Maria Polyakova: the achievements of the great scout

After the war, scout Maria Polyakova became a real legend, inspiring many generations of Russian spies. This frail and defenseless girl was able to achieve success where seemingly strong men faced insurmountable obstacles. What led Maria Polyakova? What ideals she pursued? And why is she considered one of the best spies of the past?

Unexpected offer

Maria Polyakova was born in the cultural capital of Russia in St. Petersburg. It happened on March 27, 1908, in a simple Jewish family. Since childhood, the girl has shown herself as a very gifted student. To her 20 years she had a thorough knowledge of four languages: Spanish, French, Czech and German.

On the personal front, she also was all well. Maria Polyakova was the beloved wife and mother of a beautiful girl named Zlata. In the beginning of 1925 she got a job in the KIM (Communist Youth International). She also thought about applying to a medical institute.

However, fate decided to give Polyakova a special gift. So, in June 1932, she was summoned to the carpet in the Central Committee of the Komsomol. The conversation that took place there, forever changed the girl's life - she was supposed to become a Soviet spy.

The explorer Maria Polyakova

After a little reflection, Maria agreed with the proposal of the leadership of the Central Committee of the Komsomol. In 1932, her first secret mission began. A young spy was destined to become an assistant to an illegal resident in Germany.

Already in those years the situation in the country of the Nazis was very tense and demanded constant monitoring by the Soviet Union. As for Maria, she had to supervise meetings with the sent agents, collect secret data, pay informants and recruit volunteers for the Red Army.

Home Maria Polyakova returned only in 1934. The GRU command appreciated her abilities and sent her to further training in the school of scouts. Two years later, in 1936 she was again sent to work abroad. What is true, this time already in Switzerland.

For a year of working under cover, she was able to create a reliable network of agents working for the USSR. This allowed her in 1937 to steal and transport home drawings of new weapons, so that the Nazis did not manage to use it in the quality of combat advantage.

The Second World War

Throughout the war, Maria Polyakova worked in the Central Intelligence Agency. She coordinated the activities of young scouts, giving them commands and instructions. In passing, the GRU prepared her for possible work as an illegal resident, in case the Germans did break through to Moscow.

At the end of the Great Patriotic War, she worked as a teacher in the school of intelligence. In 1956, she retired. The great scout died on May 7, 1995, exactly 50 years after the Germans signed the Surrender Act.