born Jan. 1, 1887, Aplerbeck, Westphalia, Ger.
died April 9, 1945, Flossenbürg concentration camp, Bavaria
German naval officer.
Under Adolf Hitler , Canaris became head of military intelligence (Abwehr) in 1935. Believing that the Nazi regime would destroy traditional conservative values and that its foreign ambitions were dangerous to Germany, he enlisted some of the anti-Hitler conspirators into the Abwehr and shielded their activities. After the abortive July Plot against Hitler in 1944, Canaris was arrested and executed.