university of wollongong

For spy enthusiasts and collectors, World War II’s infamous Enigma machine is one of the most sought-after historical artefacts — with only about 300 left worldwide.

But for Sydneysider Mike Pritchard, he happens to have three in his storage.

These cipher devices were developed and used mainly by Nazi Germany to encrypt and decrypt secret messages.

“It’s actually not my favourite machine, but it’s the one that everybody knows. When I take these sorts of machines out to show people, they’re fascinated,” Mr Pritchard said.

The work of cryptanalysts to break the Enigma code is credited with turning the tide of the war and saving a significant number of lives.

So how does an everyday Aussie like Mr Pritchard have two Swiss Enigma machines and one German Enigma machine on hand?

Relics from old-school espionage era

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Mr Pritchard said he gathered the artefacts across many years from at least 20 countries and a variety of methods.

“Some [are] from public and private auctions, others from private collectors — like the cipher machines. It’s a small club of people that are serious collectors.”

After decades working in IT and cybersecurity in the private sector, Mr Pritchard now spends his time talking at cyber conferences and university seminars — opening the lid on his spycraft collection.

With over 1,600 artefacts to his name, it’s hard to choose a favourite.

The Stasi East German camera concealed in a flower box.

The carved statue ornament that would sit on a mantelpiece for ‘decoration’, only to record those in the room.

Even the small Ajax cameras that were built into a variety of items — purses, belts, cigarette packets, thermos flasks, jerry cans, and more.

Nowadays concealment technology can be miniaturised down to the size of a pinhead.

“They are very interesting relics from the Cold War and nicely executed,” Mr Pritchard said of his covert devices, acknowledging the prowess of this era’s espionage.

“Usually this technology is developed in secret, used in secret and destroyed at the end of its life.

From bra camera concealments to spy letters

Mr Pritchard said tertiary students he speaks to are always intrigued by women in espionage throughout history and any associated gadgets.

The idea for a bra concealment camera came from a group of young women working in a Stasi subdivision, which designed much of the state security service’s surveillance technology.

During the Cold War period, the Stasi played a key role in maintaining the authority of the East German state — heavily monitoring citizens.

“The women took a spring-powered camera, the Ajax camera, and mounted it inside a bra, and it was a success,” Mr Pritchard said.

The concealments were then created under Project Meadow and used by female Stasi agents.

As for a well-known woman associated with the spy realm, Mata Hari, real name Margaretha “Gretha” MacLeod, was a Dutch exotic dancer who was suspected by the French of selling secrets to the enemy.

“She’s really a tragic figure because she was not professionally trained to be an intelligence officer,” Mr Pritchard said.

“She was sort of used by both sides in World War I. Mata, a courtesan, was networking between these powerful men of various countries and clumsily passing on information,” Mr Pritchard said.

The original letter Mr Pritchard has from Hari is written on letterhead from Hotel Metropol in Paris, offering a peek into her life.

Another original letter in Mr Pritchard’s collection is from Ian Fleming, a British writer best known for his post-war James Bond spy novel series.

Prior to his author success, Fleming served in Britain’s Naval Intelligence Division during World War II.

“The letter is from his time in Berlin, and in guarded language he is writing about how someone has to meet certain ‘criteria’ to come and work for his organisation,” Mr Pritchard said.

“It’s a very nice rare item to have.”

Ultimately, for Mr Pritchard, he said his dream is to open a spy museum in Sydney, given it can be “an extraordinary form of entertainment and education”.

“The plan is to open an independent public museum — a home to protect these artefacts, display them in context and deliver educational programs.

“I think in the early days my kids were saying of my interest in espionage, ‘Oh, Dad is going off on one’, but now they’ve come to see me talk at conferences, and I think the penny has dropped for them.

“I want to bring this history to the world.”