We remember that ERICH GIMPEL (884-LIFE-1988), the German spy dropped off on the Maine coastline by U-1230 under Captain HANS HILBIG (186-+-1986) in November 1944. That December, ERICH became enamored with a lady named Joan and it appears that this once-wandering man about town was about to fall in love and settle down. The only problem – he was a German agent in America, the country of his enemy, and the FBI caught him right around Christmas time. His plans and his future changed drastically in that one brief moment.

According to his account in his book “Spy for Germany”, originally called “Spion für Deutschland” in his native country, ERICH tells that Joan came into the court and testified on his behalf. As we read, it did not help him at all. Only the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt saved him from the gallows.

A Member asked some time ago – what happened to Joan. We contacted ERICH but his email wasn’t working at the time, but now we have received an answer from him.

He writes: “When I was in Germany in 1955, I received a mysterious letter from New York and it said ‘Dear Erich, don’t you agree that it was your dear mother who helped you stay alive?’ There was no signature but I’m sure this letter was from Joan because I had told her that I lost my mother at the age of 10. She probably married and if she is still alive, she’d be about 85 years old.”