Dalton Fischer Podcast Ex-KGB Agent: Brainwashing Tactics, Russian Special Forces, Putin | Jack Barsky
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Jan 26, 2025 
Jack Barsky, a former KGB sleeper agent, shares his harrowing journey from East Germany to the U.S. as an undercover operative. He reveals the mental and emotional conditioning that shaped his early life, the intricate tradecraft of espionage, and the challenges of maintaining dual identities and relationships. Barsky discusses his surprising connection to infamous spies like Aldrich Ames, modern Russian intelligence tactics, and the emotional toll of living a life split between danger and normalcy. His unique perspective on espionage and current intelligence dynamics is both riveting and enlightening.
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Raised In Quiet, Tough Postwar Germany
- Jack Barsky grew up in postwar East Germany with material stability but emotional coldness from parents.
- That upbringing made him tolerant of pain and able to suppress emotions, which later helped him as an undercover agent.
Concentration Camp Visit As Indoctrination
- As a high-schooler Barsky was taken to Buchenwald and shown graphic Nazi atrocities to shape ideological commitment.
- The visit reinforced communist narratives and helped prime him for later recruitment by security services.
Recruitment Through A Dorm Visitor
- The KGB approached Barsky via a collaborator in his dorm and later introduced him to a Soviet handler named Herman.
- He spent 18 months in an unofficial relationship and was vetted for the illegal undercover role.
