Christiaan Lindemans

Christiaan Lindemans
Born(1912-10-24)24 October 1912
Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Died18 July 1946(1946-07-18) (aged 33)
Scheveningen, The Netherlands
Cause of deathSuicide (drug overdose)
NationalityDutch
Other namesFreddi Desmet
Occupation(s)Motor engineer, double agent
SpouseGilberte Yvonne Letuppe (m. 1941)
Children2

Christiaan Antonius Lindemans (24 October 1912 – 18 July 1946) was a Dutch double agent during the Second World War, working under Soviet control. Otherwise known as Freddi Desmet,[1] a Belgian army officer and SOE agent with security clearance at the Dutch Military Intelligence Division of the SOE (MID/SOE). He was known by the soubriquets "King Kong" (for his height and build) or in some circles as "le Tueur" ("The Killer") [2] as he was reportedly ready to shoot at the slightest provocation. There is speculation that Lindemans was a member of Colonel Claude Dansey's Z organisation. [3]

He has been blamed[4][5] for betraying [why?] Operation Market Garden and as a result helped the Germans win the battle of Arnhem in 1944. The loss of this battle prolonged the war for six months and allowed the Red Army to enter Berlin first.[6]

Krist, as he was called by comrades, had worked for the Allies, being personally responsible for the death of at least twenty-seven Germans during the guerrilla war in the outskirts of Antwerp.[7]

  1. ^ "La ligne de démarcation: Un acte de foi dans la Patrie, Tome XVI, by Rémy, published by Librairie académique Perrin, 1969
  2. ^ "Was Arnhem Betrayed ?", by Loe de Jong, article published in Encounter, June 1981.
  3. ^ "La ligne de démarcation: Un acte de foi dans la Patrie", Tome XVI, by Colonel Rémy, published by Librairie académique Perrin, 1969
  4. ^ "Spy Catcher", by Oreste Pinto, published by Nelson, 1964, pg. 129
  5. ^ "Liddell Hart: 15/15/50", [1947–1951],1957, King's College London, Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives.
  6. ^ "Major Problems in American Foreign Relations, Volume II: Since 1914", by Dennis Merrill and Thomas G.Paterson, published by Cengage learning Inc, 7th edition, 2009, pg. 175
  7. ^ "My Testament", by Capt. Peter Baker, MC, published by John Calder, March 1955, pp. 112-113.