Geheimdiensteinheit
| Geheim Intelligence Unit | |
| Foreign intelligence service overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | August 1, 1931 |
| Jurisdiction |  Altenland |
| Headquarters | Kulper Building, Hochstadt, Altenland |
| Motto | Verteidigung aus der Ferne |
| Minister responsible |
|
The Geheimdiensteinheit (Altish: "intelligence unit", commonly referred to as the Geheim, is the military-intelligence service of Altenland, operating under the umbrella of the Wehrmacht. The 1920 Treaty of Verdon had forbidden the Altish Republic from forming an intelligence organization of its own, however, multiple units were nevertheless established at the behest of Republikswehr chief Hermann Pröll, named 1. Geheimdiensteinheit and 2. Geheimdiensteinheit respectively. These early units, both formed in 1925, were designed to protect against foreign espionage. Following Martin Winter's ascension to Führer in October 1928, Bruno Graf von Scharnhorst was appointed to lead the newly-minted Reichswehr, and would move to expand the intelligence units from two to five. On 1 August 1931, after the armed forces had again been rebranded into the Wehrmacht, von Scharnhorst consolidated the various intelligence units into a single, distinct division under the same name.
Origin
Prior to 1920, the Altish Empire maintained an intelligence service of its own, Sektion V, which operated under the umbrella of the Imperial Altish Army. Its initial responsibilities included foreign and counterintelligence, as well as counter-espionage efforts, and itself was active during the Great War, carrying out subversive operations primarily in Auvernia and the SIA. The collapse of the Altish Empire and the implementation of the Treaty of Verdon saw the Imperial Altish Army cease to exist, and thus, Sektion V with it.
The Republikswehr, the armed forces of the Altish Republic that rose to replace the Imperial government, was heavily restricted by the terms of the Verdon Treaty, including in the field of intelligence and counterespionage. WIP.