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Wilhelm Franz Canaris ( January 1, 1887 — April 9, 1945) was head of the German military intelligence service, the Abwehr, for much of World War II.
He was born in Aplerbeck , in Westphalia. He joined the navy in 1905 and served as a officer in WW I. Aboard the SMS Dresden in the Battle of the Falkland Islands (December 8, 1914), he was later interned in Chile. Escaping in August of 1915, he returned home. On his return he was awarded the Iron Cross and transferred to intelligence, initially working in Spain. After a British assassination plot failed he returned to active service and ended the war as a U-boat commander in the MediterraneanThe First battle of the Atlantic ( 1914 1918) was a naval campaign of World War I, largely fought in the seas around the British Isles and in the Atlantic Ocean. The United Kingdom relied heavily on imports to feed its population and supply its war indust, credited with eighteen sinkings.
He remained in the military after the war, first with the Freikorp and then working for the post-Versailles navy. He returned to intelligence work in 1931 and, after the ascension of Adolf HitlerAdolf Hitler ( April 20, 1889 April 30, 1945) was the Fuhrer (leader) of the National Socialist German Workers' Party and of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. In that capacity he was Chancellor of Germany, head of government, and head of state, ruling as a, he was made head of the Abwehr on January 1, 1935Events January January 1 Italian colonies of Tripoli and Kyrenaika are joined together as Libya January 7 World War II: Italian premier Benito Mussolini and French foreign minister Pierre Laval conclude agreement in which each power undertakes not to oppo. His first major endeavour was to push for intervention in the Spanish Civil WarTeruel, east of Madrid. For an article about the 1820-1823 civil war in Spain, see: Spanish Civil War, 1820-1823 The Spanish Civil War ( 1936 1939) was the result of complex political differences between the Republicans — supporters of the government of t. Despite his efforts with the organization, he worked against Hitler with the General Staff, opposed atrocities, and leaked intelligence to the Allies on numerous occasions. He was instrumental in planning assassination and coup attempts during the war. He was directly involved in the 1938Events January -June January 3 The March of Dimes is established by Franklin Delano Roosevelt. January 11 Frances Moulton is the first woman to become president of a US national bank. January 20 Wedding of king Farouk I of Egypt and Farida Zulficar in Cai and 1939Events January-June January 2 End of term for Frank Finley Merriam, 28th Governor of California. He is succeeded by Culbert Levy Olson. January 24 Earthquake kills 30. 000 in Chile about 50. 000 sq mi razed January 26 Falangists take Barcelona January 26 coup attempts, and in March 19431943 is the common year starting on Friday. Events January January 4 End of term for Culbert Olson, 29th Governor of California. He is succeeded by Earl Warren. January 11 The United States and United Kingdom give up territorial rights in China. January 1, he flew to Smolensk to meet with conspirators on the staff of Army Group Center.
Hitler dismissed him from command in February 1944, replacing him with Walter Schellenberg and merging most of the Abwehr with the SD. Later that year he was placed under house arrest, preventing him from participating in the July 20 Plot. The Gestapo discovered evidence linking him to that conspiracy, however, and he was executed - by slow strangulation at Flossenbürg concentration camp together with Hans Oster, Carl Sack , Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Ludwig Gehre - a few weeks before the end of World War II.
He is considered to be distantly related to Greek Admiral, freedom fighter and politician Constantine Kanaris but the exact genealogical connection remains uncertain.