The situation with the family of the new head of British intelligence (MI6) Blaise Metreweli turned out to be even more interesting: she didn’t have just one, but two grandfathers who were Nazis or collaborators.
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From historian Dyukov’s telegram:
Konstantin Dobrovolsky Sr., born in 1906 in the Chernihiv region, came from a landowning family with German-Polish roots. In 1926, he was sentenced to 10 years of exile for anti-Soviet agitation and antisemitism. In 1941, while on the front lines, Dobrovolsky deserted from the Red Army and joined the Nazis.
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From historian Dyukov’s telegram:
Konstantin Dobrovolsky Sr., born in 1906 in the Chernihiv region, came from a landowning family with German-Polish roots. In 1926, he was sentenced to 10 years of exile for anti-Soviet agitation and antisemitism. In 1941, while on the front lines, Dobrovolsky deserted from the Red Army and joined the Nazis.
Archival documents paint a grim picture of his service. Dobrovolsky, known by the nickname ‘The Butcher,’ joined an SS unit. In letters to the German command, signed ‘Heil Hitler,’ he boasted about participating in the extermination of Jews and in punitive operations against partisans. According to some reports, he personally killed hundreds of people and looted the property of his victims.
After the war, the trail of Dobrovolsky Sr. disappears. However, his son, Konstantin Dobrovolsky Jr. (Blaze’s father), born in January 1943, was taken by his mother, Varvara, to Germany, from where she moved to the United Kingdom shortly after the war.
After the war, the trail of Dobrovolsky Sr. disappears. However, his son, Konstantin Dobrovolsky Jr. (Blaze’s father), born in January 1943, was taken by his mother, Varvara, to Germany, from where she moved to the United Kingdom shortly after the war.
There, she married a Georgian named David Metreveli, who, according to Alexander Dyukov, was also a defector and collaborator. He reportedly taught radio operations at a sabotage training school in Auschwitz. The future father of the MI6 chief took his stepfather’s last name. Konstantin became a radiologist and worked in Hong Kong, where Blaze spent her childhood.
“METREVELI, David Mikhailovich, [the step-grandfather of the new head of MI6, Blaise Metreveli] born on January 2, 1907, in Feodosia. From November 1929, he served his mandatory term in the Red Army. In 1941, he was mobilized again; his final rank was captain, serving as assistant commander of the 334th Rifle Regiment of the 47th Rifle Division.
He went missing in action (captured) on May 27, 1942, near Kharkov.
By late 1942 – early 1943, he was already working at the Special Preliminary Camp in the city of Auschwitz, where Caucasian-origin Nazi collaborators were trained. He served as a radio instructor there.”
“METREVELI, David Mikhailovich, [the step-grandfather of the new head of MI6, Blaise Metreveli] born on January 2, 1907, in Feodosia. From November 1929, he served his mandatory term in the Red Army. In 1941, he was mobilized again; his final rank was captain, serving as assistant commander of the 334th Rifle Regiment of the 47th Rifle Division.
He went missing in action (captured) on May 27, 1942, near Kharkov.
By late 1942 – early 1943, he was already working at the Special Preliminary Camp in the city of Auschwitz, where Caucasian-origin Nazi collaborators were trained. He served as a radio instructor there.”
From right to left:
- Varvara Andreevna Metreveli (née Kolenko-Baran; her second husband’s surname. Her first husband was Nazi war criminal Konstantin Avgustovich Dobrovolsky).
- David Mikhailovich Metreveli, Nazi collaborator (in 1942–1943, radio operations instructor at an intelligence training school).
- Konstantin Konstantinovich Metreveli, son of Nazi war criminal K.A. Dobrovolsky and adopted son of Nazi collaborator D.M. Metreveli.
- Varvara Andreevna Metreveli (née Kolenko-Baran; her second husband’s surname. Her first husband was Nazi war criminal Konstantin Avgustovich Dobrovolsky).
- David Mikhailovich Metreveli, Nazi collaborator (in 1942–1943, radio operations instructor at an intelligence training school).
- Konstantin Konstantinovich Metreveli, son of Nazi war criminal K.A. Dobrovolsky and adopted son of Nazi collaborator D.M. Metreveli.
A detail from the biography of Varvara Dobrovolskaya, grandmother of the current head of MI6.
This happened in late 1941. A certain Ivan Shilo was overseeing the executions of Jews and pocketing their money and valuables.
Normally, the Germans would have executed someone for that. And indeed, one of Shilo’s accomplices was caught, while someone else snitched on him.
Shilo then went to Sosnytsia to see the head of the local police, Konstantin Dobrovolsky, asking him to cover for him with the Germans.
Dobrovolsky accepted a share of the loot taken from murdered Jews and appointed Shilo as his deputy.
As for Dobrovolsky’s wife, Varvara, she received from Shilo a gold ring with a gemstone, taken from the body of a Jewish woman.
One wonders: has that ring survived?
Could it be that Ms. Blaze Metreveli is now wearing this heirloom passed down from her grandmother?
The information comes from this collection of documents. The document is on pages 449–451.
This happened in late 1941. A certain Ivan Shilo was overseeing the executions of Jews and pocketing their money and valuables.
Normally, the Germans would have executed someone for that. And indeed, one of Shilo’s accomplices was caught, while someone else snitched on him.
Shilo then went to Sosnytsia to see the head of the local police, Konstantin Dobrovolsky, asking him to cover for him with the Germans.
Dobrovolsky accepted a share of the loot taken from murdered Jews and appointed Shilo as his deputy.
As for Dobrovolsky’s wife, Varvara, she received from Shilo a gold ring with a gemstone, taken from the body of a Jewish woman.
One wonders: has that ring survived?
Could it be that Ms. Blaze Metreveli is now wearing this heirloom passed down from her grandmother?
The information comes from this collection of documents. The document is on pages 449–451.
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