GLOSSARY OF GERMAN TERMS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP65-00756R000500060002-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 8, 1998
• Sequence Number: 2
• Content Type: MISC

approved For Releas
GLOSSARY OF GERMAN TERM/
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(Taken from Office of Naval Intelligence Report on German and
Russian Operations, 1940 to 1945.)
Abt. - Abteilung
Abwehr
Abt. Abwehr I
I (M)
I (ii)
I (L)
Abwehr I 1
Abwehr I G
Abt. Abwehr II
II /S
II/I
Abt. Abwehr III
III/F
III/N
Amtsgruppe Ausland
Abt. Z.
Abwb (Abwehr-beauftragter
'Abwehr-Gruppe
Abwehr Trupp
Afu (Agentenfunk)
Aktivist
M
Har pta4t
Amtsgruppe
Abt.-Abteilung
See: Amt.
Literally: Defense. The term was gener
ally applied to activities in the field
of espionage and counterespionage. In
particular:
Save ~~ft~~~a.~~EV~eti t _~LA ~st-a
Up to 1938: Intelligence Section of
Reich Ministry for Defense.
1938 - 1944; Armed Forces Intelligence,
Sabotage, and Counterintelligence
Agency; full title "Amt Ausland/Abwehr:
Its main divisions were:
EspionageDivision, with
Naval Desk
Army Desk
Air Force Desk
Abwehr Communications Section.
Research and Technical Services Section.
Sabotage and infiltration Division, with
Sabotage Section
Infiltration Section
Counterespionage Division
Active Counterespionage Section
Censorship
Foreign Liaison Division
Administrative Division.
Industrial counterespionage agent of the RSHA:
Abwehr front-line staff, attached to Army
Group Command.
Abwehr front-line unit, usually one Kommando
each for Abwehr I. II, and III activities
with each Abwehr-Gruppe.
Ahwehr unit, usually several with each
Abwehr Kommando.
Agent radio (report).
Literally: An active person. Originally
used by Communists and Nazis to identify
a specially active member. Used in
Abwehr work as term for Russians willing
to enlist in "the common cause of the
struggle against Bolshevism".
Regional Intelligence Control.
German communist secret cells, esp. inside
the armed and police forces, largely de-
voted to military espionage.
Directorate or Department, such as the Amt
Ausland/Abwehr. At times several of these
departments were combined into a
Main Directorate, such as the RSHA,
Division of "Amt", such as the
"Amtsgruppe Ausland" of Abwehr.
Division of "Amt", such as Abteilung
I, II, III of Abwehr, Also: a military
detachment.
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2 - 2 -
Amt Ausland/Abwehr
Amtsgruppe Ausland
Ant (Abwehr-nebenstelle)
At (Abwehrstelle)
(Heeres-) Gruppen-kommando
(Ic
Ausland /Abwehr
Auslandsorganisation
(A.O.)
BB (-Apparat)
BE (Berichterstatter)
Brandenburg Division
also referred to as:
Brandenburg Regiment",
"Regiment 800 z.b.V."
Chef der.Sicherheits-polizei
and des SD
Chefsache
Chi (Chiffrier)
Chi-Nachrichten
(There is a standard system for the German
Amt, Amtsgruppe and Abeilung organization,
each one of these offices appearing. on
various levels.)
See: Abwehr
See: Abwehr
Branch office, operating under Ast.
Abwehr Field Office on German or German-
occupied territory; approximately 20 Asts
have been identified.
Army. The army itself was usually referred
to as "Heer" (H). Its field units, how-
ever, were referred to as
Command of a single army; several AOKs
were combined into
Army Group Command
Army Intelligence Officer, attached to
Group Commands, Army Commands, Corps
and Divisions.)
See: Abwehr
See: Abwehr
f
Agency of the Nazi party concerned with
party members and activities abroad.
Radio intercept.
Code for the operational plan to attack
Russia.
German communist secret organization for
industrial espionage, according to RSHA
report.
Agent, esp. harbor agent, of the "Etappe"
organization.
