Helmut Clissmann (11 May 1911 – 6 November 1997)[1] was an Ireland-based Nazi Abwehr agent during World War II.[2][3][4]
He engineered the release of Frank Ryan from a Spanish prison. [citation needed] [how?] Before World War II, Clissmann was active in the German academic exchange service in Dublin.[5] He was involved in both Operation Lobster and Operation Sea Eagle which were both failed operations with the intent of getting Clissmann into Ireland.[6]
In 2012, a Danish research paper revealed that during his time as an Abwehr agent Clissmann was responsible for training two Danish pro-Nazi covert anti-partisan groups called Schiøler Group and Peter group. He was surprisingly let off during the post-war Nazi court cases in Denmark and travelled shortly afterwards to Ireland.[7]
He became a businessman and set up an agency to import pharmaceutical products. He was also a founding member of what is now the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association and Amnesty International Ireland. St Killian's German School was co-founded by him and he was made its honorary president-for-life.[6]
Clissmann was friends with fellow German spy Jupp Hoven.[5] He married a County Sligo republican, Elizabeth "Budge" Mulcahy. They had multiple children.[6]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Helmut E. Clissmann - An Appreciation". clissmann.com. H.E. Clissmann.
- ^ Peterkin, Tom (9 Jan 2007). "Ireland 'welcomed Hitler's henchmen'". The Daily Telegraph.
- ^ "Sligo woman's links to the Old IRA and Nazi Germany". independent.ie. Irish Independent. 25 Apr 2012.
- ^ "New evidence on IRA/Nazi links". historyireland.com/. History Ireland. March 2011.
- ^ a b "New evidence on IRA/Nazi links". February 26, 2013.
- ^ a b c Carroll, Joe. "Death of the best informed German on Ireland during war". The Irish Times.
- ^ "Schiøler-Gruppen Danske Terrorister i Tysk Tjeneste". July 17, 2013.
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