Jul 10, 2026 · 1 hr 1 min · 7 segments
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Phil ThompsonHost
A is for Abwehr, Hitler's military intelligence service and one of the most penetrated spy agencies in history.
The Abwehr, German forward defence, was in charge of counterintelligence and was supposed to be the eyes and ears of the German army.
Under Admiral Wilhelm Canaris it grew into an empire of spies, saboteurs and secret agents spread across four continents.
On paper it was formidable, in practice it was rotten from the top down, because Canaris hated the Nazis.
He was a decorated U-boat commander from the first world war and a nationalist, a man who had spent his life serving Germany.
He joined the Black Orchestra, a network of German officers plotting to kill the Fuhrer.
The Abwehr became a haven for officers who wanted to resist without being seen to resist.
The agency was riddled with conspirators at every level, a nest of quiet treason operating in plain sight.
In Holland they captured British agents and ran their radios for two years, feeding London false intelligence.
In Turkey they received top secret documents photographed by the British ambassador's own valet.
A is for Abwehr, Hitler's military intelligence service and one of the most penetrated spy agencies in history.
The Abwehr, German forward defence, was in charge of counterintelligence and was supposed to be the eyes and ears of the German army.
Under Admiral Wilhelm Canaris it grew into an empire of spies, saboteurs and secret agents spread across four continents.
On paper it was formidable, in practice it was rotten from the top down, because Canaris hated the Nazis.
He was a decorated U-boat commander from the first world war and a nationalist, a man who had spent his life serving Germany.
He joined the Black Orchestra, a network of German officers plotting to kill the Fuhrer.
The Abwehr became a haven for officers who wanted to resist without being seen to resist.
The agency was riddled with conspirators at every level, a nest of quiet treason operating in plain sight.
In Holland they captured British agents and ran their radios for two years, feeding London false intelligence.
In Turkey they received top secret documents photographed by the British ambassador's own valet.
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