From Hitler’s spy to Britain’s next spy chief: Metreweli family’s espionage past emerges

Nevin Al Sukari - Sana'a - Blaise Metreweli, who is set to become the first woman to lead the Secret Intelligence Service, was widely praised for her intelligence, discretion, and exemplary service record when her appointment was announced earlier this month. But German archives have revealed that her grandfather, Constantine Dobrowolski (right), was a Nazi collaborator and local intelligence chief in the Ukrainian region of Chernihiv, known for spying and killing on behalf of Hitler’s regime. — Picture from social media

By Malay Mail

Friday, 27 Jun 2025 3:30 PM MYT

LONDON, June 27 — Britain’s incoming MI6 chief Blaise Metreweli is facing uncomfortable scrutiny after revelations surfaced linking her paternal grandfather to Nazi war crimes in Ukraine during World War II.

Metreweli, who is set to become the first woman to lead the Secret Intelligence Service, was widely praised for her intelligence, discretion, and exemplary service record when her appointment was announced earlier this month, according to a report in Mail Online.

But German archives have revealed that her grandfather, Constantine Dobrowolski, was a Nazi collaborator and local intelligence chief in the Ukrainian region of Chernihiv, known for spying and killing on behalf of Hitler’s regime.

“Captain Dobrowolski is a convinced opponent of Bolshevism and, accordingly, the most hated man among the Bolsheviks,” a German military assessment stated, praising his “excellent reconnaissance” and branding him a “talented gang fighter”.

Dobrowolski, born in 1906, defected from the Red Army in 1941 and assisted the Nazis in tracking down resistance fighters and organising the extermination of Jewish communities, according to hundreds of pages of wartime documents.

Metreweli, 47, never knew her grandfather, who remained in Ukraine as her grandmother fled west with their infant son — Metreweli’s father — in 1943.

The family later settled in the UK, adopting the stepfather’s surname, Metreweli.

While these revelations have no bearing on Metreweli’s personal actions or loyalties, they risk becoming ammunition for Kremlin propaganda efforts, particularly as Russia seeks to label Ukraine and its allies as neo-Nazis.

Professor Beka Kobakhidze of Ilia State University in Georgia warned the story would likely be exploited: “I can say with confidence that this will become a favourite talking point for Kremlin propagandists for years to come.”

Russia’s state-aligned media has already speculated on Metreweli’s Ukrainian roots, attempting to conflate her heritage with Nazi sympathies — a narrative experts fear could intensify as her profile rises.

The Foreign Office responded by affirming Metreweli’s dedication to public service: “Blaise Metreweli neither knew nor met her paternal grandfather... her commitment to protect the British public stems from a complex heritage marked by conflict.”

Metreweli has served in senior roles across MI6, MI5, and the Foreign Office, with a career that spans high-stakes operations in Europe and the Middle East since the early 2000s.

As she prepares to assume the role of “C”, the head of MI6, Metreweli’s past underscores the reality that while individuals can shape their destinies, they cannot choose their lineage — a truth not lost on Britain’s intelligence community.