The Fall of the Dynasties: The Collapse of the Old Order: 1905-1922

by Edmond Taylor

The special section of the German foreign office set up under Dr. Diego Bergen (who later served both the Weimar Republic and Hitler as German Ambassador to the Vatican) to co-ordinate political warfare operations against Russia provided Parvus with a German passport and an initial fund of some $250,000 to draw on. (He was soon asking for $5,000,000,) It was decided that he would make his headquarters in Copenhagen under cover of establishing and directing a scholarly institute. Before going there Parvus visited Switzerland and talked with a number of Russian emigres, including Lenin, The latter treated him with some suspicion — in part, according to certain sources because he looked on Parvus as a political rival — but did not refuse all co-operation. In fact, Lenin encouraged one of his friends to accept the paid job on the staff of Copenhagen “institute” that Parvus offered him.