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The ''Abwehr'' (, "Defence") was a German military intelligence (information gathering) organization which existed from 1920 to 1945.〔Holmes, ed. (2009). ''The Oxford Companion to Military History'', p. 2.〕〔Originally formed in 1866, the early manifestation of the Prussian Abwehr predates the modern German state and was created to collect intelligence information for the Prussian government during a war with neighboring Austria. See: Lerner & Lerner, eds. (2004). ''Encyclopedia of Espionage, Intelligence, and Security'', vol. 1, A-E, p. 2.〕 Despite the fact the Treaty of Versailles prohibited the establishment of a German intelligence organization altogether,〔In particular, the British and the French were vehemently opposed to Germany having any form of intelligence services and attempted to institute as many restrictions as possible on the Abwehr. See: Paine (1984). ''German Military Intelligence in World War II: The Abwehr'', p. 7.〕 they formed an espionage group in 1920 within their defence ministry, calling it the ''Abwehr''.〔The term ''Abwehr'' is German for 'ward-off' and was chosen to emphasize the defensive character of this department of the ''Reichswehr'' Ministry following the First World War. See: Zentner & Bedürftig, eds, (1991). ''The Encyclopedia of the Third Reich'' vol. 1, p. 2.〕 with its purpose being defence against foreign espionage - an organizational role which evolved considerably over time.〔Dear, ed. (1995). ''The Oxford Guide to World War II'', p. 1.〕 As part of its implied task of counterespionage, the ''Abwehr'' gathered both domestic and foreign information, most of it human intelligence in nomenclature.〔Rein (2013). ''The Kings and the Pawns: Collaboration in Byelorussia during World War II'', p. 407.〕 Under General Kurt von Schleicher the individual military service intelligence units were combined and in 1929, placed under his Ministry of Defence, forming the foundation for the more commonly understood manifestation of the ''Abwehr''. Each ''Abwehr'' station throughout Germany was based on military (army) districts and more offices were opened in amenable neutral countries and in the occupied territories as the greater Reich expanded.〔Taylor & Shaw (2002). ''Dictionary of the Third Reich'', p. 11.〕 When Hitler replaced the Ministry of War with the OKW and made the organization part of the Führer's personal "working staff" in June 1938, the ''Abwehr'' became its intelligence agency and Vice-Admiral Wilhelm Canaris was placed at the head of the organization.〔Taylor (1995)(). ''Sword and Swastika: Generals and Nazis in the Third Reich'', p. 165.〕〔The OKW did not establish an Intelligence Branch in its Operations Staff until 1943, and when it did, it only consisted of three officers.〕 Its headquarters (HQ) was located at 76/78 Tirpitzufer, Berlin, adjacent to the offices of the OKW.〔Despite the location of its HQ, in reality the power lay in the field via the "''Abwehrstelle''" or "Ast" of the ''Abwehr''—see section titled 1938 reorganisation.〕 ==Before Canaris== The ''Abwehr'' was created in 1920 as part of the German Ministry of Defence when the German government was allowed to form the ''Reichswehr'', the military organization of the Weimar Republic. The first head of the ''Abwehr'' was Major Friedrich Gempp, a former deputy to Colonel Walter Nicolai, the head of German intelligence during World War I, who proved mostly ineffectual.〔Paine (1984). ''German Military Intelligence in World War II: The Abwehr'', p. 7.〕 At that time it was composed of only three officers and seven former officers, plus a clerical staff. When Gempp became a general, he was promoted out of the job as chief, to be followed by Major Günther Schwantes, whose term as the organization's leader was also brief.〔Kahn (1978). ''Hitler's Spies: German Military Intelligence in World War II'', pp. 224-225.〕 Many members of the ''Reichswehr'' (a significant portion of them Prussian) declined when asked to consider intelligence work, since for them, it was outside the realm of actual military service and the act of spying clashed with their Prussian military sensibilities of always showing themselves direct, loyal, and sincere.〔Bassett (2011). ''Hitler’s Spy Chief: The Wilhelm Canaris Betrayal'', p. 44.〕 By the 1920s, the slowly growing ''Abwehr'' was organised into three sections: The ''Reichsmarine'' intelligence staff merged with the ''Abwehr'' in 1928.〔Kahn (1978). ''Hitler's Spies: German Military Intelligence in World War II'', p. 225.〕 In the 1930s, with the rise of the Nazi movement, the Ministry of Defence was reorganized; surprisingly, on 7 June 1932, a naval officer, Captain Konrad Patzig, was named chief of the ''Abwehr'', despite the fact that it was staffed largely by army officers.〔Bassett (2011). ''Hitler’s Spy Chief: The Wilhelm Canaris Betrayal'', p. 93.〕 Proving himself quite a capable chief, Patzig swiftly assured the military of his intentions and worked to earn their respect; he established good connections with the Lithuanian clandestine service against the Soviets, forged relations with other agencies - except for Italy, whose cipher he distrusted.〔Bassett (2011). ''Hitler’s Spy Chief: The Wilhelm Canaris Betrayal'', p. 94.〕 His successes did not stop the other branches of the military services from developing their own intelligence staffs. After the Nazis seized power, the ''Abwehr'' began sponsoring reconnaissance flights across the border with Poland, under the direction of Patzig, but this led to confrontations with Heinrich Himmler, head of the SS. Army leaders also feared that the flights would endanger the secret plans for an attack on Poland. Adolf Hitler ordered the termination of the overflights in 1934 after he signed a nonaggression treaty with Poland since these reconnaissance missions might be discovered and jeopardize the treaty.〔Richelson (1995). ''Century of Spies: Intelligence in the Twentieth Century'', p. 96.〕 Patzig was fired in January 1935 as a result, and sent to command the new pocket battleship ''Admiral Graf Spee''; he later became Chief of Naval Personnel. His replacement was another ''Reichsmarine'' captain, Wilhelm Canaris.〔Bassett (2011). ''Hitler’s Spy Chief: The Wilhelm Canaris Betrayal'', pp. 97-99.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Abwehr」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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