Essay --

Section A: Plan of Investigation Between 1940 and 1944, France was occupied by the German Army during World War II. The war saw the emergence of Coco Chanel as a Nazi spy, due to her openly anti-Semitic feelings, independence in business and influence as a couture designer (Vaughan 230). For these qualities she was recruited in to the Abwehr, the German military intelligence organization (134). To determine the extent of Coco Chanel’s involvement in Nazi missions the investigation will examine the following factors; personal relationships with high level officials allowing her elite conduct, her collaborations with Nazis in Paris, the nature of her work for the German military intelligence service and Himmler’s S.S. and did all of these factors designate her as a Nazi spy? Section B: Summary of Evidence Personal Relationships with High Level Officials †¢ Coco Chanel had an intimate relationship with Hans Gunther van Dincklage, a high ranking German official (Vaughan 141). †¢ Dincklage arranged for Chanel to stay at German occupied hotel, The Ritz. Giving her unrestricted access to German Headquarters in France (141). †¢ Romantic ties with the Duke of Westminster (â€Å"Coco Chanel†). †¢ Next door neighbor and friend of Fern Bedaux, Nazi collaborator ( Vaughan 151). †¢ Close relationship with British Ambassador to Spain, Sir Samuel Hoare (Samuel). †¢ Chanel was pardoned for her crimes by Winston Churchill (237). †¢ Never formally charged as a collaborator due to Churchill’s intervention (â€Å"Coco Chanel†). †¢ Churchill intervened in both her arrest and trial (Samuel). †¢ Spared from a public trial by British Royal family (Walker). Collaborations with Nazis in Paris †¢ One of few civilians living in German Headquarters (Vaughan 141). †¢ Visas for Ch... ...e political and social conflict of Chanel’s involvement has dissolved as new information has been declassified and readers are exposed to the intelligence once only known to government officials. Chanel agreed to work with the Nazi party in pursuit of her nephew’s return to her, not for her own personal beliefs and experience. Section E: Conclusion After Chanel’s two failed missions in sending letters of treaty negotiations she is not accredited with the label as a spy (Vaughan 199). However she is linked to the Nazi party, for her involvement with the Abwehr (134). Chanel is considered proactive in her strategy to recover her nephew. It can be justly claimed that Chanel, although involved in Nazi social circles and ambitions, was not a Nazi spy as she sought to bring peace and the safety of her nephew in her actions and proof of her missions were never recovered. Essay -- Section A: Plan of Investigation Between 1940 and 1944, France was occupied by the German Army during World War II. The war saw the emergence of Coco Chanel as a Nazi spy, due to her openly anti-Semitic feelings, independence in business and influence as a couture designer (Vaughan 230). For these qualities she was recruited in to the Abwehr, the German military intelligence organization (134). To determine the extent of Coco Chanel’s involvement in Nazi missions the investigation will examine the following factors; personal relationships with high level officials allowing her elite conduct, her collaborations with Nazis in Paris, the nature of her work for the German military intelligence service and Himmler’s S.S. and did all of these factors designate her as a Nazi spy? Section B: Summary of Evidence Personal Relationships with High Level Officials †¢ Coco Chanel had an intimate relationship with Hans Gunther van Dincklage, a high ranking German official (Vaughan 141). †¢ Dincklage arranged for Chanel to stay at German occupied hotel, The Ritz. Giving her unrestricted access to German Headquarters in France (141). †¢ Romantic ties with the Duke of Westminster (â€Å"Coco Chanel†). †¢ Next door neighbor and friend of Fern Bedaux, Nazi collaborator ( Vaughan 151). †¢ Close relationship with British Ambassador to Spain, Sir Samuel Hoare (Samuel). †¢ Chanel was pardoned for her crimes by Winston Churchill (237). †¢ Never formally charged as a collaborator due to Churchill’s intervention (â€Å"Coco Chanel†). †¢ Churchill intervened in both her arrest and trial (Samuel). †¢ Spared from a public trial by British Royal family (Walker). Collaborations with Nazis in Paris †¢ One of few civilians living in German Headquarters (Vaughan 141). †¢ Visas for Ch... ...e political and social conflict of Chanel’s involvement has dissolved as new information has been declassified and readers are exposed to the intelligence once only known to government officials. Chanel agreed to work with the Nazi party in pursuit of her nephew’s return to her, not for her own personal beliefs and experience. Section E: Conclusion After Chanel’s two failed missions in sending letters of treaty negotiations she is not accredited with the label as a spy (Vaughan 199). However she is linked to the Nazi party, for her involvement with the Abwehr (134). Chanel is considered proactive in her strategy to recover her nephew. It can be justly claimed that Chanel, although involved in Nazi social circles and ambitions, was not a Nazi spy as she sought to bring peace and the safety of her nephew in her actions and proof of her missions were never recovered.