Canaris: Hitler's Master Spy [Paperback]

Heinz Hohne (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0815410077 | ISBN-13: 978-0815410072 | Publication Date: October 18, 1999 | Edition: 1

What emerges in this definitive biography is a panoramic view of the rise and fall of Nazism as reflected in the destiny of one man who hopes, for patriotic purposes, to harness evil, only to be destroyed by it.

Product Details

• Paperback: 752 pages
• Publisher: Cooper Square Press; 1 edition (October 18, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0815410077
• ISBN-13: 978-0815410072
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,766,892 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Study of the Anti-Nazi Resistance, February 11, 2001

By 

Cody Carlson (Salt Lake City, UT United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Canaris: Hitler's Master Spy (Paperback)

Like Albert Speer and Walter Schellenberg, Whilhelm Canaris is one of those enigmatic figures who emerged from the Third Reich. Hohne's book, 'Canaris: Hitler's Master Spy,' is a penetrating look at Hitler's head of military intelligence during World War Two. Hohne traces the rise of Canaris from his days as a lieutenant in World War One to his tenure as head of the Ahwehr and finally to his ultimate downfall at the hands of the Gestapo. The narrative does sometimes go off on tangents (notably the chapters on Canaris's role in the murders of communist leaders in the 1920's,) but also provides amazing insights into German foreign intelligence and the military conspiracy against Hitler that culminated in the July 20th 1944 bomb attempt. For anyone interested in World War Two espionage, the inner-workings of Nazi Germany, or deeper matters of conscience, Hohne's book will more than delight.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing career, June 16, 2005

By 

Jack Johnson "Jack" (Ga USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Canaris: Hitler's Master Spy (Paperback)

I found this book to be an interresting and fast paced look into the little known life and death of one of the Third Reich's most ellusive characters. Certainly there has been less written about Admiral Canaris than most of the key figures on Nazi Germany and this book is a valuable work which provides details of Canaris' career from his earliest ventures into the world of espionage prior to World War I. I consider this a supurb reference and a critical piece of my WW2 collection.

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A man caught between his career and his conscience., May 10, 2000

By 

John Barry Kenyon - See all my reviews

This review is from: Canaris: Hitler's Master Spy (Paperback)

This is a non-revised paperback version of a biography which first appeared in the late 1970s. The author spent six years working on the archives and the result is a very detailed treatment of Hitler's master spy. Canaris emerges as a Janus or two faced figure. Early in the war, he undoubtedly achieved a number of spy coups. However, he also had to take responsibility for several "botched" expeditions such as the unsuccessful attempts to land German spies in the USA. Following the death of his erstwhile friend Heydrich, SS leaders such as Kaltenbrunner tried to break up Canaris' spy network and place it under Gestapo control. Canaris was dismissed in March 1944, but retained faith that Hitler would rehabilitate him. He was eventually hanged for alleged complicity in the July 1944 plot to kill the Fuhrer. Canaris certainly had links with anti-Hitler factions, but his actual role is still ambiguous. His conscience and loyalties prevented him from being in the forefront of opposition. Author Heinz Hohne is meticulous but is not an easy read. Nor does he offer a chapter of conclusions on this enigmatic character.