MOSCOW, July 20, Renat Abdullin. The history of World War II has many blank spots. One of them is attempts to kill Adolf Hitler. Contrary to popular belief that the Nazis were exclusively supporters of the Fuhrer, many considered his policies disastrous for Germany. The resistance culminated 80 years ago with Operation Valkyrie. Never have the Germans been so close to overthrowing a dictator as on July 20, 1944.
«The Empire is doomed» «You must do this!» — not every son will hear this from his father. This was said in 2013 by Ewald von Kleist. He is the last person to see Hitler alive before his seemingly inevitable death. But the Fuhrer survived.
German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop, Reichsleiter Martin Bormann, Reichsmarshal Hermann Goering, Fuhrer Adolf Hitler, Duce Benito Mussolini at A. Hitler’s apartment after an assassination attempt
By 1944, part of the German command understood perfectly well that the “empire” was doomed.
One of the main opponents of Hitler’s policies was Henning von Treskow. A nobleman who realized that the country could not exist in conditions of global confrontation. On the other side of the English Channel is Winston Churchill, the man who convinced the British people that “sweat, blood and tears” would bring victory, “for without it there is no life.” On the continent — Stalingrad, the defeat of the Wehrmacht, a turning point in the war.
Remove the Fuhrer as a symbolIn 1918, von Treskow became the youngest lieutenant in the Wehrmacht. During World War II, he was an experienced military leader.
In August 1943, von Treskow met Lieutenant Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg. A convinced Nazi, he lost an eye and an arm in Africa, where it would seem the Reich had nothing to do. And I realized that Hitler was leading the country to destruction.
Henning von Treskow
A conspiracy arose. «Valkyrie» was the name given to the official plan of action in case the Fuhrer was out of power. It was planned to send troops to the capital to suppress possible unrest. Now it has been turned into an operation to eliminate Hitler.
On July 20, Stauffenberg arrived at Hitler's headquarters «Wolfschanze» («Wolf's Lair») in East Prussia with explosives in his briefcase. There were two charges. They were activated by “pencil detonators”. I went into the toilet to activate the detonators. I managed only one thing — the lack of a hand affected me.
During the meeting, Stauffenberg placed his briefcase under the table, closer to Hitler. And he left the premises under the pretext of a phone call. There was an explosion. Of the 24 participants in the meeting, four died, including two generals and a colonel. The Fuhrer survived: he was protected by a massive conference table. His trousers were singed and torn, he suffered a ruptured eardrum and a concussion.
Piano strings Stauffenberg, confident of Hitler's death, flew to Berlin, where he immediately called General Friedrich Olbricht, another conspirator. Reported: the Fuhrer is dead.
Claus von Stauffenberg
A power struggle developed between the top of the SS and the Wehrmacht. SS officers were arrested. However, after the news that Hitler survived, the conspirators were doomed.
Stauffenberg was shot. Von Treskow committed suicide at the front — he blew up a grenade, simulating a battle. Many were hanged from piano wires. With this method of execution, the person did not break his neck (the essence of the gallows), but slowly suffocated.
But some survived. Ewald von Kleist, who died in 2013, recalled that his father “blessed” him to kill Hitler.
The story of “Valkyrie” is full of questions. After all, it was possible to act much simpler and more surely. Thus, Philipp Freiger von Beselager, who died in 2008, said: “I could shoot him.”
However, one should not exaggerate the merits of the conspirators. Most of them were convinced Nazis. All participated in both the Holocaust and the occupation of Eastern Europe. And for this they deserve unconditional condemnation.