Emily HAHN (aka Mickey) [1905-1997]
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Submitted by David on Mon, 2013-02-04 12:29
Sex:
Female
Status:
Deceased
More information:
- Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emily_Hahn
Connections:
- Emily HAHN (aka Mickey) [1905-1997] parent of Carola HAHN [1941- ]
Comments
Emily Hahn and the BAAG?
In the description of the Broom family's escape from wartime Hong Kong, Mrs Broom writes:
On the ferry crossing to Kowloon I happened to be sitting in front of Emily Hahn. I overheard her saying to her friend something about Nasty. As we were leaving the ferry on Kowloon side I approached her and told her I heard her saying something including the word Nasty (the name Vincent used when we first met). She was quite taken aback and said she did not realise she was speaking that loud. I told her I am Nasty and asked for the message. She told me she had not got it for she was so frightened at the time that she tore up the message and others and flushed them down the toilet in the Hongkong Hotel. I asked her what the message was and she said she could not be involved and did not read it. Just at that time the Japanese were rounding up all sorts of people, Doctor Selwyn Clark was arrested at this time.
I wondered whether this meant Hahn worked regularly for the BAAG, or if this was just a one-off. I asked Elizabeth Ride, expert on all things BAAG, for help. She replied:
I have found several references to Emily Hahn in the papers, though nothing seems to suggest any operations for or with the BAAG.
Though Hahn didn't work for the BAAG, they certainly knew of her, and there was at least one time they were in contact. Elizabeth found this description of the BAAG sending funds to Hahn via Macau (Letter, ref:MA/133/1 from British Military Attache in Chungking to Col. Ride):
Later documents show that Allsopp's money was successfully delivered to Hahn.
Emily Hahn - New Yorker Magazine 2017
The piece in the 'New Yorker' on Emily Hahn is recounted by her daughter here