Abwehr

Here's a bit of information on the Abwehr...

Abwehr: Germany's intelligence agency from 1921 to 1944
Meaning: the term "abwehr" means defense
Chiefs:

• Col. Friedrich Gempp (1921- 1927)
• Major Gunther Schwantes (1927-1929)
• Lt. Col. Ferdinand von Bredow (1929-1932)
• Rear Adm. Konrad Patzig (1932-1935)
• Adm. Wilhelm Canaris (1935-1944)
  

Purpose: Despite the fact that its name implies counterespionage, the Abwehr was actually an intelligence-gathering agency that dealt mainly with human intelligence (also known as humint). By the 1920s, it was divided up into three sections:

• I. Reconnaissance
• II. Cipher and Radio Monitoring
• III. Counterespionage
  

In 1938, Admiral Canaris reorganized the Abwehr, subdividing it into three main sections:

• The Central Division, also known as Department Z (called the "Abteilung Z" or "die Zentrale" in German)
• The Foreign Branch ("Amtsgruppe Ausland" in German), known later as the Foreign Intelligence Group
• Abwehr I. II. & III. This group was referred to as a counterintelligence branch, but actually dealt with intelligence gathering

For more information, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abwehr.