1929
October/November
Sorge becomes part of Department Four of the Red Army General Staff (Intelligence) directed by General Jan Karlovich
Berzin. Sorge is assigned to ravel to Shanghai and form a spy ring with a man named "Alex" (aka Alex Borovich).25
He leaves for Berlin in November to establish his cover working as a journalist for the Getreide Zeitung and
Soziologische Magazin. Sorge travels to Shanghai from Marseilles via Suez, Colombo, and Hong Kong. Sorge is to report
on all facets of the Chinese government. (D&S, p.63; CAW, p.26; Prange, p.17; Mader. D. 74) 26
25
The FBI papers suggest that Sorge himself proposed the "creation of an espionage network to cover all of China."
Moreover, the FBI claims that Sorge, based on his experience in Europe, proposed that all espionage activity be
carried out independently of the Comintern. This proposal was adopted in 1929. (FBI I, p.ld)
26
HOM states that Sorge was told that he was to be transferred by Manuilskv (Manuilskii) Sorge.
