Manci Howard, Lady Howard of Effingham

Maria Malvina Howard, Lady Howard of Effingham
Born Maria Malvina Gertler[1]:557
Poland
Died unknown
Nationality Hungarian[2]
Other names Manci
Occupation adventuress

Maria Malvina Howard, Lady Howard of Effingham, née Gertler, often called Manci, was a Hungarian adventuress.

Maria Malvina Gertler was born in Budapest[3] or in Poland,[2] and was the daughter of Ferenz Joseph Gertler.[1]:557 She went to England in 1935, and in 1938 married Mowbray, Lord Howard of Effingham, who later became the 6th Earl of Effingham.[1]:557 Howard, who was bankrupt, was paid a lump sum and a retainer by Gertler's lover, Edward Stanislas Weisblatt, an arms dealer. Gertler joined the British Union of Fascists.[4]:311

Even before the outbreak of the Second World War, she was suspected of espionage, and on 10 February 1941 was interned in Holloway Prison. She was released on 16 July 1941 for lack of conclusive proof against her. Her marriage to Howard was dissolved in 1945[2] or 1946.[1]:557

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Charles Kidd; David Williamson (eds.) (2003). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage. London: Macmillan; New York: St. Martin's. ISBN 9780333545775.
  2. 1 2 3 Richard Norton-Taylor (4 September 2006). Life and loves of peer's wife suspected of being war spy. The Guardian. Accessed May 2015.
  3. ↑ Ben Fenton (4 September 2006). Penniless 'spy' who slept her way to the top. The Daily Telegraph. Accessed May 2015.
  4. ↑ Julie V. Gottlieb (2003). Feminine Fascism: Women in Britain's Fascist Movement, 1923–45. London: I.B. Tauris. ISBN 9781860649189.
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