In June 1934, Kim Philby met his Soviet handler, the spy Arnold Deutsch. Kim Philby was a British intelligence officer and a double agent for the Soviet Union. In 1963 he was revealed to be a member of the Cambridge Five, a spy ring that had divulged British secrets to the Soviets during World War II and in the early stages of the Cold War.

The woman who introduced Philby to Deutsch was Edith Tudor-Hart and her story has never been told.

Edith Tudor Hart changed the course of 20th-century history. Then she was written out of it.

I speak with Charlotte Philby, granddaughter of Kim Philby. Charlotte has written "Edith and Kim" which draws on the Secret Intelligence Files on Edith Tudor Hart, along with the private archive letters of Kim Philby. This finely worked, evocative and beautifully tense novel tells, for the first time, the story of the woman behind the Third Man.

We also hear from Charlotte what it was like having Kim Philby as her grandfather, including details of visits to see him in Moscow during the Cold War. It’s a fascinating insight into one of the most notorious spies of the Cold War. 

Now, this podcast relies on your support to enable me to continue to capture these incredible stories and make them available to you.

If you’d like to continue to hear the podcast and help preserve Cold War history, you can support me via one off or monthly donations.

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I am delighted to welcome Charlotte Philby to our Cold War conversation…

Book giveaway details further information here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode228/

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0:00 Introduction and reflections on Kim Philby's legacy

1:03 Discussion on Kim Philby and his Soviet handler, Arnold Deutsch

4:21 Exploration of Edith Tudor-Hart's life and her connection to Kim Philby

15:27 Edith Tudor-Hart's involvement in left wing politics and the rise of fascism

18:28 Gender inequalities during the Cold War

22:31 The significance of Edith's portrait in Kim's study

31:43 Charlotte's memories of Kim Philby

35:15 The impact of Kim Philby's legacy on Charlotte's career

57:55 Edith's life as depicted through her photos

1:02:19 Comparing Edith and Kim Philby's experiences in concealing their beliefs

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