Why did Dietrich Bonhoeffer work for Germany’s Military Intelligence Department?

Dietrich Bonhoeffer did not work for Germany’s Military Intelligence Department to support the Nazi regime; rather, he used his position there as a cover to conduct clandestine work for the German resistance movement.

After becoming involved with a group seeking to overthrow Adolf Hitler through his brother-in-law, Hans von Dohnanyi, Bonhoeffer utilized the Military Intelligence Department—which served as a hub for conspirators—to facilitate his anti-Nazi activities. This role allowed him to operate despite the severe restrictions placed upon him by the authorities. Notably, he used this position to travel to Sweden in 1942 to communicate the conspirators' proposals for a negotiated peace to the Allies via the Bishop of Chichester. His commitment to resisting the regime ultimately led to his arrest in 1943 and his execution in 1945 following the discovery of his direct links to the July Plot against Hitler.12