Medardo Griotto

Medardo Griotto (16 February 1901, Turin – 22 or 28 July 1943) was an Italian militant communist activist and member of the Italian Communist Party. Trained as a engraver, Griotto became an expert forger, who became an important member in the espionage network run by Communist International (Comintern) intelligence agent Henry Robinson. Griotto was betrayed by Leopold Trepper, arrested and executed by guillotine at Plötzensee Prison.

Life Griotto was the son of Giovanni Griotto and Maria Marguerite ( Perachiotti). Griotto married Anna Secco. Both Robinson and later Trepper took advantage of the ability of Griotto to produce fake passports and identity document seals. Later he became Robinson's radio operator and one of his main assistants. Medardo's wife, Anna Griotto, also worked for Robinson. She served as a courier in Robinson's group in France and helped her husband in illegal work.

Arrest Griotto was directly betrayed by Trepper, who gave his address to Karl Giering of the Sonderkommando Rote Kapelle. Giering had Trepper phone Griotto to arrange a meeting for the 21 December 1942, with Robinson at the Palais de Chaillot in Paris, near his home, where he was to collect a message from Trepper.

Both Griotto and Robinson were taken to Rue des Saussaies. Griotto was interned at Fresnes Prison. On the 11 March 1943, Griotto was tried at 62–64 Rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré in Paris by Luftwaffe Judge Manfred Roeder and sentenced to death. 74 members of the Soviet espionage group were tried over several days by Roeder. Griotto and his wife Anna were deported to Germany on a convoy that left from Compiègne on 15 April 1943. Griotto was taken to Plötzensee Prison where he was executed by guillotine on 22 July 1943. Anna was sent to Ravensbruck concentration camp and survived. After the war she cared for children at a nursery run by the Fiat company.