Opponent or opportunist ? : the resistance role of Hans-Bernd Gisevius

The Prussian civil servant, Hans Bernd Gisevius is one of the most controversial members of the anti-Nazi German resistance. Like many other Germans, he saw the Nazis as a means to achieve personal success and national revival. As a junior civil servant he joined the Hitler government's newly formed secret police. For Gisevius, alienation and disillusionment began almost immediately and as he witnessed the events of the 1930's, he developed into a bitter and dangerous secret opponent of the regime. How, why, and when this change came about is a major issue when judging the veracity of his account and his role in the resistance. His decision to remain in government to obstruct the dictatorship's actions and his serious disagreements with other anti-Nazis harmed his reputation. His futile efforts to induce the military as an independent institution and the single remaining bulwark of traditional conservative values to restrain the Hitler regime's police eventually led to his participation in numerous plots to overthrow the government including contacts with foreign powers and their secret services. Such developments warrant a new look since Gisevius's motives have frequently been labeled opportunistic and his assertions that the resistance began as early as 1938 have often been discounted in histories about the anti-Nazi Germans.