Mr.

Mr. Payne Best, The Western European Chief of Service, married the Dutch painter Maria Margareta Van Rood who introduced him to the court of Queen Wilhelmina of Holland. There he became acquainted with leading noble families of northern Germany who sought Hitler's overthrow, such as the grand duchesses of Oldenburg and Mecklenburg who introduced him to northern German politicians like Carl Goerdeler. September 1939 - Reassigned by British intelligence to seek out and establish contact with anti-nazi conspirators on the German Army General Staff. November 9, 1939 - Kidnapped with intelligence partner Major Richard Stevens in the Dutch border town of Venlo by SD agents led by SS Major Walter Schellenberg. Brought to Berlin and interrogated by Gestapo. Confined for the rest of the war along with Major Stevens in a concentration camp.