Vice Admiral Canaris Berlin, 13th Dec 1939
Chief of the Office for Foreign Intelligence and Counter Intelligence in OKW.
No. 5389/12.39. Secret Abw. III.
Dear State Secretary:
On the occasion of an official visit to Bucharest the following came to my knowledge:
1. The Landesgruppenleiter of the NSDAP there has appointed the Stuetzpunktleiter in Konstanza—Mr Cropp—to take up intelligence activities in Roumanian and foreign industrial undertakings as well as in the harbor area of Konstantza.
This activity is also to extend to the collecting of information regarding the enemy Espionage Organization, for instance the Intelligence Service identified in Roumania.
The duties of the Landesgruppenleiter are laid down in a strictly confidential letter, which sealed with the official Stamp of the Legation, was handed by the Landesgruppe to the Roumanian Postal Authorities for despatch. The letter was opened by the Roumanian Censor and thus came to the knowledge of the Sigu-rantza. A copy of the Landesgruppenleiter's letter is enclosed herewith—Enclosure 1. ,
I should like to take this opportunity of pointing out in general that the gaining of military intelligence abroad and in particular also the intelligence reconnaissance against the foreign military intelligence services are a matter for the Counter Intelligence Departments under my command.
2. Two eases were mentioned to me, of racial Germans, who as a result of their longstanding connections with Roumanian authorities, render valuable service in the interests of German War Economy or of counter-sabotage work in the oil districts, voluntarily giving up their positions or being more or less forced to do this by the Auslandsorganisation.
Details given in enclosures 2 and 3.
I should be very much obliged to you if you would let me know the result of your decisions.
Heil Hitler!
(signed) CANARIS
3 enclosures.
After dispatch V.A.A.
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Enclosure 1.
Contents: strictly confidential directives for you.
Bucharest, 25th October 1939.
The Landesgruppenleiter.
To the Precinct Leader (Zellenleiter) in Konstantza, Party Member Joachim Cropp:
On the 9-12th October conferences took place with the Senior Party Functionaries, or their deputies of the South Eastern and Southern European Groups, at the offices of the Direction of the Auslandsorganisation. I subsequently received direct instructions from the competent office of the Direction of the Auslandsorganisation.
During the war every National Socialist abroad must directly serve the Fatherland, either through propaganda for the German cause or by counteracting enemy measures.
Propaganda is to extend to the spreading of news within the colony and through it to the Roumanians with the possible eventual intervention of racial Germans. Together with the latest news the German interpretation of the principal discussions with the enemy powers are first of all to be circulated as extensively as possible. Insofar as the possibility exists of playing German music in your district either in inns or elsewhere, portable gramophones and records can be provided, with the obligation to use only the records provided free of charge by the Germans.
In exceptional cases teleprinters can be delivered to larger Groups of racial Germans. Naturally German films are to be supported to the utmost. Foreign newspapers and statements by enemy politicians must be followed up by you and your assistants and the essential points refuted in a suitable manner, which can often be effected without any further trouble by the emphasizing of points from the recent speeches of our leading men, Goebbels and Ribbentrop.
As everywhere else it is extremely important to know where the enemy is and what he is doing. It has been ascertained that the I.S. [Intelligence Service] has attempted, sometimes successfully, to obtain admittance into the activities of the Party Groups and associate organizations for seemingly trustworthy persons. It is therefore necessary that you thoroughly investigate not only all those persons coming into contact with you who are not very well known to you, but more than anything else you must put any new person appearing in your circle, visitors etc. under a magnifying glass, even possibly let him be taken in hand by a comrade, whose absolute Nazi convictions are not generally known to the
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man in the street, i.e. to lay a trap tor the visitor by a seemingly hostile attitude towards the Third Reich on the part of the comrade.
You are to report everything that comes to your notice, even though it may at first sight appear very insignificant. Rumors suddenly arising also come within this category, however false they may be.
An important section of both you and your comrades work must be industrial concerns and business enterprises etc. Not only because you can transmit your propaganda very well in this way. Particularly in such concerns can you easily pick up information concerning strange visitors. It is known that the enemy Espionage Organizations especially, are active in industrial circles, both as regards collecting information and carrying out acts oi sabotage. Comrades, with close connections with the Shipping and Forwarding Companies, are particularly suitable for this work. It goes without saying that you must be meticulous and cautious when selecting your assistants.
