How Do You Spell MELITA NORWOOD?

1. Melita Norwood was a British civil servant and communist spy who was active during the Cold War era. Born on March 25, 1912, in Bournemouth, England, Norwood worked as a secretary and personal assistant within the British Non-Ferrous Metals Research Association (BNFRA). However, her involvement in espionage activities went undetected for several years.

   Melita Norwood's dictionary definition is primarily centered around her role as a KGB agent who passed classified information to the Soviet Union for nearly four decades. Her spying activities began during World War II and continued until the early 1990s. Norwood was heavily involved in transmitting important scientific and technological data related to nuclear weapons and energy research, which provided valuable information to the Soviet Union.

   Notably, Norwood's actions were discovered in 1999 after the collapse of the Soviet Union when documents were released by the KGB archives. Her extensive espionage work earned her the moniker "The Spy Who Came In From The Co-op" due to her seemingly ordinary life as a grandmother and active participant in the local Cooperative movement.

   Although Melita Norwood's actions were considered treasonous by many, she was never prosecuted due to her age and the amount of time that had passed since her activities took place. Instead, she faced widespread scrutiny and condemnation from the public, media, and intelligence communities. Norwood's case and the revelation of her espionage activities served as a reminder of the elaborate spy networks employed by various nations during the Cold War.

Common Misspellings for MELITA NORWOOD