Wilhelm Canaris (HM6)

Admiral Wilhelm Franz Canaris (* 1. January 1st, 1887 in Aplerbeck near Dortmund, Westphalia) is the head of the , the military secret service of the . There are many rumors about him - some even claim that he had lead famous spy Mata Hari during the First World War.
Even as a Kid, he experimented with invisible ink and false Names. His father wanted him to join the cavalry and gifted him a horse for his 15th birthday. Canaris OTOH wanted to join the Kaiserliche Marine, which he did in fact after his father had died in September 1904. As a lieutenant, he received his nickname "Kieker" (peeper) for his insatiable curiosity. In 1908, Canaris helped the commander of the Bremen ship to build up an informer System in and . It helped him that he learned Spanish pretty fast. In the First World War, he ended up in a an Internment camp, but was able to flee. Afterwards, he worked again as a Spy, this time in .
After the war, he became an important staff member of SPD politician Gustav Noske. Later, he also was a connection to the right-radical Terror group "Organisation Consul". For some time, he was enemy No. 1 for the leftist Press. In June 1923, Canaris became First Mate on the small cruiser Berlin under the command of Wilfried von Loewenfeld, his old boss. There, he met .
== Under the Nazis ==
Since 1932, Canaris seems to have been attracted more and more by and his Ideas. He was considered an enthusiastic National Socialist. For some time, his career seeed to be blocked because Admiral was his opponent. On January 2nd of 1935, he became head of the German Abwehr, as successor of Conrad Patzig. This also made him the neighbor of Reinhard Heydrich, although the two of them didn't like each other and spied on each other as well. As he said about Heydrich, he was "a violent and fanatical man with whom it will be impossible to work at all closely". In the Spanish Civil War, Canaris was said to be the man behind the German military support of . The Bombing of Guernica supposedly unsettled him.
=== Against the Nazis ===
In 1937, if not earlier, Canaris seems to have broken more and more with the "Führer" / . In the fall of 1937, Canaris told his predecessor Patzig, the Nazis were nothing but criminals who were ruining Germany, from the top to the bottom. When asked how he was able to be the head of the Abwehr under these circumstances, Canaris answered:
:„Es ist mein Schicksal geworden. Wenn ich gehe, kommt Heydrich, und dann ist alles verloren. Ich muß mich opfern.“ (This has become my fate. When I leave, Heydrich will come, and then everything will be lost. I have to sacrifice myself.)
=== In the Resistance ===
Since 1938, Canaris has been supporting many conservative resistance members and participated in putsch plans between 1938 and 1940. Since the Blomberg-Fritsch-crisis he has the Abwehr collect Anti--Material and passes it on to commanders of the Wehrmacht. During the "Anschluss" of Austria, Canaris started his duplicity when he both continued to work for the government while working together with against his government at the same time. Next, he accepted many Non- and Anti-Nazis from Austria for the Abwehr. Around this time, the knew he was an opponent of the Nazis. Since this year, was his boss. In 1938/39, he expected that would declare war at every opportunity, and was shocked that was still willing to negotiate with the "Führer". Meanwhile, other Nazis considered him a careful Pessimist. They were puzzled about his behavior bis didn't suspect that he planned toppling the "Führer".
Canaris prepared a Putsch with , which was supposed to support. During these Plannings, Hans von Dohnanyi suggested an assassination for the first time. However, Canaris was only willing to support an arrest (maybe to send the "führer" to an insane asylum), not a kill.
Also, he used his influence to save various Jews, like , head of the Chasidic Chabad Lubavich movement.
=== His network ===
He has meanwhile built up a far-reaching network of Informers, so he's well informed aout what's going on in the Nazi government:
* Ernst von Weizsäcker in the Foreign Office
* Rudolf Schmundt for the "Führer"
* Arthur Nebe for the Gestapo
* Hans Bernd Gisevius for Hjalmar Schacht.
Furthermore, he has contacts to several Nazi opponents: Carl Friedrich Goerdeler, Helmut von Moltke (Kreisauer Kreis), Josef "Ochsensepp" Müller, the Bonhoeffers, Ewald von Kleist-Schmenzin, Fabian von Schlabrendorff.
Even some men, like , are among his friends.
== During the World War ==
He had the Abwehr collect Data about crimes of the and Gestapo in Poland. He also made sure that reports by about crimes in Poland were passed on to the commanders of the three Army groups in the West. Once, he told about the murders in Poland, to no avail. His Protest against the Bombing of was futile too. On January 1st of 1940, he was promoted to Admiral. The Abwehr contacted Pope Pius XII, who was willing to pass on messages from the resistance to the British government.
End of July 1939, Canaris visited . They agreed that the Harbors of Spain shouldn't be just opened from now on for Italian Ships of the , but also for the German submarines of the .
== Private Life ==
Since 1919, Canaris is married to Erika Waag, daughter of an industrialist. They have two daughters, Eva (* 1923) and Brigitte (* 1926). Eva had to leave elementary school because of mental disability and has been living in a Bethel home near Bielefeld. Canaris is supposed to have nothing in common with his art-loving wife. Even on public holidays, the workaholic he is allegedly is deep into his work.
In , he is Heydrich's Neighbor, with whom he makes a ride every Morning. The two couples also meet for making Music or playing Crockett together. The Friendship is just superficial - Canaris even tries to warm up the old rumors that Heydrich had Jewish ancestry.
Besides Spanish, Canaris speaks quite good English, also fair French, and some Russian.
He owns two rough-haired Dachshunds named Seppel and Sabine, which he likes very much. As he says, they're the only ones on whose loyalty he can rely.
Category:Nazi Germany (HM6)
Category:Espionage (HM6)
de:Wilhelm Canaris (W6)
Category:Wilhelm Canaris