The Nazi Connection: The Personal Story of a Top-Level British Agent in Hitler’s Pre-War Germany

Reveals how Frederick Winterbotham's covert Nazi connections provided early warnings Britain failed to heed.The Nazi Connection details Frederick William Winterbotham's work as Chief of the Air Intelligence Department in the British Secret Intelligence Service before World War II. Tasked with gathering intelligence on military aviation in potential adversary nations, Winterbotham focused on Germany, visiting the country multiple times as a civilian Air Ministry official. His apparent sympathy for Nazi ideology allowed him to gather vital information on Germany’s rearmament plans, while building relationships with high-ranking Nazis.Winterbotham was welcomed by top Nazi officials, including Alfred Rosenberg, and even met Hitler, Hess, and Göring. During his visits, Winterbotham learned about Hitler’s plans to invade the Soviet Union and gained insights into Germany's military preparations, including the emerging concept of blitzkrieg. Despite this critical intelligence, convincing British leaders to heed these warnings proved difficult. Winterbotham’s predictions were dismissed until Germany’s military aggression became undeniable.The Nazi Connection explores the complex web of espionage and deception surrounding Winterbotham’s mission. It questions how different the course of history might have been if Britain had acted on Winterbotham's intelligence about Nazi Germany’s intentions. This story of missed opportunities and high-stakes intelligence offers a fascinating look into the prelude to World War II.

Born on 16 April 1897, FREDERICK WILLIAM WINTERBOTHAM was educated at Oxford University. In the First World War he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, but was shot down over the Western Front in 1917, spending the rest of the war in captivity. Early in 1930, Winterbotham joined the Air Staff and was officially assigned a role as a liaison officer; unofficially he served in the Air Department of the British Secret Service. On the outbreak of the Second World War, he established a new organisation for the translation, distribution and security of Ultra at Bletchley Park. In 1943 he was awarded the CBE, and attained the rank of Group Captain. He died of natural causes on 28 January 1990, aged 92.