Post ATPWcIM0J83aAHF4wC by TeegeackAVClubSecretary@mefi.social
 (DIR) More posts by TeegeackAVClubSecretary@mefi.social
 (DIR) Post #ATPWcIM0J83aAHF4wC by TeegeackAVClubSecretary@mefi.social
       2023-03-08T09:49:42Z
       
       0 likes, 1 repeats
       
       Reading the memoir of an ex-KGB agent. His job was to support "Illegals" (deep undercover agents) and to create identities for new "illegals". One of the ways he did the latter was to add names to old church records. Or have the forgery team in Moscow create new, artificially-aged pages which would be bound into the old church books. And then fill those pages with names. In places like Denmark in the 60's, the old church books were considered valid proof of a citizen's existence.I keep thinking about how these records transfer to the present day. Digitized by both the Danish government and by private companies like Ancestry.com. Someone doing their genealogical work will find a twice-removed cousin Hans who doesn't appear elsewhere. Who none of the grandparents remember. But he's dutifully recorded into the family tree. The old KGB lie becomes part of a family history. Find this possibility a bit fascinating.
       
 (DIR) Post #ATPWcK7Xjrg5e0UYfw by TeegeackAVClubSecretary@mefi.social
       2023-03-08T09:52:01Z
       
       1 likes, 0 repeats
       
       Would make for a fun comic novel. Where the amateur genealogist finds cousin Hans. Finds a phone number or a Facebook page. Makes contact not knowing "Hans" is actuallly "Boris". An illegal who stayed long after the Soviet Union collapsed because he loved Copenhagen so very much. Cousin is a bit strange, a bit reserved, but comes to love his new family very much.