CIA REPORT ON CHIEF OF GERMAN BND NOMINATION

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 07005037
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: April 26, 2024
• Document Release Date: March 13, 2024
• Case Number: F-2022-01254
• Publication Date: November 15, 1967

Approved for Release: 2023/06/28 C07005037
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SECRET.
NO FOREIGN DISSEM
amnawr West Germany
SUBJECT Chancellor.Klesinger's
Nominations for President and
� Vice -President of the German
Intelligence Service .
REANI.NO. CS-311/11730-67
DATE DISTR.
NO. PAGES 2
REFERENCES
15 November 1967
WIC*
1NRx October 1967
RAM&
AMIACQ.Germany i Munich (24 October 1967) ORD REPORT NO.
UM is 1.114WAWAThco ItOOMATION. MIMI =AMOS ANS OVOIMYL AMAPA& OP CONTORT SS TOITSSIOI.
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$00004' Aeilified-American:offieial,liolAloret Wendland.(PiragraPhel-'.-:
and 2) and General ReinhardGehlen (Paragraphs 2 and 3)% ,
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1. According to Chief of Staff and Acting Vice-President of
the feet German Intelligence Service (END) Borst Wendland:
General Gerhard Wessel and General Reinhard Gehlen have
been notified by Chancellor Kissinger that General Wessel .
will be nominated for the position of President of the. END.
In addition, Wendland was told by the Chancellor that he
(Wendland) would be the Chancellor's nominee for the Vice-
Presidency of the BND. The Chancellor indicated that
the next step would be to obtain the concurrence of Vice-
Chancellor Willy Brandt. If Brandt and the Socialist Party
(SPD) do not concur in Klesinger's choice the Chancellor
told all three BED officials concerned that he will defer
naming a successor and will ask Gehlen to stay on for another
year.
2. Wendland noted that the Chancellor specifically promised
that the matter of END succession would not be a subject
for pblitical horse trading. This.same promide was made
by the Chancellor to General Gehlen during an earlier
discussion. about BED succession. However, General Gehlen
expressed his-feeling thafthe SPD view that one of the' two
top END officers should he an -outside civilian may result
in some form.of%'horse trading' within the coalition. Gehlen
noted that if Bubb action odours and results in an unqualified
successor being named, he would "be forced to enter the
political field" himself. In doing so, his stated purpose
would be to champion the cause of retaining a "non-political
German,natiOnal intelligence service staffed by officers.
selected on the basis of their experience and qualifications
rather than their political affiliations".
e-
::.8.:9Gehlenexpec.ts#that CauceessorVill not be named before
, � December of this year or possibly in January 1968 and that
ChancelIorwill find. it necessary to extend General
. ' MilibbAsstepure to provide for p year's overlap with �
a" his�augcessor'in order that the new President-would have
�suff144nt 'time .to ,become familiar with the -posittoe.
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Approved for Release: 2023/06/28 C07005037-