Borvendég Zsuzsanna: Fabulous Spy Games. How international trade networks with the West developed after 1945 - A Magyarságkutató Intézet Kiadványai 24. (Budapest, 2021)
‘THE HUNGARIAN MAFIA’ - A chink on the peace front: Frankfurt am Main
'THE HUNGARIAN MAFIA' authorities believed that the documents were taken by Bródy, 191 or rather they had full knowledge of everything as they conspired to make Bródy disappear. Junger was posted in Frankfurt as an agent of state protection. His surviving reports provide information on the beginnings of Hungarian-West German trade relationships. 191 ÁBTL 3.2.1 Bt-489, p. 35 Executive Report, 21 January 1953 192 ÁBTL 3.2.1 Bt-489, p. 9 Executive report, 5 June 1951 193 Ibid. p. 10 194 ÁBTL 3.2.1 Bt-489, p. 6 Recruitment information sheet, undated. 195 ÁBTL 3.2.1 Bt-489, p. 33, 11 June 1951 Born as the son of a rabbi in Zalaegerszeg, Károly Junger went on to graduate from a one-year trade academy after his matura exam. He started working at the electricity company Egyesült Izzó in 1937.192 During the war, he was subjected to forced labour, and deserted in 1945 to join the approaching Red Army, returning to his original job once the fighting was over. He worked as a materials buyer, and, according to the information of state security, made a lot of money during the inflationary period by engaging in the black market.193 From 1948 until he was posted in Frankfurt, Junger was employed by the Heavy Industry Centre. Junger was recruited by the State Protection Authority under the cover name of Áron Gábor’ before his placement to Frankfurt, but the cover name ‘ Ferenc Bodnár’ was also indicated on his recruitment information sheet.194 This may be of interest as the report compiled by German intelligence on Andreas Bródy says a person called Bodnár also worked in Brody’s network. So Junger took over István Brody ’s post in 1950. The active Hungarian foreign trader who made sure Bickenbachs company made West German- Hungarian trade its own, effectively as a monopoly, inevitably piqued the interest of the American secret service. It is not just the trade agency established with the Bickenbach company, however, that can be linked to Junger, he also built his own network in West German government circles, trade administration and various government offices, bribing people in the highest positions,195 as a result of which Hungarian foreign trade delegations achieved great success when negotiating annual trade agreements and setting quotas. The CIA held the office in Frankfurt under surveillance and even had a secret service operation under 71
