Friedrich Gempp

Friedrich Gempp (6 July 1873 – 21 April 1947) was a German career army officer, who served in the Imperial German Army, the Reichswehr and the army of the Wehrmacht. He is credited as the founder and first chief of the intelligence service (Abwehr) of the Reichswehr in the Weimar Republic. Recalled to active service just before the outbreak of World War II, he returned to intelligence work and was promoted to Generalmajor. He was arrested by Soviet authorities at the end of the war and died in captivity. Gempp was born in 1873 at Freiburg im Breisgau and joined the Royal Prussian Army in 1893 as a one-year volunteer (Einjährig-Freiwilliger) in the 132nd (1st Lower Alsatian) Infantry Regiment. After obtaining an appointment to the officer corps, he served as a battalion adjutant. From 1903 to 1906, he attended the Prussian Military Academy. He then served in the General Staff and as company commander in the 171st (2nd Upper-Alsatian) Infantry Regiment. In 1913, he was assigned as an intelligence officer to the I Army Corps. After the mobilization for World War I, Gempp had the same function in the general staff of the 8th Army and the Ober Ost (eastern front command).