The Canaris Affair

Rare Heydrich document relating to Canaris' alleged treason

Reinhard Heydrich signed document for sale. A4 size document with full, 'Dear Chef Der Sicherheitspolizei und des SS' letter heading, and sent from Berlin's Prinz-Albrechtstrasse (the Security service & Gestapo headquarters).

The document dated 7th February 1942, and with typed content, addressed to Generalfeldmarshall Keitel. The document signed in blue ink by Reinhard Heydrich.

Content: The document relates to alleged treason by Canaris, and in particular to the hand written letter that Heydrich sent to Canaris the day before. Blue pencil annotation by Keitel to the upper right.

Condition report: Overall excellent condition, with light handling use only. Folds evident. Typical file holes to the left-hand margin.  Slight rust stain to the upper left corner where previously held by a paper clip. The Reinhard Heydrich signature clear and crisp.

Background to the Canaris affair: By 1940, Canaris began working more actively to overthrow Hitler's régime, although he also cooperated with the SD to create a decoy. This made it possible for him to pose as a trusted man for some time. He was promoted to the rank of full Admiral in January 1940. With his subordinate Erwin Lahousen, he attempted in the autumn of 1940 to form a circle of like-minded Wehrmacht officers. At the time, this had little success. When the OKW decrees regarding the brutal treatment of Soviet prisoners of war related to the Commissar Order came to the attention of Canaris in mid-September 1941, he registered another complaint. Keitel reminded Canaris that he was thinking in terms of "chivalrous war", which did not apply, as this was "a matter of destroying a world ideology". Meanwhile, the complaints and Canaris' apparent squeamishness were noted by Heydrich and added to his file on the "political unreliability" of the Abwehr.

During Heydrich's posting in Prague, a serious incident put him and Canaris in open conflict. Heydrich requested that Canaris put the Abwehr under SD and SS control. Canaris appeared to retreat and handled the situation diplomatically, but there was no immediate effect on the Abwehr for the time being. Heydrich was assassinated a few months later.

Heydrich’s research that Canaris had been involved in treasonous activity was well founded.In 1944, at the insistence of Heinrich Himmler, Hitler dismissed Canaris and abolished the Abwehr. The functions of the Abwehr were taken over by the Ausland-SD. Some weeks later, Canaris was put under house arrest. In April 1945 he was tried by the SS Supreme Court, and sentenced to death.

Provenance: Sold through the Swiss historical autograph auctionhouse, Markus Brandes. Later sold through the US-based auctionhouse, Alexander Historical Auctions, in 2014. One collection since.