German Resistance Memorial Center - Topic 'The Assassination Attempt of July 20, 1944'


	Topic - Stauffenberg and the Assassination Attempt of July 20, 1944

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Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg

From autumn 1943 on, Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg became a decisive factor in the struggle against Hitler. In 1933, he initially felt that National Socialist policy offered Germany favorable opportunities but was soon alienated by the regime's racial ideology. Yet Stauffenberg only assumed an active role in opposing the regime once he realized the consequences of German policy in eastern Europe and was able to estimate the full extent of the damage that Hitler's war had brought upon Germany and Europe.		Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg
Under the influence of Henning von Tresckow, General Friedrich Olbricht, and First Lieutenant Fritz-Dietlof Graf von der Schulenburg of the army reserve, Stauffenberg became a focal point of the military conspiracy. He established important links to civilian resistance groups and coordinated his assassination plans with Carl Friedrich Goerdeler and Ludwig Beck, and with the conspirators waiting in readiness in Paris, Vienna, Berlin, and at Army Group Center.		Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg

Stauffenberg's Way to the Assassination Attempt of July 20, 1944

In early April 1943, Stauffenberg was severely wounded in Tunisia, barely escaping death. During the months of his convalescence, he gradually came to realize he had to take an active part in resistance. Even in earlier years, the church's struggle, the persecution of the Jews, and the crimes in eastern Europe had alienated Stauffenberg from the National Socialist state. His closest confidant was his brother Berthold, who had had contacts to the opposition for a long time. After an extended period of convalescence, Colonel Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg was appointed to the post of chief of staff of the General Army Office in October 1943. From June 1944 on, he also served as chief of staff for the commanding officer of the Ersatzheer (Reserve Army), General Friedrich Olbricht, at Olbricht's request. In this position he had clearance to attend briefings at Hitler's headquarters in the so-called "Wolf's Lair" near Rastenburg in East Prussia. Olbricht informed Stauffenberg of his plans for a coup and introduced him to members of the resistance groups around Ludwig Beck and Carl Friedrich Goerdeler. .		Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg
Stauffenberg had a great deal of charisma and was valued for his professional expertise. He brought many opponents of the regime together and made close friends among them not only military officers but also Social Democrats like Julius Leber, members of the Kreisau Circle like Adam von Trott zu Solz, and representatives of the labor union movement like Jakob Kaiser and Wilhelm Leuschner.		Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg