Abwehr [ˈapveːɐ̯] – intelligence and counterintelligence body of the German military command; formed in 1925 to replace the Nachrichtendienst (dissolved in 1918); it was initially responsible for conducting counterintelligence as part of the Land Forces Command; as of 4 February 1938, it became an organ of the Supreme Command of German Armed Forces (Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, OKW); it participated in the preparation and implementation of Wehrmacht’s war plans; after the reorganisation in February 1944 (in connection with the rivalry of the military intelligence with RSHA intelligence units), it became subordinate to the Reich Main Security Office (RSHA); core Abwehr units were taken over by the SS and incorporated into the RSHA as the Military Board; the position of the deposed head of the Abwehr, Admiral W. Canaris (1 January 1935 – February 1944) was taken over by W. Schellenberg; the Abwehr bears direct responsibility for a number of campaigns carried out in many countries, including the organisation of the fifth column, assassinations and diversionary actions, and crimes against POWs and resistance fighters.

The entry was written on the basis of source materials of the PWN printing house.