Canaris's later resistance did not give him a spotless moral record. He could be ruthless toward hostile agents, and some suspicious deaths may have resulted from his work. He nevertheless appears to have retained more of his humanity than many other servants of the regime. That tension between moral limits and professional danger prevents his opposition to Hitler from becoming a simple heroic legend.
Notable Point · 4:47-5:49
Canaris without a saintly legend
Canaris retained more humanity than many servants of the regime, yet the video warns that he remained a dangerous intelligence professional rather than a saintly anti-Nazi hero.