Rosenblum. Salomon Rosenblum.

Who was Sidney Reilly (aka, Salomon Rosenblum, aka, Karl Hahn, aka, Mr. Constantine, aka, the Ace of Spies)?

Here's what we know for sure: He was executed for spying. He was the inspiration for Ian Fleming's smooth, suave 007 James Bond. And he was a Jew.

Everything else is pure speculation. He may have been involved in an assassination attempt on Lenin. He may have been a double agent during the first World War. He may have been Britain's first and greatest secret agent. Or he may have done none of these things. The fact that we don't know for sure seems to confirm that he was very good at his job.

But there's one thing no one can deny: Sidney Reilly was one of those rare people whose story cannot help but capture the human imagination. A dashing, debonair, national hero Jew who always gets the girl?

It's enough to leave us shaken AND stirred.

Verdict: Jew.

September 15, 2008