Translation of document 3796-PS

Vice Admiral Canaris
Berlin, 13th Dee 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 Sigurantza. 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 cases 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.

                                                              [Page 733]

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 he 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 LS. [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

                                                              [Page 734]

man in the street, i.e. to lay a trap for 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 of 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 Ortsgruppen 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-

                                                              [Page 735]

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

                                                              [Page 736]

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 mean 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]

                                                            Hell Hitler!
                                                        (signed) KONRAD]
Landesgruppenleiter