Herbert Marshall returns to the series in an “actual event” story as the treasonous Alfred Redl of pre-World War One Austria-Hungary. The script was by Silvia Richards, supported by research by well-known historical biographer Dana Lee Thomas.
It is claimed that the date of the story is September 15, 1913. Redl’s suicide was months before, May 25. The story says his “secret life” began two years earlier, but in actuality, he was serving as a spy for the Russians began more than five years prior. Since he was in charge of counter-intelligence, he was a rich target for the Russians because of his ability to direct or thwart any search for Russian spies in the country. In some cases, his “investigations” led to the arrest of others when Redl, himself, was the actual culprit. In this story, the leaked documents were related to the Austro-Hungarian plans to invade Serbia.
The blackmail tool in the story is Redl’s drug addiction, but that seems contrary to the actual story. It is speculated that the real life blackmail was the threat to reveal his private gay life. It seems drug addiction was a top-of-mind problem at in the early 1950s, and was acceptable to use it as a replacement for any story’s situation or circumstance that an advertiser might object to.
Historical background about Redl is available at Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Redl
It is mentioned that the Russians had paid him 100,000 Austrian kroner. That is approximately $600,000 in US$2024. There is some counterspeculation that the threat of revealing his personal life played no role in his continuing interest in treason. Redl enjoyed living a very lush life, and payments were needed to support his high style of living.
The finding of the pen knife sheath that helped track Redl to his hotel is historically correct. That Redl was left alone in his hotel room with a gun so he could commit suicide is also correct.
There is an exchange of dialogue that is somewhat curious about Redl’s picking up of a package. The post office clerk asks him if he noticed the weather. Was this an attempt to let Redl know he was being tailed? Or was he asking whether political conditions were changing?
His mail is in opera box number 13. Could it be an inside joke about the radio series Box 13?
This is one of those episodes where it is well-produced from an implementation perspective but is of lesser entertainment value. To those 1951 listeners who were personally familiar with the history of the years leading up to WW1, it may have been considered a worthwhile endeavor. There were still many Americans alive who lived through both World War periods.
Two recordings of this episode have survived, and both are in fine sound. The Armed Forces Radio Service recording (#382) might be preferred because of its cleaner sound. The network recording has some mild sibilance (also known as “essing,” a slight extra hiss sound with words that start with “s” or “soft c”). Some will prefer the network recording because it is complete as broadcast without the AFRS removal of commercials and other elements. The AFRS recording includes a mid-show announcement to remind its service personnel listeners to follow the necessary bureaucratic process to be able to vote in the 1952 election.
LISTEN
TO THE PROGRAM or download in FLAC or
mp3
https://archive.org/details/TSP511008
THE CAST
HERBERT MARSHALL (Repl), Joe Kearns (Oscar), Ben Wright (Major), Bill Johnstone (Prince Otto / Zehn), Herb Butterfield (Clerk / Judge), Charles Davis (Aide), John Stephenson (Hotel Clerk / Agent), Byron Kane (Agent 2), Larry Thor (Narrator)
COMMERCIAL: Stanley Smart? (“Baseball’s genial genius”), Harlow Wilcox (Announcer), Sylvia Simms (Operator)
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