The only advice i can give young people is the following. Jack barsky s life has been improbable, impossible and downright fascinating. Jack philip barsky born albrecht dittrich, november 1949 is a germanamerican author, it specialist and former sleeper agent of the kgb who spied on the united states from 197888. My life was featured in may of 2015 on 60 minutes under the title the spy among us. He would work undercover for the next decade, carrying out secret operations during the cold war years until a surprising shift in his allegiance challenged everything he thought he believed. The plan succeeded, and the spys new identity was born. Jack barsky held a job at some of the top corporations in the u.
Millions watched the cbs 60 minutes special on jack barsky in 2015. In this fascinating memoir, the former kgb agent tells the story of his turbulent inner world, the secret life he lived for years, and the discovery that radically changed his future. In may of 2015 60 minutes did a profile on jack barskey, a former kgb agent who secretly lived as a spy in the us during the cold war. Macintyre s focus on friendship brings an intimacy to this book that is missing from the cardboard stereotypes that populate spy novels and conventional espionage historiesim not a lover of spy novels, yet i adored this book. Jack barsky has written a compelling, intimate memoir about his life as a high achieving east german academic recruited by the kgb and trained to pass undetected into american society. A fake canadian passport, a fake name, an fbi agent tracking him barsky s story. Sometimes i think that this nothing but a bad dream. This true spy story had a very humble beginning in the most backward corner of the old east germany. The story of jack barsky, former kgb spy sent to america to steal secrets. Jack barsky, a former kgb spy, tells us how the fbi discovered his secret life.
Former kgb spy from schaghticoke, finishing book and warns. Jack barsky this seems to be a repeat question, but i answer it anyway because today i have a different answer. How albrecht dittrich became jack barsky is one of the untold stories of the cold war, an era when the real battles were often fought between the cia and the kgb. The first many chapters were about life in east germany, the last few about becoming a born again christian. Spy historian vince houghton sat down with jack barsky, the longestsurviving known member of the kgb illegals program that operated during the cold war, and author of the memoir deep undercover. The remarkable double life of undercover agent jack barsky who lived the american dream at the kgbs expense. He later turned his story into a book, deep undercover, which is out now. Exposed after the cold war, barsky became a resource for u. As a consultant for the americans who once lived a double life in the united states while spying for the kgb from 19781988, hell help us understand how the realities of the cold war could often be more absurd than the most imaginative inventions of hollywood. Jack barsky website speaker, author of deep undercover. I would love to join the the hundredyearold man who climbed out the window and disappeared in his adventures. Barsky released a book in 2017 about his experiences, deep undercover. Todays guest is jack barsky, author of deep undercover.
Jack barsky, the rensselaer county resident who outed himself as a former kgb agent on 60 minutes last year, is planning to. Barsky was a rarity, a soviet spy who posed as an american and became enmeshed in american society. Barsky has appeared on cnn as an expert on espionage, commenting on russian interference in the 2016 united states elections, and ambassador sergey kislyaks interactions with donald trumps associates. Jack barskys pageturning memoir, deep undercover, has a ring of authenticity to it. See the 60 minutes trailer for the spy among us here.
Now, in this fascinating memoir, the soviet kgb agent tells his story of gutwrenching choices, appalling betrayals, his turbulent inner world, and the secret life he lived for years without getting caught. The spy among us isnt going to be here much longer. Read the book on the story of the man seen on 60 minutes. Jack barsky deep undercover with a kgb spy in america. I was a kgb spy a hardened communist antiamerican, anticapitalist undercover kgb agent. The spy among us former kgb spy briefly details the weekly number stations out of cuba that he deciphered from his queens apartment every thursday night submitted 4 years ago by mwilliams w2 g. Deep undercover my secret life and tangled allegiances as a kgb spy in america, by jack barsky and cindy coloma, is published next month join the conversation find us on facebook, instagram. Jack barsky the spy who came in from the cold veterans. His name was albrecht dittrich, a national science scholar in east germany, on the fast track toward a university professorship teaching chemistry and physics, and a good life, as good as could be had in east germany at the time.
Cbs 60 minutes found it so interesting that they featured the story in a double segment and reaired it twice. Deep undercover audiobook by jack barsky, cindy coloma. Every degenerate though out the world becomes a born again and its a story i have no interest in. His double life included families on both sides of the atlantic. Albrecht dittrich, age 22, during his university years. Deep undercover is a book written jack barsky is published by tyndale momentum.
My secret life and tangled allegiances as a kgb spy in america, by jack barsky, is published by tyndale momentum on 21 march. But people, most prominently among them fbi agents, tell me that i was indeed a hardened communist antiamerican, anticapitalist undercover kgb agent. Born albrecht dittrich in 1949 in east germany, barsky recounts his meticulously prepared career as a kgb spy, his mission as an embedded agent in the united states, and his subsequent coming out of the cold in the late 1980s. College professor, undercover agent for the kgb, it executive, father.
A former kgb spy hid in plain sight in america under the alias jack barsky, spending decades unnoticed in the u. Hes a freaking kgb spy who moved to america to spy on us, ended up staying here the story is bananas. I think jack barsky is an interesting person with many interesting stories to tell but this book. If you are experiencing problems, please describe them. Jack barsky covington, georgia professional profile. My secret life and tangled allegiances as a kgb spy in america. My book deep undercover was released in march of 2017 and has been translated into german, swedish and polish. The spy among us, part one jack barsky held a job at some of the top corporations in the u.
Jack was recruited by the kgb and infiltrated into the us where he spent ten years spying for the soviet union. Jack barsky was born on may 17, 1949 in rietschen, saxony, germany. One of the most amazing features of jack s life is his conversion from a hardcore. Citizen jack barsky wanted to stay in the country, so he let the soviets think he was dead. Dean, vt editor, and former kgb spy jack barsky first published april 16, 2017. Most of the book is written using recreated dialogue, but is it true. The making of an undercover agent spying on behalf of the soviet union. The spy among us 60 minutes profile on jack barsky. I would love to join the the hundredyearold manmore this seems to be a repeat question, but i answer it anyway because today i have a different answer. My secret life and tangled allegiances as a kgb spy in america unabridged by barsky, jack, coloma, cindy, bowlby, stephen isbn. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. A spy among friends is an extraordinary book about a sordid profession in which the most important attribute is the ability to lie. The spy among us former kgb spy briefly details the. Today, jack is a law abiding patriotic american citizen who is taking advantage of one last chance to live a normal life.