Legal residentura Paris

Paris was one of the largest residenturas of the communist intelligence services. In the 1960s it was headed by several important agents. For example, Albert Lentin (Heman) and Jean Raoul Clementine (Pipa) worked in the newsroom of the newspaper Libérationand published articles written by the Intelligence Service. Agent Jean Edouard Ramonet (Kumán) provided information from French industry and his reports were highly valued by the KGB. Gerard Leconte (Sámo) was a top agent who worked in the cabinet of the Paris prefect of police, and was responsible for communicating with the secret services. His reports were highly valued by the KGB. Agent Lubomír Chladil (Tomanský) was planted in the early 1970s and became a senior banker at the Société Générale; his reports were forwarded to the KGB. Josef Bednařík, alias Giullaume Beard (Portos), was an agent who worked as the chief of staff of French Interior Minister Pierre Joxe. After 1989, he was secretary of Jean Marie Le Pen. France was also important for offensive actions by the Czechoslovak Intelligence Service in uncovering plans for activities of "ideo-diversion centres" (e.g. the editorial board of the magazine Testimony– Pavel Tigrid), as well as the acquisition of knowledge from the world's leading research centres in the field of medicine (cancer, AIDS), development of French special services and US, NATO and EEC facilities, taking into account the specifics of France, it efforts to achieve a hegemonic position within Western Europe and the existence of French nuclear power. From 1956 the residentura was directed by Major Zdeněk Ludvík "Lenský", from1957 by Captain František Poštulka "Lamač (The Breaker)" (top left). From 1959 – 1964 it was Captain Antonín Týč"Tomeš" (top right), who during his tenure acquired the said agent from the Paris police prefecture (Sámo), whom the French secret services uncovered in 1969. From 1966 – 1972 the Resident was Major František Kramář "Krajíček", from 1972 – 1977 Lieutenant Colonel Jarmil Smetana "Šustr" (left), from 1982 – 1987 Captain Vladimír Sejkora "Artuš". The last Resident was Major Miroslav Kobéda "Durdík" in 1987. From 1966 – 1967 the Deputy Resident was Major Jaromír Felcman "Frýbort", form 1967 – 1971 the deputy was Major Jaroslav Šimek"Opletal", from 1969 – 1972 the deputy was also Major Ing. Zdeněk Kestl "Kubín" (3rd Secretary), from 1975 – 1979 the deputy was Major Vladimír Strhan "Stacho", from 1977 – 1982 the deputy was First Lieutenant FrantišekKlouček "Kružík", from 1978 – 1984 the deputy was Lieutenant Daniel Litecký "Brejha".