In this connection a reference to Inter-state Organizations and Exchange Organizations is relevant. It has been proved that these often use harmless activities as camouflage and are in reality to be regarded as branches of the foreign Intelligence Service. A connection between members of the colony and such Organizations and Unions must definitely be prevented, without this measure in any way becoming public.
During the months of October and November a declaration in the following words is to be read at the meeting of the Ortsgr uppen and Stuetzpunkte of the Party, in the Party Offices, its organizations and associate organizations.
"The foreign Intelligence Service (Espionage centers) have been attempting for some time to obtain information in every sphere from members of the NSDAP, its organizations and associate organizations, on things which are to be kept secret. When associating with foreigners the greatest caution and reserve should be employed. It should be borne in mind that the heads of Espionage posts with the object of camouflaging themselves have wormed their way into senior positions in such foreign organizations as appear from their attitude and activities to be friendly inclined towards present-day Germany. Every Party Member and Member of an organization is bound to report immediately to his Ortsgruppenleiter or Sturmfuehrer should a foreigner or a person otherwise unknown to him and of suspicious appearance approach him with the object of obtaining informa-
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tion regarding the domestic matters of the Party. Refraining from reporting a case of espionage which has become known will result in criminal proceedings being taken. In the same way personal enquiries by Party Members into cases of espionage are not allowed and under certain circumstances punishable. The particular duty as regards reporting such cases laid upon the various Professional Groups (e.g. Armaments Industry) is not affected by this. -Statements regarding domestic, foreign, military, and economic policies and other matters are not to be made to racial comrades who have no official connection with the things mentioned. Seemingly harmless information on things which are not common knowledge to everyone can be of value to the enemy intelligence service. Everyone who irresponsibly gives the enemy Intelligence Service an opportunity to obtain information about things which are to be kept secret, is guilty of at least high treason through negligence. Quite apart from the fact that for high treason the most severe punishments are laid down, every National Socialist carries the heavy responsibility towards himself and his people of preventing anything which could be harmful to the interests of the Reich.
Any National Socialist punished for high treason, even if only guilty of negligence, will be thrown out of the Party for all time in disgrace."
Even though it is very much the duty of all nationals to serve their country by means of daily propaganda, it should be most emphatically impressed upon them that they should refrain from making any statements which might be of value to the foreign Intelligence Service.
I request that any attacks on the honor or the self-conceit of the French Army be avoided. The main emphasis lies on the following train of thought:
1. The French Army has an impossible task before it—with or without the Eastern front;
2. The Englishman is fighting for his political aims with foreign forces on foreign soil.
- Furthermore it should be continually emphasized by us, that now as before, Italy is to be regarded as a full military ally and is to be esteemed in consideration of her attitude up to now. Furthermore every German must have the iron conviction that the decision between victory or defeat is decided right from the
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very beginning, i. e. that Germany will definitely win this fight, and that furthermore every racial German wherever he may be, must contribute his utmost towards the bringing of the war to a successful conclusion. -As regards relations with Russia sarcastic remarks from a third party should be answered thus: that we were successful in doing, in a few days that which our enemies attempted without success for months, in other words in bringing Russia to our side. We have thus at one fell swoop broken the encirclement which England worked on for years, and assured ourselves of a rich country for the supply of raw materials. But over and above that—and this should be particularly emphasized—we have created the basis for an understanding with the Russian World Power, which will always be historically valuable for Germany. There is every sign, as the Reich Foreign Minister stressed, that this alliance will take effect in its present hardly perceptible form.
. There has been a lot of talk in Roumania about the resettling of racial Germans, in view of the Fuehrer's measures in other countries. These measures have nothing at all to do with Roumania or at least not in the immediate future. Nevertheless, I give you and your immediate colleagues the task of investigating which groups and families among the racial Germans in your district are desirous of resettling, in which connection the worthiness of the individual women and men in question is of interest.
I stated at the beginning that this report is strictly confidential. This is to be understood thus; not one word of this report must under any circumstances come to the ears of anyone whose German loyalty is not assured. On the other hand I give you and your comrades official instructions to act with all the means and power at your disposal.
Further I would draw your attention to the fact that in future the drafting of any sort of certificate of reliability requires my permission.
I await your further reports, which however must only be sent to me through absolutely reliable personal channels or through our Consulates.
[service stamp]
Heil Hitler!
(signed) KONEADI Landesgruppenleiter