Execution of Wilhelm Canaris - one of last NAZI's crimes

[JKernwerk]

http://ww2gravestone.com/general/canaris-wilhelm-franz

[bronk7]

What sealed the fate of Canaris was the assassination of Heydrich.

Heydrich had been the protege of Canaris while in the Navy. Originally he had been the commander of the ship on which Heydrich served as a junior officer. Later, when he became head of German naval intelligence, there is good reason to believe that Heydrich was one of his agents.

It is highly likely that the process whereby Heydrich was hired by Himmler as head of the NSDAP internal intelligence unit, the Sicherheitsdienst, before Hitler came to power was the result of a plot by Canaris to place his agent in the highest ranks of the party that looked as if it might soon be governing Germany. If that is so, then the whole story of dismissal for "conduct unbecoming" was simply a cover.

What is certain that until Heydrich's death, he maintained close relations with Canaris. They lived next-door to each other, and Heydrich formed a musical attachment to Frau Canaris (he was a concert violinist, she a cellist).

Canaris seems to have lived a charmed life so long as Heydrich was alive. He was able to maintain his own military intelligence organisation, the Abwehr, against all attempts by the SS to take it over. In fact, he seems to have been playing both sides against the middle, on the one hand acting as a loyal servant of the regime, on the other keeping contacts open to the Allies.

After the death of Heydrich, Himmler began to take over the power formerly exercised by his nominal subordinate. He bgan to move against Canaris, first taking over the Abwehr and incorporating it in the SD, finally moving against Canaris himself.

We should beware of legends propagated by some of Canaris' former associates, who seek to recast his (and their) clandestine wheeling and dealing as some sort of principled moral opposition to National Socialism.

I would think C and Heydrich would have 'fought' for power, like a lot of agencies/humans do....they want it done ''their way''....

[bronk7]

the nazis were really brutal, as seen with the Canaris execution....humans can be sick sick sick

[infinite_one]

To clarify, what is the disposition of Canaris' remains? After he was hanged and "left to rot", was he simply buried in a mass grave? Or was he cremated first? If he was "left to rot" how long did this last? Until the Americans arrived? Was he the lone man left to hang? Who else would be in the same mass grave?

Thanks

Joe

[Panzermahn]

Plotting and involvement in a conspiracy to assassinate a legitimate and legally elected head of state (even for National Socialist Germany) is a treason that is punishable by death. Even William Joyce is executed by Britain after being convicted by British courts for treason.

Due to the numerous crimes committed by National Socialist Germany, it is very easy to cloud one's judgement in perceiving in whatever done by the Third Reich is automatically a crime (e.g. sending convicted criminals according to the existing German law at that time to a Third Reich prison is a crime etc.)

Wilhelm Canaris, like such as Harro-Schulze Boysen, e.g. are traitors according to the existing German law at that time and it is certainly misleading to say that their execution by Third Reich judicial authorities is a crime

[hucks216]

This is the remains of the cell block at Flossenbürg along with one of the cells.

[hucks216]

This is the memorial stone as seen on the first photo above that mentions Canaris among others.

And this shows the mound of ashes & bones from mass burnings. The white building seen in the background is the crematorium.

[steve248]

I believe this radio message, intercepted by Bletchley Park, refers to Canaris and his fellow prisoners.

German radio message decrypted by Bletchley Park on 6 April 1945:
“To HSSPF Main [Benno Martin]
From SS-Hauptamt [Gottlob Berger]
Ref: w/t message PZ OEW No 61 of 5.4.45.
‘BLITZ’ wireless message of 5.4.45 not received. If the prisoners are from a special camp, they are to be taken to Flossenbürg on the orders of the Rf.SS [Himmler]. For this purpose use the cells which became vacant as a result of the ‘Anti-Kharkov’ operation, as arranged with Roman 4 [RSHA IV]. If supervision is really difficult, your proposal also will be accepted. Good treatment – no ‘special treatment’[S.B.].”


The "Anti-Kharkov" operation it refers to, was the execution of 13 British intelligence agents executed at Flossenbürg on 31 March 1945.

[hucks216]

...

The "Anti-Kharkov" operation it refers to, was the execution of 13 British intelligence agents executed at Flossenburg on 31 March 1945.

And they are mentioned on the memorial plaque located on the wall facing the cell building

[valkyrie]

My books are packed for a move but I recall Josef Mueller stating that his friends executed at Flossenburg on April 9, including Canaris, were cremated immediately after death. I have heard one story that the were burned in the yard that they were executed in, near the special prisoner cells. I think it more likely that they were burned in the camp crematorium and that their ashes were added to the other remains inncluded in the mass burial mound pictured above.

Like almost all other executed July 20 plotters, Canaris has no known grave. The closest you can get IMO is the large granite memorial stone mounted on the wall of the execution yard. BTW - the date of Friedrich von Rabenau's murder on the stone is wrong. I believe he was killed (shot) on the 15th.

[steve248]

It was common practice at the camps that "special" prisoners shot on orders from RSHA were immediately cremated. Most camps (I am thinking here especially of Buchenwald, Sachsenhausen and Ravensbrück) shot such prisoner quite near the crematorium so that they did not have to be carried far. At Ravensbrück for example the "shooting alley" (Erschiessungsallee) is only 10 meters from the crematorium.

[Mark in Cleveland, Tn.]

Fredd, I know this thread is way out of date, butI came across this one while surfing. I saw your 1st starter post, with the ( Nazi's turning upon each other at the wars end with interest. If you ever get a chance to read the 4 set Doctors of Death, an ols set from long time ago kind of generic now a days) there are lots of little paragraphs, etc scattered through out the set of 4 with *stories* of such Nazis turning on each other at a drop of a dime, so to speak.Also, the huge collection by bernanic has such blogs as well scattered through out.

[Mark in Cleveland, Tn.]

this set

[smetanin albert]

Add Thornbeck

[Pips]

After all, even Himmler appears to have known about the plot and let it go ahead, hoping to take power after the death of Hitler and negotiate peace with the Western Allies.

I almost dropped my tea when I read this! I have never come across this before. I know Himmler was a snake and power hungry, but his fear of Hitler kept him in check in many ways. So from that perspective it's possible I suppose.

But is it true? Or just one of those conspiracy theory's.