I didn't read much about Canaris but I don't think his stance required much mental acrobatics. Considering a nation and its government somewhat separate entities is quite normal.[1] Of course many Germans used this as an excuse after the war but this does not apply to Canaris.
Considering wars of aggression acceptable wasn't all that unusual either.
Sabotaging the war effort would have meant helping the Allies fight Germany. Sabotaging war crimes and the Holocaust meant trying to stop Germany from something evil and stupid (at least if he considered German Jews German). While there were reasons for a patriot to sabotage the war effort, only sabotaging the crimes was also a consistent position.
[1] Especially when it isn't democratically elected. The last multi-party elections in 1933 weren't free. The communist Reichstag members were jailed, many others were intimidated to make them support the enabling act.
Summing it up pretty well. And yes, that is how I understood Canaris. And yes, from his perspective it seems a logical stance to take. Hindsight makes a lot of things easier, doesn't it? Also true that he saw what the Nazis really were and did something about itt. A rare feat during these days.
Comments
I didn't read much about Canaris but I don't think his stance required much mental acrobatics. Considering a nation and its government somewhat separate entities is quite normal.[1] Of course many Germans used this as an excuse after the war but this does not apply to Canaris.
Considering wars of aggression acceptable wasn't all that unusual either.
Sabotaging the war effort would have meant helping the Allies fight Germany. Sabotaging war crimes and the Holocaust meant trying to stop Germany from something evil and stupid (at least if he considered German Jews German). While there were reasons for a patriot to sabotage the war effort, only sabotaging the crimes was also a consistent position.
[1] Especially when it isn't democratically elected. The last multi-party elections in 1933 weren't free. The communist Reichstag members were jailed, many others were intimidated to make them support the enabling act.
Summing it up pretty well. And yes, that is how I understood Canaris. And yes, from his perspective it seems a logical stance to take. Hindsight makes a lot of things easier, doesn't it? Also true that he saw what the Nazis really were and did something about itt. A rare feat during these days.