Wilhelm Franz Canaris

Wilhelm Franz Canaris was a German admiral who served as the chief of the Abwehr, the German military intelligence service, from 1935 to 1944. He was initially a supporter of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime, but he later became disillusioned and involved in the resistance movement against Hitler. He played a major role in the failed plot to assassinate Hitler on July 20, 1944, for which he was arrested by the Gestapo and sent to Flossenbürg concentration camp. He was hanged on April 9, 1945, along with other conspirators, as the Allied forces advanced through Southern Germany. Canaris was born on January 1, 1887, in Aplerbeck, Westphalia, to a wealthy and cultured family. He believed that his family was related to the 19th-century Greek admiral and politician Konstantinos Kanaris, which influenced his decision to join the Imperial German Navy. He graduated from the naval academy in Kiel in 1907 and served on various ships and submarines during World War I. He distinguished himself as a skilled and daring commander, earning several decorations and promotions. He also participated in several covert operations and espionage missions in Spain and South America. After the war, Canaris remained in the navy and rose through the ranks. He became a close friend and protégé of Admiral Erich Raeder, who appointed him as the head of the Abwehr in 1935. Canaris initially welcomed the rise of Hitler and the Nazis, hoping that they would restore Germany's power and prestige. He helped to rearm and expand the German military, as well as to establish contacts with foreign intelligence services and resistance groups. He also supported Hitler's foreign policy goals, such as the annexation of Austria and the Sudetenland. However, Canaris soon became disillusioned with Hitler's brutality and megalomania. He was appalled by the persecution of Jews and other minorities, the repression of civil liberties, and the violation of international law. He also realized that Hitler's aggressive expansionism would lead to a disastrous war that Germany could not win. He began to use his position as the head of the Abwehr to undermine Hitler's plans and to help his enemies. He provided information and assistance to Britain, France, Poland, Yugoslavia, and even the Soviet Union. He also protected and supported many anti-Nazi dissidents and conspirators within Germany, such as Hans Oster, Ludwig Beck, Carl Goerdeler, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Claus von Stauffenberg, and others. Canaris was involved in several plots to overthrow or kill Hitler, most notably the July 20 plot of 1944. He hoped that by eliminating Hitler, Germany could negotiate a peace settlement with the Allies and avoid total destruction. However, the plot failed when Hitler survived a bomb planted by Stauffenberg at his headquarters. The Gestapo soon uncovered Canaris' role in the conspiracy and arrested him on July 23. He was interrogated and tortured for months at various prisons and camps. He confessed to some of his activities but refused to implicate his associates or reveal his motives. He was tried by a kangaroo court presided by Roland Freisler on April 8, 1945. He was sentenced to death and hanged the next day at Flossenbürg concentration camp. His last words were reportedly "I die for my fatherland. I have a clear conscience."