with Grossvogel the plan to create a new business, without telling Grossvogel of his own intelligence mission It would be the ideal cover for espionage network. Trepper financed Grossvogel to the sum of $8,000 to create the new business, that was given an unidiomatic name of Foreign Excellent Raincoat Company. In December 1938, Grossvogel formed the new company, that would export raincoats. Grossvogel became manager of the new firm. As a representative of the company, he made trips to Norway, Switzerland, Denmark, and Finland, in the spring and summer of 1939, i.e. the places Trepper planned to establish bases for operations against the United Kingdom. In March 1939, Under a plan created by Trepper, Grossvogel arranged for Red Army Intelligence agent Mikhail Makarov to become manager of a branch of the raincoat company in Ostend, replacing Grossvogel's wife. Makarov planned to put a transmitter in the city, to establish communication with agent in England. After the start of World War II, Trepper abandoned the idea of trying to expand the raincoat company overseas, stopping intelligence activities against Britain. In July 1940, he decided to move to Paris, France to avoid capture by the advancing German front and Grossvogel went with him. Simex In the autumn of 1940, Grossvogel efforts led to the establishment of the Simex firm in Paris firm, becoming its managing director. The companies name was a metonym for S for Societe, IM for Import, EX for Export and was established as a large company, offering military engineering contract services for Nazi German contracts resulting from the occupation. Grossvogel's task was to grow the business, while Trepper used the business to mask his clandestine activities unnoticed. In 1941, French commercial director Alfred Corbin became managing director of Simex leaving Grossvogel acting in the role of assistant, carrying out Trepper's instructions as he met with businessmen and industrialists. As the year changed into 1942, Grossvogel's role changed as he became Trepper main assistant, becoming more involved in the daily operation of the espionage network. One of his main tasks was the establishment of a reliable communications line and the supervision of agents who uses it. Grossvogel would also train radio operators. Payments Grossvogel was paid a retainer by Russian intelligence, at 175 dollars per months. After the start of the war, this was increased to 225 dollars per month. Arrest In December 1942, Grossvogel was arrested, while waiting for