German spy who lost job after forbidden romance loses compensation case Published duration 24 November 2016

image caption The secret romance happened in Riga, the capital of Latvia, while the spy was stationed there

A German spy who lost his job after starting a secret romantic relationship with a local woman against his agency's rules has lost a bid for compensation.

The unnamed man tried to claim €400,000 (£339,000) in lost earnings but a court in Munich threw his case out.

He was the head of the German spy agency (BND - Bundesnachrichtendienst) in Riga, Latvia, from 2006 to 2008.

The agency recalled him from his post there when he made his relationship known to his bosses in Germany.

He did so only when his new girlfriend had already moved in with him, despite having been made aware in writing of rules that forbade close personal relationships with locals.

Before that, he had asked the Latvian intelligence services to run background checks on the woman in question. The checks found she did not pose any security risk.

After he lost his posting to Riga, the man was recalled to Germany. But he later became ill and was put into retirement 11 years early, at the age of 50.

The former spy has been ordered to pay the legal costs arising from the case.

It is not known whether his relationship survived.

Related Topics Germany

Spying

Latvia