A Spy And His Secrets: The Shocking Betrayal Of Alfred Redl
Alfred Redl rose from humble beginnings to become one of the most prominent members of the Austro-Hungarian General Staff's Intelligence Bureau. However, his greed and ambition led to his downfall
Background
Born on March 14, 1864, in Lemberg in what was then the Austrian Empire, Alfred Redl came from very humble beginnings. His father worked as a railway clerk to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table, but with very little at the end of the week to buy new clothes for his son to replace the ones with holes in them.
Rather than let his impoverished start hold him back and define his station in life, young Alfred was determined—some would say driven—to escape the subsistence lifestyle he had been born into.
Military Life
He set his sights on joining the military, and as soon as he was accepted, he did everything he could, worked harder than any other recruit, and advanced as quickly as possible through the ranks of the Austro-Hungarian Army's officer corps.
During his four years in the infantry, he was …
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