The anecdote: the spy-poultry farmer
Within the context of the poultry sector, we cannot fail to mention a curious fact: the circumstance that the Official Poultry Course of 1930 at the Real Escuela de Avicultura was attended by a young man in his twenties from Barcelona, Juan Pujol García, who would in time gain renown by becoming the celebrated double spy, decorated by both Germany — where he was known as “Arabel” — and Great Britain — known as “Garbo” — at the end of World War II.
That the young man was sharp was already demonstrated in the poultry course at Arenys de Mar that he attended in 1930, having achieved a “merit” grade in the final examination before the panel appointed by the Directorate General of Livestock. But his interest in poultry was short-lived, because a few years after drifting around Spain and Portugal and having mastered several languages, having initially failed after offering his services to the intelligence services of the belligerent nations, he ended up in the United Kingdom, where he was finally taken seriously when Operation “Overlord” was being prepared for the landing on the continent and the final defeat of Germany.
Although the deception of carrying out the landing in Normandy rather than Calais — the shortest route — did not originate with Pujol himself, as has been said, but with the Allied strategists, the point is that it was he, with the fictitious network he had created in the United Kingdom, who succeeded in conveying sufficient confidence to the Nazi military commanders so that, believing his reports, the main concentration of the German army, positioned elsewhere, did not cause the failure of the operation on that famous 6th of June 1944.
What is particularly noteworthy is that Pujol was subsequently decorated by both Great Britain and Germany for his services before the end of the war, which led him, fearing possible Nazi reprisals afterwards, to take refuge under another name in Venezuela. He would not leave there until much later — 1984 — when, following the declassification of British archives, a journalist published his story and tracked him down in that country, where he had rebuilt his life with a new family.
Afterwards, having passed through Spain to appear on television and made an unannounced visit in 1984 to the Escuela de Avicultura in Arenys de Mar to reminisce about his time there, he returned to his adopted country, where he would pass away on 10 October 1988.
Source:
-. Book “HISTORIA DE LA AVICULTURA ESPAÑOLA“, chapter 23, published in 2021 by José A. Castelló Llobet castello1896@gmail.com , Former Director of the Real Escuela de Avicultura de Arenys de Mar
Key highlights:
- Juan Pujol García, who would go on to become a famous double spy decorated by both Germany and Great Britain during World War II, attended the Official Poultry Course of 1930 at the Real Escuela de Avicultura.
- On the course at Arenys de Mar, Pujol achieved a “merit” grade in the final examination.
- After drifting around Spain and Portugal, and having offered his services to the intelligence services of the belligerent nations, he ended up in the United Kingdom. There, he was taken seriously when Operation “Overlord” was being prepared for the landing on the continent and the final defeat of Germany.
- Pujol was decorated for his services to both the United Kingdom and Germany.
- Fearing possible Nazi reprisals, he took refuge under another name in Venezuela.
- In 1984, following the declassification of British archives, a journalist published his story and tracked him down in Venezuela, where he had rebuilt his life with a new family.
- Pujol returned to Spain to appear on television and paid a visit to Arenys de Mar to reminisce about his time at the School.
Update:
-. On 7 February 2025, journalist and writer Assumpta Montellà will give a talk about GARBO at the Ateneu de Arenys de Mar: L’espia Garbo, protagonista de la xerrada d’aquest divendres a l’Ateneu Arenyenc.
Amb el títol ‘Garbo, l’espia que va enganyar als nazis’, Assumpta Montellà, escriptora i periodista, repassarà la història del barceloní Joan Pujol García qui va ser clau en el desembarcament de Normandia que va permetre la victòria aliada durant la Segona Guerra Mundial. La cita és a les 7 de la tarda.