Communist factory cells, reported by the RSHA.
Armed Forces unit for special assignment
by Abwehr II.
"Chief of the Security Police and the SD",
Commander of the German Police and Nazi
Party Security Forces.
See: gKdos.
Coding and decoding.
Foreign Press and Radio Digeet, issued
by "Ausland".
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Einsatz-Gruppe
Communist Party, Netherlands
Mobile police formation, esp. attached to
the field army, comprising several
Einsatz-Kommandos.
E.K. - Einsatz-Kommando Field unit of mixed security police and
SD forces.
Etappe Secret German nay+al organization, operating
abroad.
F (Fremd; feind) Literally: Foreign, hostile; used as
es
t'
code for counterintelligence ac ivi l
as well as for material of foreign origin.
Literally; research office; actually,
Intelligence Agency of the Reich Minister
for Air.
FAK (Frontaufklaerungskommando Designation of former Abwehr-Kommandos after
the 1944 reorganization.
FAT (Frontaufklaerungstrupp) Designation of former Abwehr-Trupps after
the 1944 reorganization.
Fremde Heere See: QU IV
"Spotter"; designation of agents who selected
in prisoner of war cages subjects to be
enlisted for Abwehr work.
Common term for WNV/Fu. III, the Armed
Forces radio security service.
Gegenspiel ee: Speil.
Geheim Secret.
Gestapo (Geheime Staatspolizei) Secret State Police, Amt IV of the RSHA.
GFP (Geheime Feld-polizei) Army Secret Field Police.
gKdos (Geheime Kommandosache) Secret classification for armed forces
material. Civilian government agencies
used the term "Geheime Reichssache" for
secret. GKdos material'of a top-secret
nature was marked in addition "Chefsache,
Nur lurch Offizier" (Matter for the
Chief; by officer only); special officers
were designated in each command to deal
with Chefsache matters.
Grenzpolizei
GV (Gegenverbindung)
GV-Spiel
Border Police; subordinate to the Chief
RSHA, Amt IV.
Counterconnection; term used in couhter--
espionage.
See: Spiel.
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FA FA (Forschungsamt)
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H - Heer - Heeresgruppe See: Armee.
Code designations for deceptive maneuvers
whereby preparations for the invasion
of Russia were camouflaged as being
designed for an invasion of the British
Isles.
H.SS.Pf. - Hoeherer SS and Himmler's deputy in a German TWekrkreis or an
Polizeifuehrer occupied country, in charge of all SS
and Police Forces, and supervising the
activities of I.d.S. and B.D.S.
Huest - Hafenueber-wachungsstelle Harbor control office.
I - Insurgierung
II/I
Institut fuer Konjunkturforschung
Infiltration.
Abwehr I1 branch in charge of all armed
forces "I" activities.
See: S - Sicherheit.
Institut for Market Research, sponsored by
the German association of manufacturers,
occasionally providing economic intelli-
gence for the armed forces.
K (Kampf; Kleinkampf) Guerilla operations and antipartisan
activities of Abwehr II units.
Kampfgruppe
KdM
Kdo. - Kommando
Irregular a.rmy unit of temporary nature.
See: KM G.
"Command", the term being used alternatively
to designate staffs or operating units.
KMG (Kommando der Meldegebiete) Regional Intelligence Control; designation
given to former Ast's and KO's after the
1944 reorganization of Abwehr; also
referred to as KdM. See Also: Melde.
KO (Kriegsorganization) Abwehr agency in neutral or German-allied
countries.
KPD Communist Party, Germany.
Kripo (Kriminal-Polizei) Criminal Investigation Police.
Kurfuerst. Lehr-regiment Training Regiment "Kurfuerst"; 5th .1tegiment
of the Brandenburg Division, with Abwehr
school and sabotage personnel pool.
L Luftwaffe
Legende
Air Force.
Literally: Legend; term used for cover
stories provided by German and Russian
agencies for their espionage and
counterespionage agents.
M - Marine Navy
FM "Foreign Navies", German naval
intelligence reports.
