Edward Crankshaw facts for kids
Edward Crankshaw (born January 3, 1909 – died November 30, 1984) was a British writer and expert. He was well-known for his work on the Soviet Union and the Gestapo. The Gestapo was the secret police of Nazi Germany.
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Who Was Edward Crankshaw?
Edward Crankshaw was born in Woodford, England, on January 3, 1909. His parents were Arthur Edward Crankshaw and Amy Beatrice Crankshaw. He had a younger brother, Geoffrey, who became a famous music critic.
Edward went to Bishop's Stortford College, a school in Hertfordshire, England. After school, he worked as a journalist for The Times newspaper for a short time.
Life in Vienna
In the 1930s, Edward lived in Vienna, Austria. He taught English there and learned German. In 1938, he saw Adolf Hitler's takeover of Austria, known as the Anschluss. While living there, he believed that World War II was coming.
Working for British Intelligence
In 1940, Edward Crankshaw was asked to join the Secret Intelligence Service. This was because he knew German very well. During World War II, he worked as a "Y" officer in the British Army. "Y" officers were part of Signals intelligence. This means they listened to and understood secret enemy communications.
From 1941 to 1943, he worked in Moscow, Russia. He was a British "Y" specialist there. He later became the official representative for British "Y" services. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. In 1943, he was sent to Bletchley Park in England. This was a secret place where codes were broken during the war. He helped with matters related to Russia there.
Journalism and Books
After the war, from 1947 to 1968, Edward Crankshaw worked for The Observer newspaper. He became an expert on the Soviet Union.
In 1956, he got a copy of a secret speech by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. In this speech, Khrushchev criticized Joseph Stalin. This was a huge news story at the time.
Edward Crankshaw wrote about forty books. Most of his books were about Austria and Russia.
He passed away on November 30, 1984, in Hawkhurst, Kent, England.
Edward Crankshaw's Books
Edward Crankshaw wrote many books, both non-fiction and fiction. His non-fiction books often explored history and politics.
Non-fiction Books
- Joseph Conrad: Some Aspects of the Art of the Novel (1938)
- Vienna: The Image of a Culture in Decline (1938)
- Gestapo: Instrument of Tyranny (1956) - This book was about the secret police of Nazi Germany.
- Khrushchev. A Biography (1966) - This book was about the life of Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev.
- Maria Theresa (1969) - A book about the powerful Austrian ruler.
- Bismarck (1981) - A book about the famous German statesman.
Fiction Books
- Nina Lessing (1938)
- What Glory? (1940)
- The Creedy Case (1954)
