times, she was ordered to try crossing the border through

Switzerland because this section was not so highly guarded. Wow, Cone's story is getting even more intense. I can't wait to hear what happens next. Well, you'll have to wait a little bit longer, Megan, because Cone's story isn't over just yet. In fact, it's about to get a whole lot more interesting. I'm Megan. And I'm Alessia. We hope you enjoy this episode of Undetected. Tune in next week to find out what happens to Mark Cohn as she begins her journey.

as a spy for French intelligence on Radio Free Hillsdale, 101.7, FF.