Trent Park Manor, located in Enfield, north London, now houses a museum dedicated to a little-known British intelligence operation during the Second World War. Between 1942 and 1945, 84 German generals and 22 officers were detained and spied on there without their knowledge.

The prisoners enjoyed exceptionally comfortable surroundings, with elegant lounges, wine, and servants. This apparent hospitality was intended to put them at ease and encourage them to speak freely. Microphones were hidden throughout the mansion and even in its gardens, while agents listened to their conversations from the basement.

Jewish refugees tasked with deciphering conversations

The intercepted communications were transcribed by a team of German speakers, primarily Jewish refugees who had fled the Nazi regime. The information gathered notably allowed the British to learn more about the development of the V-2 ballistic missiles and German military strategies.

Open to the public since July 21st under the name "Trent Park House of Secrets," the museum recounts this clandestine operation and its links to Bletchley Park, the British center for decrypting Nazi communications. Before the war, the estate belonged to the politician Philip Sassoon, who entertained figures such as Charlie Chaplin and Winston Churchill there.

In London, the former mansion where the British spied on Nazi officers is being turned into a museum

Trent Park Manor, in north London, has opened its doors to the public to tell the story of one of the most secretive British intelligence operations. Between 1942 and 1945, 84 German generals and 22 officers were held at this property, which had been transformed into "Camp No. 11," unaware that their conversations were being recorded.

Housed in elegant lounges and attended to by servants, the prisoners enjoyed exceptionally comfortable conditions. This hospitality was, in reality, a strategy designed to gain their trust. Microphones were hidden in the rooms, near the windows, and even in the gardens, while agents listened to them day and night from the former staff quarters.

Crucial intelligence on V-2 missiles

The transcription of the conversations was carried out primarily by German-speaking Jewish refugees who had fled Nazism. The information gathered notably enabled the British to locate a research center dedicated to V-2 missiles, which was subsequently bombed to delay their use. Among the prisoners was Dietrich von Choltitz, former military governor of Paris, whose recorded statements also addressed the persecution and extermination of the Jews.

Dubbed the "Trent Park House of Secrets," the museum displays some of the original listening cables and allows visitors to hear conversations reenacted by actors. The documents had long been kept secret to protect British intelligence methods. Their display now serves as a tribute to the refugees who participated in this clandestine operation, often without their contributions being recognized during their lifetimes.