Helmut Clissman
German spy (Abwehr) in Dublin
About Helmut Clissman
Lived 1911 – 1997 (aged 86).
Helmut Clissmann (11 May 1911 – 6 November 1997) was an Ireland-based Nazi Abwehr agent during World War II.
He engineered the release of Frank Ryan from a Spanish prison. Before World War II, Clissmann was active in the German academic exchange service in Dublin. He was involved in both Operation Lobster and Operation Sea Eagle which were both failed operations with the intent of getting Clissmann into Ireland.
He became a businessman and set up an agency to import pharmaceutical products. He was also a founding member of what is now the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association and Amnesty International Ireland. St Killian's German School was co-founded by him and he was made its honorary president-for-life.
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Important facts
People in Helmut Clissman's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Helmut Clissman's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Helmut Clissman?
German spy (Abwehr) in Dublin
When was Helmut Clissman born?
Helmut Clissman was born on 11 May 1911.
When did Helmut Clissman die?
Helmut Clissman died on 6 November 1997.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Helmut Clissman. https://biography.guide/helmut-clissman/
MLA: "Helmut Clissman." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/helmut-clissman/.
Chicago: "Helmut Clissman." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/helmut-clissman/.
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