Ruth Fischer

Ruth Fischer started out her life as quite a communist. In her early 20s, she co-founded the Communist Party of Austria. She was also one of the early party leaders in Germany.

Even though Fischer was Jewish (her father, Rudolf Eisler, was a prominent philosopher), she wasn't exactly a fan of her people. "Throw down the Jewish capitalists, hang them from the lamp-post, stamp on them," she said in 1923. Again, in line with her communist ideals.

The German Communist Party had a schism, so Fischer, who at one point ran it, was kicked out. She eventually emigrated out of Germany (good timing there; as much as she might have hated her Jewish roots, Nazis wouldn't really care) and collaborated with another exile, Leon Trotsky. Still fighting for that communist ideal...

Long story short: not only did Fischer end up denouncing communism, it also turned out that she served as an American spy.

Bet you didn't see that ending coming!