Assassination attempt on hitler
Claus Philipp Maria Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg was born on November 15, 1907, in Jettingen, in the Kingdom of Bavaria, into an aristocratic Roman Catholic family. His lineage was deeply tied to the traditional Prussian and Bavarian nobility, with roots in military service and administration. Stauffenberg was one of four sons and grew up in a cultured, intellectual environment. He was well-educated, fluent in several languages, and studied philosophy and literature alongside his military training.
Stauffenberg joined the German army (Reichswehr) in 1926 and quickly rose through the ranks, distinguishing himself as a capable and intelligent officer. By the time World War II began, he was serving as a staff officer in the Wehrmacht and participated in campaigns in Poland, France, and the Soviet Union. Although initially supportive of some of Hitler’s early reforms and the restoration of German strength, Stauffenberg became increasingly disillusioned with Nazi ideology, particularly its brutality, treatment of Jews, and the catastrophic direction of the war.
A devout Catholic and German patriot, Stauffenberg was horrified by the reports of mass executions on the Eastern Front, the Nazi atrocities against Jews and civilians, and the ideological fanaticism pervading the German leadership. After being severely wounded in North Africa in 1943—losing his left eye, right hand, and two fingers on his left hand—Stauffenberg returned to Germany even more determined to act against Hitler.
His injuries only seemed to deepen his resolve. He became closely connected to a circle of military and civilian conspirators who sought to remove Hitler from power and negotiate peace with the Allies. Stauffenberg’s blend of high moral conviction, patriotism, and practical military experience made him a central figure in what would become known as the July 20 Plot.
Stauffenberg and his fellow conspirators used an existing emergency plan, Operation Valkyrie, which was designed to maintain order in the event of internal unrest, such as a revolt by forced laborers. The conspirators reworked this plan to use the Reserve Army to seize control of key institutions in Berlin and other cities after Hitler’s death. The plan relied on killing Hitler to trigger the mobilization of troops under Valkyrie’s authority.
On July 20, 1944, Stauffenberg flew to Hitler’s Wolf’s Lair (Wolfsschanze) in East Prussia with a briefcase bomb. Despite his injuries, he managed to arm the device using specially adapted tools. At approximately 12:30 p.m., he placed the bomb under the table in the briefing room where Hitler and his staff were gathered. He then excused himself and left the room shortly before the explosion.
The bomb exploded, killing four people and injuring several others, but Adolf Hitler survived, shielded by a heavy oak table leg and fortunate positioning. Stauffenberg, convinced the explosion had killed Hitler, flew back to Berlin to help implement Operation Valkyrie.
However, confusion, lack of communication, and Hitler’s unexpected survival unraveled the plot. When confirmation arrived that Hitler was alive, many officers withdrew their support. The coup collapsed within hours.
That night, Stauffenberg and several fellow conspirators were arrested, and after a swift court-martial, they were executed by firing squad in the courtyard of the Bendlerblock, the German Army Headquarters in Berlin, just hours later.
Stauffenberg’s legacy is complex but enduring. For decades after the war, his actions were scrutinized—some questioning why he waited so long to act, others highlighting his role as a symbol of moral courage in one of history’s darkest periods. Today, Claus von Stauffenberg is widely honored in Germany and beyond as a patriot who risked everything to stop a tyrant. His failed attempt on Hitler’s life stands as one of the most daring and dramatic episodes of World War II and remains a powerful testament to the resistance that did exist within Nazi Germany.
