ABSTRACT
The mask traffic took place at a critical moment in Britain's history, with the country divided in its attitude towards the growth of Fascism in Europe, and the threat of Communism from Moscow. According to MASK, the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) orchestrated a campaign, drawing in two Labour MPs, Sir Stafford Cripps and George Lansbury, to apply pressure on the Swiss government to either release Neumann or deport him to the Soviet Union. The knowledge Krebs demonstrated of personalities who had appeared in the MASK traffic was highly relevant to MI5 because the Comintern's regional headquarters for northern and western Europe was located in Berlin and largely staffed by KPD members who were known to him. It was the evidence of William Morrison in August 1939 that proved so helpful in identifying some of the personalities mentioned in the MASK traffic.
