MI6’s New Chief: Family Secrets, Nazi Spy Grandfather, and the Future of British Intelligence

A Historic Appointment: MI6 Welcomes Its First Female Chief

Did you know that for the first time in its 116-year history, the UK’s Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) will be led by a woman? Blaise Metreweli, a veteran intelligence officer and tech innovator, is set to assume the role of Chief this autumn. Her appointment is being hailed as a milestone for gender equality and modernization within the British intelligence community. For many, this signals a new era where expertise and innovation take precedence over tradition, and where the leadership of MI6 reflects the diversity of the society it serves.
Recent articles from BBC, The Telegraph, and CNN highlight Metreweli’s impressive career, noting her rise through the ranks from a field officer to the head of MI6’s technology division, known as “Q”—a nod to the iconic James Bond character. Her background in anthropology from Cambridge and her multilingual abilities (including Arabic) have made her a standout figure in the intelligence world.

The Scandal Unfolds: Revelations of a Nazi Spy Grandfather

But the excitement over Metreweli’s appointment was quickly overshadowed by revelations from British media, especially the Daily Mail, that her paternal grandfather, Constantine Dobrowolski, was a notorious Nazi collaborator. According to recently uncovered German archives, Dobrowolski defected from the Soviet Red Army during World War II and became Hitler’s chief informant in the Chernihiv region of Ukraine. He was reportedly known as “The Butcher” and “Agent No 30,” infamous for his brutality and direct involvement in atrocities against Jews and Ukrainian soldiers.
Documents reveal that the Soviet Union placed a bounty of 50,000 rubles on Dobrowolski, branding him “the worst enemy of the Ukrainian people.” Letters signed “Heil Hitler” and boasting of participation in massacres were cited as evidence of his war crimes. These shocking details have fueled intense debate in the UK and beyond, with many questioning how such a legacy might impact the new MI6 chief’s credibility and mission.

Family History: War, Trauma, and Reinvention

The story of Metreweli’s family is a dramatic tale of war, displacement, and reinvention. In 1943, Dobrowolski sent his wife Barbara and their infant son Constantine to Germany as the Red Army advanced. Barbara later emigrated to the UK, remarried a Georgian émigré named David Metreweli, and her son took his stepfather’s surname. Constantine Metreweli, Blaise’s father, would go on to serve as a radiologist and British Army medical officer, further intertwining the family with British society.
Blaise Metreweli herself has publicly stated that she never knew or met her grandfather, emphasizing the distance between her own values and his actions. The UK Foreign Office echoed this, noting that her “complex heritage” is only partially understood, as is common for many with Eastern European roots. This background, they argue, has contributed to her commitment to preventing conflict and protecting the public from modern threats.

Community and Media Reactions: Controversy and Defense

The revelation about Metreweli’s ancestry has sparked heated discussion across UK and Korean online communities. On Reddit and major British forums, some users argue that children should not be judged for the crimes of their ancestors, while others worry about the potential for Russian propaganda to exploit the story. Comments like “Why would the UK hand such ammunition to the Russians?” and “Her achievements should stand on their own” capture the polarized sentiment.
On Korean platforms like Naver and Tistory, bloggers have drawn parallels to Korea’s own history of collaboration and division, expressing both empathy and skepticism. Some posts highlight the irony of a descendant of a Nazi spy leading British intelligence, while others focus on the resilience and adaptability of immigrant families. A notable Tistory blogger wrote, “Metreweli’s story is a reminder that history is never simple, and that the present is often shaped by the unresolved traumas of the past.”
Representative comments from Korean communities include: ‘It’s unfair to blame her for her grandfather’s sins, but the symbolism is hard to ignore,’ and ‘This controversy shows how the past can haunt even the most modern institutions.’

Cultural Context: Why Family History Matters in the UK and Korea

For international readers, it’s important to understand why family history is such a sensitive issue in both the UK and Korea. In Britain, the legacy of World War II and the fight against fascism remain central to national identity. Any association with Nazi collaborators is deeply stigmatized, especially for public figures in positions of trust. In Korea, the memory of Japanese colonial collaborators still shapes debates about national loyalty and justice. The Metreweli case resonates with Korean audiences because it reflects the ongoing struggle to reconcile personal and collective histories.
Furthermore, the story has become a touchpoint for discussions about immigration, assimilation, and the challenges faced by families with complex backgrounds. The fact that Metreweli’s father served in the British Army and that she herself has dedicated her life to public service complicates the narrative, challenging simplistic notions of guilt by association.

The Future of MI6: Challenges and Opportunities

Despite the controversy, many experts believe that Blaise Metreweli’s appointment represents a turning point for MI6. Her expertise in technology and innovation is seen as crucial for the agency’s efforts to counter cyber threats, hostile state actors, and evolving forms of espionage. Supporters argue that her diverse background and personal resilience make her uniquely qualified to lead the organization through a period of rapid change.
British officials, including Foreign Secretary David Lammy and outgoing MI6 chief Sir Richard Moore, have expressed confidence in her leadership. They emphasize that the true test of an intelligence chief lies in their ability to adapt, inspire, and protect—not in the shadows of their ancestry.
As one Naver blogger put it, ‘Metreweli’s story is not just about the past. It’s about how we choose to build the future, even when history is complicated.’