This document is the wartime diary of General Erwin Lahousen, a senior officer in Abwehr II, the sabotage and counterintelligence division of Nazi Germany’s military intelligence service. The diary spans from August 12, 1939 to August 1943, covering crucial events before and during World War II.
The version here is a microfilmed reproduction (Reel 21, Film No. 96928).. It was microfilmed in 1973 by EP Microform Ltd. and is part of a larger collection titled Records and Documents Relating to the Third Reich – Group 5: German War Diaries.
- Part I: August 12, 1939 – April 12, 1941
- Part II: April 14, 1941 – August 1943 (partially illegible)
Each section consists of daily diary entries (typed reports, memos, and briefings) chronicling Lahousen’s work, observations, and correspondence.
This diary is one of the few surviving firsthand documents from inside the Abwehr and provides rare insight into German military intelligence operations, strategic mindset, and ideological fracture lines. It also serves as a source on early resistance within the Wehrmacht — Lahousen later testified at the Nuremberg Trials and was linked to the July 20 plot against Hitler.
Disclaimer
The following material, “Tagebuch General Erwin Lahousen (Abwehr II)” — also known as the Complete Lahousen Diary (Irving File 43) — is a historical primary source document originating from Nazi Germany and microfilmed in 1973. It forms part of a broader collection of war-era intelligence records related to the operations of the German military intelligence agency (Abwehr) during the Second World War.
While the diary itself reflects contemporaneous internal records of the German High Command, it contains:
- Descriptions of military and intelligence operations,
- References to ethnic and political groups framed in wartime language,
- Terminology, ideologies, and strategic justifications that are rooted in Nazi doctrine.
As such, this material may include content that is disturbing, offensive, or ideologically extreme. It is preserved and made accessible for its historical, evidential, and research value only.
The inclusion of this document in an archive or collection does not imply endorsement of its contents, creators, or former custodians.
Condition Note
The file is a microfilmed reproduction of a wartime diary, and while Part I (1939–1941) is largely legible and well-preserved, Part II (1941–1943) suffers from notable deterioration. Several pages exhibit fading, blurred type, and partial illegibility, especially in later entries. Some sections contain light smudging, marginal annotations, or misaligned text frames due to microfilm transfer issues. Overall, the document remains usable for research, but OCR accuracy may vary, and manual verification is recommended for precise citation or translation.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.