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Political operations of Abwehr in Germany
The Abwehr, the German military intelligence service, engaged in political operations, including espionage, sabotage, and counter-intelligence, both within Germany and abroad, with its headquarters in Berlin and field offices in various locations, including neutral countries disguised as “War Organizations”. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the Abwehr’s political operations:
- Headquarters: The Abwehr’s headquarters were located at 76/78 Tirpitzufer, Berlin, adjacent to the offices of the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW). [2, 2, 4, 4]
- Field Offices: In Germany and occupied countries, field offices were known as “Abwehrstellen” (Asts), with branches called “Nebenstellen” (Nests). In neutral countries, they were called “Kriegsorganisationen” (KO’s) and often disguised as diplomatic missions. [1, 1, 3, 3]
- Branches: The Abwehr was organized into three main branches: Abwehr I (intelligence), Abwehr II (sabotage and subversion), and Abwehr III (counterintelligence). [5, 5]
- Abwehr I (Intelligence): This branch was responsible for gathering intelligence, including military, naval, air, and economic intelligence. It was further divided into sections based on geographical areas and specific types of intelligence. [3, 3, 6, 6]
- Abwehr II (Sabotage and Subversion): This branch focused on planning and executing sabotage operations against enemy targets. [3, 3, 5, 5]
- Abwehr III (Counterintelligence): This branch was responsible for counter-espionage and protecting the Abwehr’s own operations. [3, 3, 5, 5]
- Espionage: The Abwehr sent agents to spy on enemy nations, intercepting communications, and gathering information on military capabilities, troop movements, and strategic plans. [1, 1, 3, 3, 6, 6, 7, 7]
- Sabotage: The Abwehr engaged in sabotage operations, including disrupting enemy supply lines, damaging infrastructure, and assassinating key figures. [3, 3, 5, 5, 7, 7]
- Counter-intelligence: The Abwehr worked to identify and neutralize enemy intelligence agents and disrupt their operations. [1, 3, 3, 5, 5, 7]
- Neutral Countries: In neutral countries, the Abwehr often disguised its activities by attaching personnel to German Embassies or trade missions, known as “War Organizations” (Kriegsorganisationen or KO’s). [1, 1]
- Wilhelm Canaris: The head of the Abwehr from 1935 to 1944, Canaris was a key figure in the resistance against Hitler, and he was executed by the Nazis in 1945. [8, 9]
- Abwehr in Spain: The Abwehr detachment in Spain (Kriegsorganisation Spanien, KO-Spanien) was one of the largest of such groups, led by Captain Gustav Leissner, who acted under the alias “Lenz”. [10]
- Collaboration with the IRA: The Abwehr attempted to cultivate a working relationship with the Irish Republican Army (IRA), but these efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. [11]
- The Abwehr’s operations during World War II had a significant impact on the course of the war, and its legacy continues to be studied and debated by historians.
- The Abwehr’s activities provide insights into the nature of intelligence gathering and political operations during wartime. [7, 7, 8, 12, 12, 13]
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