Section 42 of Directorate I

• Section 3 (1964-1968), Section 2 of Directorate A (1969-1971), Section 42 “Evropa“ (1971-1974), in 1988 merged with Section 37

Chiefs: 

• 1961 – 1964 Section 3 (Italy, France) until 1964, then deputy chief od the new Section 3 capt. František Poštulka "Lamač"
• 1962 – 1963 Section 5 (England, Greece), until 1964 Section 3, then Section 6 – foreign counterintelligence maj. Zdeněk Jodas "Juran"
• 1963 – 1967 deputy chief of Section 5, then deputy chief of Section 3 capt. Přemysl Holan "Hanousek"
• 1969 – 1970 lt. col. Jan Paclík "Novák"
• 1971 – 1972 maj. Zdeněk Vítek "Večeřa"
• 1978 – deputy chief maj. Josef Tománek "Tačner"
• 1980 – 1984 col. Jan Stehno "Skořepa"

By reorganisation of Directorate I in 1964, Section 3 was created – the European section, as a result of merging existing Section 3 (France, Italy) and Section 5 (England, Greece). In 1974-1988 it continued to work as Section 42, political foreign intelligence focused on Western European countries and NATO (except for German speaking countries – these were covered by Section 37). The main focus of the activity was against NATO. Secondarily, it followed important relationship issues of the ČSSR with Great Britain and France, as well as important relationship issues of these countries toward the Eastern bloc, the Federal Republic of Germany, and the issues of the EEC. Abroad it operated from residenturas in Paris, London, Brussels, Rome and Athens.

Its task was to penetrate into the central and local apparatus of NATO. At the same time, it coordinated activities against NATO with further sections of Directorate I. It participated in the preparation and realisation of active measures and psychological operations. The Section had its seat in a villa not far from the espionage school of Directorate I in Prague-Bubeneč which was called Orlík. After 1970, the Section moved into another villa in Dejvice near the counterintelligence building in Thákurova street.