The widow of Major Herman Görtz, the most famous German spy to land in Ireland during the second World War, entered a "humble petition" to the Attorney General, dated March 8th, 1950. She was seeking the $25,000 he was carrying when he parachuted into Co Meath on May 5th, 1940.
"I am the widow of Dr Herman Görtz," the petition began, "who was interned in Ireland for a period of years during the second World War, and who died on or about the 27th day of May, 1947, in the city of Dublin, as a result of taking poison when he was about to be deported from Ireland to Germany."
Dr Görtz was interred in Deansgrange. In 1974 former German army officers secretly dug up his remains and reburied him in the German war cemetery at Glencree.
The "Irish authorities" (Special Branch), while searching a house owned by Dr Görtz's friend, Mr Stephen Carroll Held, in Templeogue, found $25,000 and £2.17.0, "which was, as I am informed, in the possession of my said husband", the petition stated.
The Minister for Justice "declared the said property to be forfeited to the State". There is no indication from the files released that Frau Görtz ever got a reply.