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2 5 -
Commander in Chief, Navy.
Literally; Inform. The term used in
German military parlance to identify
espionage activities. From 1919 to
1944, the term "Abwehr" was substituted.
By order of Himmler, the term "Melde"
was reintroduced in Spring 1944.
Melde-Dienst Intelligence Service.
M.E.A. - Marineeinsatzabbeilung
Secret Intelligence Service - a plan to
establish a "Geheimer Melde-Dienst" as
central German intelligence agency was
announced in 1944, but never fully carried
out.
Operating area of FAT or FAK units; after
1944 several "Melde-Gebiete" acting
under a KMG.
Naval unit for coastal reconnaissance and
small scale Commando raids, operating
mainly under Abwehr.
M.E.K. - MarineeinsatsKommando Detachment of M.E.A.
In RSHA and Abwehr parlance: Radio operation.
Literally: Information. The term was
applied in German military and naval
usage with a dual meaning (a) communications,
(b) intelligence. This may be partially
explained by the organization: Up to 1938
the German Naval Staff "Nachrichten" Division
was responsible for communications as well
as intelligence; it was then broken up into
the "3rd Division" (Nachrichtenauswertung - i.e.,
intelligence evaluation) and the "4th
Division" (Marine Nachrichtendienst - i.e.,
Naval'"eommunicat ions) .
Nachrichtenauswertung Evaluation.
Nest Nebenstelle See: Abwehr Anst.
NS National-Socialist.
National-Socialist Guidance Staff in the
Propaganda Division of the Aruied Forces
High Command.
Nur Fuer den Dienstgebra0ch Restricted.
OKW (Oherkommando der Wehrmacht) Armed Forces High Command; see also: W.
.Orpo - Ordnungs-polizei Regular Police.
Pantoffelpost "Slipper-mail"; Abwehr expression for
whispering campaigns.
Pr Propagtda
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Propaganda Division of the Armed Forces
High Command.
Propaganda Units, including press and
photo reporters.
Propaganda Companies, attached to
frontline units.
Armored - also designation for Abwehr
troops attached to Armored Armies.
QU IV (Oberquartier-meister IV). Assistant Chief of Staff for the evaluation
of Intelligence for the Army General Staff
with:
3. Abt; Fremde Heere, Ost
12. Abt; frernde Heere, Pet
R (Ruecken)
Russian Section.
Western Section.
"Rear": Code for stay-behind operations.
RFD - Roter Front-kaempferbund
RGO - Rote Gewerk-schaftsoppo-
sition
Rote Kapelle
RSHA - Reichssicherheitshauptamt
RSHA,/IV, Amt IV
IVa
RSHA/VI, Amt VI
VI/C
VI/8
VI/Z
S-Sabotage
II/S
S-Sicherheit
SL)-Sicherheitsdienst
In German terminology: a stay-behind
agent; in Russian terminology: A main
agent abroad. The term was apparently
assumed gradually from the Russian b-r
Abwehr and RSHA staffs; its use shows
variations.
German Communist Veterans Organization.
Official party rank of Heinrich Himmler.
German Communist-sponsored opposition in
the unions.
"Red Orchestra"; RSHA Special Investi-
gation unit, assigned to infiltrate into
Moscow-sponsored underground organi-
zations by radio counterespionage and
other means.
Central Security Agenc , divided into various
Departments (see "Amt"), among them the
following:
Secret State Police, Gestapo Amt,
Communist and related activities.
Foreign Countries Division.
Eastern and Far Eastern Desks.
Sabotage Branch.
Counterespionage Branch, successor
to Abwehr 111-F.
Sabotage
Sabotage Branch of Abwehr II.
Security.
Security Service of the Nazi Party,
formed from members of the SS.
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Sipo - (Sicherheitspolizei) Security Police.
chef der Sicher-heitspolizei Chief of the Security Police and the SD,
und des SD in charge of all German police and
party security formations, and directing
activities of:
.I.d.S. - Inspekteur der Sicher- Inspector General of Security Districts
heit in German territories.
