Focus on the world of intelligence with Bruno Fuligni for his book TheSecret Intelligence Atlas2024 edition, 130 maps and infographics to discover the hidden side of the world of intelligence, in partnership with the Bureau des Légendes.
European micro: Bruno Fuligni, this 2024 edition atlas, has evolved since last year.
Bruno Fuligni : Yes, let’s say that last year, all the copies disappeared in three weeks. So I obviously want to see the action of foreign intelligence services. But suddenly, with Gründ editions, we decided to make a new edition, revised and expanded, so that the general public has access to the basics of intelligence, with all the bases, the vocabulary, the key elements .
The idea is to bring them together, and as an old intelligence veteran said, “Sir, bringing together open sources in the same document is already intelligence.” This is the subject of the book in three.
You, who have frequented these intelligence circles for this major work, where are the intelligence services of European countries in very hot news for Europe?
So there is a general movement which is global, which is not strictly European, of an increase in the resources of all intelligence services, internal intelligence services, obviously through anti-terrorism. And then of course, a need for external intelligence.
So the intelligence services have experienced throughout Europe, and throughout the world, not only the Western world, but of course in Russia and China, have experienced an expansion of their staff and their financial means, their budget , absolutely unprecedented. And we must realize that there have never been as many intelligence officers, agents and spies as there are today.
What is the best intelligence service in Europe?
In fact, we often think of the British, but as a result, we tend to forget the Germans. The German service, the BND, is a real power, and where we see that the BND is very good is that we almost never talk about it. And they are very good, because already historically, initially, these are services which were formed by the Americans, in the Western zone, from the remains of the Reich intelligence services, the Abwehr.
So first under the aegis of the United States, and then truly becoming the BND, services of a German state, I would say standardized with three very well organized branches. And obviously, what is happening in the east of Europe has in some way boosted them. But what I notice most of all is their fabulous discretion, which is truly the cardinal virtue in the world of espionage.
Page 164, you introduce us to the Secret Suites, the palaces favored by spies in Europe, the Sacher hotel in Vienna, the Métropole in Moscow, the Stafford in London, and then in Paris, the Hôtel de la Païva, 25 Champs -Elysées. Today, it is a private club, the Travelers Club…
Already, there is a famous story, La Païva, a great courtesan born in Russia, who was very active in France, who made a real fortune, and therefore it is for her that this hotel was built. Magnificent mansion, which the Goncourts had nicknamed “The Louvre of the ass”, since the PaÏva is featured everywhere, with quite naked statues. And in this hotel, a certain number of political figures and diplomats were invited, and we know from police reports that La Païva then made reports to the Emperor of Germany, in the 1870s.
And then later, this hotel became the Parisian headquarters of this quite posh club, with diplomats, lawyers, British political leaders. And for example, in this club, you have rooms that can be rented, but the numbering is not continuous. That is to say, there are several rooms that are never offered for rental, even to members.
And we also know that there is a room which is reserved by right for the British Minister of Foreign Affairs. The Foreign Office always has a full suite available anyway, whatever happens, at this location, on the Champs-Élysées.
And we can have lunch on Boulevard Victor, at the “Point de chute”…
A restaurant which is very well located, just opposite the new Ministry of the Armed Forces, run by a former special forces…