Who was the Mexican Revolution’s German 007 and whose side was he on?

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Francisco I. Madero was seen by galore successful Mexico arsenic an unusual duck. The bluish landowner was a well-known Spiritist who spoke publically astir his experiences speaking to ghosts during seances — including President Benito Juárez — and possessing the accomplishment of automatic writing. In 1910, Porfirio Díaz, who had ruled Mexico for 40 years done sham elections, announced his volition to permission power, and Madero became the Anti-Reelectionist Party’s campaigner for president. Fearing that Madero could bushed his chosen candidate, Díaz jailed him, igniting the Mexican Revolution.

Diaz’s authorities fell successful May of 1911, and elections were called for October. Madero won handily, bringing a radical of loyalists with him to office.

Surprisingly, too his woman Sara Pérez Romero and member Gustavo, Madero counted 2 Germans arsenic trusted confidantes. Even much surprisingly, some men were spies.

The German agents

Madero’s 2 Germans were Arnold Krumm-Heller and Felix Sommerfeld. Like Madero, some men were Spiritists. Krumm-Heller, who was highly regarded successful esoteric circles, near Germany successful 1876 for Mexico but returned to Europe successful 1907 to survey medicine. In 1910, helium returned to Mexico and became Madero’s idiosyncratic doctor.

Sommerfeld, calved successful Germany successful 1879, had already had an breathtaking beingness by the clip helium reached Mexico: helium joined the U.S. Army, went absent without permission astatine the outbreak of the Spanish-American War and had fought against the Boxer rebels successful China. He archetypal met Madero successful Chihuahua portion moving arsenic an informant for German naval quality nether the screen of being a newsman for the Associated Press. His screen allowed him to nonstop regular quality reports to Germany without suspicion. While successful Chihuahua, Sommerfeld learned of Madero’s revolutionary activities and made interaction with the anti-reelectionist.

Sommerfeld and Madero

Madero and Sommerfeld developed a adjacent relationship, and Sommerfeld was seen arsenic his closest confidante. Madero’s member and trusted advisor Gustavo appointed Sommerfeld caput of the Mexican Secret Service. Krumm-Heller joined him astatine the concealed service. In that role, Sommerfeld was ever astatine Madero’s side, his crisp eagle eyes connected the lookout for signs of trouble. He was inactive a German spy and from this caller presumption helium began gathering a spy web successful the United States consisting of Mexican Americans, Mexican expatriates and different German spies.

When Madero won the presidency successful 1911, Sommerfeld accompanied him to Mexico City. Other than photos, the lone glimpse we person into their narration comes from Sommerfeld’s 1912 quality earlier the United States Senate, wherever helium testified that “President Madero is the champion person I person successful this world.” When asked to elaborate, helium replied, “we became precise adjacent friends.” The 2 men had galore traits successful common. Not lone were some men spiritists, but neither antheral drank, gambled oregon smoked.

While serving Madero, Sommerfeld befriended a invaluable interaction successful the United States, Washington, DC lawyer and lobbyist Sherburne G. Hopkins. Hopkins’ clients included the richest and astir influential industrialists and lipid tycoons successful the United States, and helium was introduced to the revolutionary origin by Madero’s member Gustavo. Sommerfeld became Hopkins’ gatekeeper for immoderate businessman trying to summation entree to Madero.

The Ten Tragic Days

Madero’s authorities was anemic and faced revolts by mediocre peasants who felt betrayed by his nonaccomplishment to instrumentality onshore reform. Dissatisfied with his leadership, blimpish generals plotted to overthrow Madero. In February 1913, they launched the coup d’etat known arsenic the Ten Tragic Days. Madero was assassinated, and General Victoriano Huerta seized the presidency.

Arnold Krumm-Heller, Madero’s doctor, was arrested by Huerta but was freed by the involution of the German government.

Under the extortion of the German ambassador, Sommerfeld fled to Washington, D.C., wherever helium joined the rebel question assembled to overthrow President Huerta. Venustiano Carranza, politician of Coahuila, besides opposed Huerta and created the Constitutionalist Army. Carranza sent Sommerfeld to El Paso and San Antonio to get arms for the revolutionaries, making the German the liaison betwixt the U.S. authorities and Carranza.

Sommerfeld becomes invaluable

Huerta was defeated successful July 1914, and the revolutionary factions came unneurotic astatine the Convention of Aguascalientes to constitute a caller nationalist constitution. They were incapable to bash so, and the revolutionaries divided betwixt Carranza’s mean Constitutionalists and the extremist Conventionalists led by Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata. A caller bloody signifier of the gyration had begun.

That year, Sommerfeld began moving with Pancho Villa, acquiring American weapons for Villa’s troops U.S. officials were alert of him: erstwhile salient writer Ambrose Bierce, who was embedded successful Villa’s service mysteriously disappeared, the U.S. Army main of unit contacted Sommerfeld to analyse the matter.

In 1914, Sommerfeld besides spent a little stint successful New York arsenic a naval attache to German naval serviceman Karl Boy-Ed helping Germany formulate its warfare strategy vis-à-vis the United States. While moving with him, Sommerfeld informed Germany helium could provoke a warfare betwixt the U.S. and Mexico. The adjacent year, Sommerfeld rejoined Villa’s efforts, funneling a ample fig of arms — astir US $7 cardinal successful today’s worth — to the Villista troops.

In March 1916, Villa and a tiny radical of his men utilized those weapons to onslaught the metropolis of Columbus, New Mexico, prompting the United States to nonstop General John J. Pershing connected an yet unsuccessful ngo to seizure Villa. Sommerfeld became the premier fishy successful readying the attack, but his engagement has ne'er been proven.

U.S. authorities beauteous overmuch near Sommerfeld unsocial due to the fact that helium was adjuvant to them, but concisely had him interned successful 1918 astatine Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia arsenic an force alien though helium was released successful 1919.

Sommerfeld was known to person returned to Mexico successful the 1920s and 1930s, but determination are nary elaborate accounts of what helium did portion helium was successful the country. His way disappeared until 1942 erstwhile helium signed a draught registration paper listing an code successful New York City and his property arsenic 63. There is nary hint of him afterward.

The mysterious and elusive Felix Sommerfeld played a captious relation successful the Mexican Revolution. No different foreigner amassed arsenic overmuch powerfulness arsenic helium did. As caput of Mexican security, helium created an tremendous spy network, utilized that web to stitchery quality for Germany but besides to terrorize and decimate Madero’s enemies. Sommerfeld’s connections and actions are complicated. Did helium run arsenic a spy for some Germany and Mexico? Was helium besides a spy for the United States? A treble agent? A triple agent? No 1 knows the afloat communicative of Felix Sommerfeld – his idiosyncratic beingness and motivations stay an enigma.

Sheryl Losser is a erstwhile nationalist relations executive, researcher, writer and editor. She has been penning professionally for 35 years. She moved to Mazatlán successful 2021 and works part-time doing freelance writing. She tin beryllium reached at [email protected] and at Mexico: a Rich Tapestry of History and Culture.

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