Marcus Klingberg

Marcus Klingberg

Marcus Klingberg (born Avraham Marek Klingberg; 7 October 1918 – 30 November 2015) was a Polish-born Israeli scientist and one of the most significant Soviet spies in Israel. He was a senior epidemiologist and deputy director of the Israel Institute for Biological Research (IIBR).

Early Life and Education

Klingberg was born in Warsaw, Poland, to a Jewish family. He studied medicine at the University of Warsaw and later specialized in epidemiology. During World War II, he fled to the Soviet Union to escape the Nazi occupation of Poland.

Career in Israel

After the war, Klingberg emigrated to Israel in 1948. He joined the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and served as a medical officer. In 1957, he became the deputy director of the Israel Institute for Biological Research, a position he held until his arrest in 1983.

Espionage Activities

Klingberg was recruited by the KGB during his time in the Soviet Union. He provided the Soviets with classified information about Israel's biological and chemical weapons research. His espionage activities were discovered in 1983, leading to his arrest and subsequent trial. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison, of which he served 16 years before being released under house arrest due to health reasons.

Later Life and Death

After his release, Klingberg lived in Tel Aviv under strict surveillance. In 2003, he was allowed to leave Israel and moved to Paris, France, where he lived with his daughter. He passed away on 30 November 2015.

Legacy

Klingberg's case remains one of the most significant espionage cases in Israeli history. His actions had a profound impact on Israeli security and intelligence operations.

See Also

• Israel Institute for Biological Research
• KGB
• Espionage
• Israel Defense Forces
• World War II