Public Figure Profiles

Reinhard Gehlen

Reinhard Gehlen (3 April 1902 – 8 June 1979) was a German lieutenant-general and intelligence officer. He was chief of the Wehrmacht Foreign Armies East military intelligence service on the eastern front during World War II, spymaster of the CIA-affiliated anticommunist Gehlen Organisation (1946–56) and the founding president of the Federal Intelligence Service (Bundesnachrichtendienst, BND) of West Germany (1956–68) during the Cold War.

Gehlen became a professional soldier in 1920 during the Weimar Republic. In 1942, he became chief of FHO, the German Army's military intelligence unit on the Eastern Front (1941–45). He achieved the rank of major general before he was fired by Adolf Hitler in April 1945 because of the FHO's "defeatism", the pessimistic intelligence reports about Red Army superiority.In late 1945, following the 7 May surrender of Germany and the start of the Cold War, the U.S. military (G-2 Intelligence) recruited him to establish the Gehlen Organisation, an espionage network focusing on the Soviet Union. The organisation would employ former military officers of the Wehrmacht as well as former intelligence officers of the Schutzstaffel (SS) and the Sicherheitsdienst (SD). As head of the Gehlen Organization he sought cooperation with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), formed in 1947, resulting in the Gehlen Organization ultimately becoming closely affiliated with the CIA.

Gehlen was instrumental in negotiations to establish an official West German intelligence service based on the Gehlen Organisation of the early 1950s. In 1956, the Gehlen Organisation was transferred to the West German government and formed the core of the Federal Intelligence Service, the Federal Republic of Germany's official foreign intelligence service, and Gehlen served as its first president until his retirement in 1968. While this was a civilian office, he was also a lieutenant-general in the Reserve forces of the Bundeswehr, the highest-ranking reserve-officer in the military of West Germany. He received the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1968.

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Some of their strengths

Reinhard Gehlen has many admirable traits.

Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Energetic, Generous, Intelligent, Intuitive, Passionate, Adventurous, and Altruistic.

Independent and Brave

According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Reinhard Gehlen is someone who is an independent, brave, and honest person who approaches life with energy, intuition, passion, and generosity. A person who looks for jobs that tend to reflect their identity.

Passionate and Intense

Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Reinhard Gehlen well know them as someone who can be passionate, proud, and intense, like the sun or a blazing fire.

Altruistic and Innovative

According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Reinhard Gehlen as someone who is altruistic, inventive, energetic, and socially-conscious.

Who is inventive, open-minded and inquisitive, optimistic and cooperative, and who loves working together with others.

Exacting and Achievement-oriented

Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Reinhard Gehlen is someone who has very high expectations for people, and who can be extremely focused on achieving goals and objectives.

They are also someone who is reflective, mysterious, and purposeful, who enjoys quiet and solo work, and who thrives in positions where there is no need to report to someone else.

Independent and Dynamic

According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Reinhard Gehlen tends to be someone who is independent, dynamic, and courageous. Who can be positive, energetic, self-reliant, and adventurous, and who can make friends easily.

Some of Reinhard Gehlen's challenges

While Reinhard Gehlen has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.

For example, Reinhard Gehlen can be Impulsive, Rebellious, Aggressive, Short-tempered, Emotionally Distant, Indecisive, and Unrealistic.

Short-tempered and Impulsive

One of Reinhard Gehlen's key challenges is that they are someone who can come across as short-tempered and impulsive.

Reinhard Gehlen must also exercise caution as they can be short-tempered and aggressive.

Anxious and Inflexible

Reinhard Gehlen is someone who can be high-strung, impatient, and inflexible, who can be "penny wise and pound foolish", have poor listening skills, and who can be intolerant of people who share a different world view.

Aggressive and Domineering

Finally, Reinhard Gehlen also can be aggressive, impatient, impulsive, and short-tempered.

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