'The Man Without a Face' is dead

Berlin: Markus Wolf, the legendary East German spy and one of the legendary figures of the Cold War died in Berlin on Friday. He was 83.

Wolf was admired by Western intelligence officials and successfully ran a network of 4,000 spies.

He was known as "The Man Without a Face" because for many years intelligence services did not even have a photograph of him.

He died in his sleep overnight at his home, his daughter-in-law said

Wolf is said to have inspired John Le Carre's Soviet spymaster “Karla" in the thriller Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

Wolf was charged with treason in 1993 and given a six-year sentence, which was later suspended.