Since I can't seem to figure it out, are there any history buffs that could tell me what on earth she'd be doing in Norway if she was a spy for the Soviet Union?
Norway wasn't anywhere near the Soviet border, nor would their military have been any concern whatsoever to the Soviet Union at that time. The biggest immediate threat (that I can immediately think of) to the Soviets was Prague Spring, but that was largely under control by early 1969. Furthermore, it seems that there would be much better places for a German-speaking spy to be in order to collect information on Czechoslovakia. She did have German currency on her, so I suppose it is possible that she was in Germany during the unaccounted for time between April and October.
Am I missing anything?
This case is so intriguing and mysterious, I am surprised there is not more information out their about it.
Was she found in a hotel room or in nature? There seems to be conflicting information on other sites as to where she was found.
Since I can't seem to figure it out, are there any history buffs that could tell me what on earth she'd be doing in Norway if she was a spy for the Soviet Union?
Norway wasn't anywhere near the Soviet border, nor would their military have been any concern whatsoever to the Soviet Union at that time. The biggest immediate threat (that I can immediately think of) to the Soviets was Prague Spring, but that was largely under control by early 1969. Furthermore, it seems that there would be much better places for a German-speaking spy to be in order to collect information on Czechoslovakia. She did have German currency on her, so I suppose it is possible that she was in Germany during the unaccounted for time between April and October.
Am I missing anything?
This is the time period just after an amazing oil discovery in the North Sea that changed Norway forever. I'm not sure that Norway was producing oil yet by this time, but they were certainly putting the infrastructure in place. Looking at her travels from France to Germany to Stavanger to Bergen, it would seem that her interest was in the North Sea Coast. So possibly working for a nation with a stake in the oil game? Note that OPEC was created in '68, so the politics of oil - who had it and who needed it - were changing rapidly at that time. Maybe she was Mossad??
Norway borders with Russia up north....
Norway borders with Russia up north....