B.d.S. -- Befehlshaber der richer-- Commander Security, for Districts in
heit German occupied territories.
Skl - Seekriegs-leitung Naval Staff, with:
1/Skl., Operations-abteilung Operations Division, Naval Staff.
2/Skl.Nachrichten-
auswertungsabteilung Intelligence Evaluation Division, Naval Staff.
4/Skl., Marinenachrichtendienst Communications Division, Naval Staff.
Specialist; special rank for Abwehr leaders
who had not received officer-training,
but exercised command authority of varying
degree.
Sonderkommando Special Unit: esp. Investigation Unit of
the RSHA.
Spiel
Spielrnaterial
GV-Spiel; Gegenspiel
SS - Schutzstaffel
Stapolste - Staats -polizeileit-
stelle
Staposte - Staats - polizeistelle
Unternehmen
V (Verbindung)
V-Mann
VM
GV-Mann
VO (Verbindungs-offizier)
Vol, Italien
Literally: Play, game; espionage operation
carried out by the use of manipulated
information.
Faked Material (information).
Counterespionage operation, frequently
conducted by radio.
Protective squadron, i.e., the Nazi Party
Elite Guard.
Militarized branch of the SS.
Regional office of the Gestapo.
District office, subordinate to Stapolste.
Literally: Undertaking; usual term for
an Abwehr operation.
Connection; term used in German espionage
parlance.
Agent; in the East esp. any Russian
national enlisted by Abwehr.
Liaison man of the Etappe organization.
Counterespionage agent.
Liaison Offider, esp: Abwehr liaison officer
attached to the Ic of army staffs.
Abwehr organization in Italy, similar to
KO in other countries.
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WFSt (Wehrmachtsfuehrungsstab)
WFSt op
WFSt op (M)
WNV (Wehrmachtnachrichten-
verbindung)
WNV/Fu. III
W Pr
W Vii (Wehrwirtschaftsstab)
Waffen SS
Walli
Z (Zentralabteilung)
ZA
ZF
Zk
SKV
Z - Sersetzung
z.b.V. (zur besonderen
Verwendung, Verfuegung)
Russian general, headed Russian national
military units fighting on the German
side. These units were referred to at
times as "Vlassov Army", or "Army of
Liberation".
Armed Forces. The designation of "W" in front
of an office or command usually indicates
that it is under the jurisdiction of the
Armed Forces High Command (OKW).
Operational staff of the Armed Forces
High Command.
Operations Section of the Operational
Staff, attached to Fuehrer's Field
Headquarters.
Navi Officer with Operations Staff.
Armed Forces Communications Division.
Radio Security Service.
Armed Forces Propaganda Division.
Armed Forces Economic Division.
See: SS
Abwehr Agency, attached to Ast Ostland,
Riga, for the coordination of Abwehr
activities at the Russian Front.
Research Institute, sponsored by the RSHA.
Factory security guards, privately employed
but supervised by government agencies.
Administrative Section of Ausland/Abwehr.
Personnel
Finance
Central. Index
Central Agents Index.
Disintegration and decomposition, carried
out by Abwehr II.
For special assignment.
Numerical Designations
la
Operations Section, Operations Officer.
Ic
(Army) Intelligence Officer.
I G
(Abwehr) Research and Technical Services Section.
I
(H)
Army Desk at Abwehr I.
I
I
(Abwehr) Commuhications Section
I
(M)
Navy Desk at Abwehr I.
1/Skl
Naval Staff, Operations Division.
I (L)
Air Force Desk at Abwehr I.
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II General designation for Abwehr II sabotage
and seditious activities,;'
II/I (Abwehr) Infiltration units, activities.
II/~ (Abwehr) Sabotage units, activities.
III-F Active counterespionage.
III-F Methoden Active counterespionage techniques; also:
Third-degree interrogation methods.
3/ski Naval Intelligence, Evaluation Division of
Naval Staff.
III (w)
1V (Amt IV)
Gestapo, Secret State Police Division of
the RSHA.
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