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Claus Von Stauffenberg

Discussion in 'Information Requests' started by Young_Gun, Jul 18, 2014.

  1. Young_Gun

    Young_Gun New Member

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    G'day Everyone!

    Wow, its been so long since I was last on! But I have been recently given a assignment which I need the help from you great people to find info on. So, I was given the task of researching a very famous Nazi. Famous for plotting then enacting an assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler's life, formally known as "Operation Valkyrie". Yes, I was told research Col. Claus Von Stauffenberg.

    From what I have researched and heard from other people Mr. Stauffenberg was a courageous young bloke who has even been dictated a hero for his actions against Hitler for the atrocities he did. It was very unfortunate to hear that he was shot for it, then to have his body burnt by the SS.

    I know that he had 5 children, all of which but one were sent to foster homes and told they had to use different surnames, whilst the parents and close family were shipped to concentration camps. Truly a sad ending for a man so brave.

    It may seem I have it all down-pat, but I am still looking for information on him, especially the Christian part of him. So if you could help me in anyway possible, please don't hesitate to post on here!

    All the best,
    -Sidney
     

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  2. LJAd

    LJAd Well-Known Member

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    One correction : Stauffenberg was not shot by the nazis,but on the order of Fromm,because he knew to much of the involvement of Fromm in the conspiracy .

    And,an addition : while Stauffenberg was no nazi,he still had the bias of the German upperclass to the Poles:after the Polish campaign,he wrote some very negative comments about the Poles,comments Dr Goebbels would not have rejected.
     
  3. Sandwichery

    Sandwichery Active Member

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    There were many attempts on Hitler's life, this one just received the most publicity. Personally, I've always felt that if Stauffenberg was that passionate about Hitler dying, he should have stayed with his bomb to insure its success.
     
  4. KJ Jr

    KJ Jr Well-Known Member

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    The amazing thing I have found about the Nazis ideology through my research is that when it came to suicide missions, their fanaticism slowed down. It seemed they were more concerned with the outcome and preparation post assassination than actually getting the job done. The culture of national socialism wasn't designed like that.
     
  5. KodiakBeer

    KodiakBeer Member

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    He badly bungled the attempt. He actually had two 1 kilogram bombs, but was only able to arm one of them. He gave the other to his adjutant to carry away. Yet, if he'd just dropped it in the bag with the one he had armed it would have been detonated by the first bomb. The explosion would have had twice the force and very likely killed Hitler.

    Von Stauffenberg was never a member of the Nazi party, nor was he an anti-semite. He was in the army well before Hitler took power and was just sort of dragged along by events, as were many Germans.
     
  6. Young_Gun

    Young_Gun New Member

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    All of these are very controversial, I must say. I'll be sure to add a few of these in my assessment. Thanks heaps!
     
  7. Young_Gun

    Young_Gun New Member

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    Remember, Stauffenberg had a wife and 4 kids at the time. I don't think he would have wanted to blow himself up. I know if I were him I wouldn't
     
  8. belasar

    belasar Court Jester

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    I can't fault Stauffenberg for failing to arm the second bomb having only one useable hand and being in the midst of the most formidable security apparatus of the era. Nor for feeling that returning to Berlin to take charge, considering events (in Berlin) as they happened. Consider the stress he was under and the fact he knew his family was forfeit if caught prematurely.

    Certainly though a tremendous mythology has been erected on his corpse as a "good German". Simply because he did the decent thing in a indecent society.

    It is telling that amidst so many Generals and political bigwigs involved it was a relatively obscure Colonel who was both the heart and mind of the most effective attempt to take Hitler out of the picture.
     
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  9. KodiakBeer

    KodiakBeer Member

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    Yes, but he had the second charge. If he had dropped in his bag both of them would have went off whether the second was armed or not. I think he just panicked. I suppose that's understandable being in the middle of the Wolf's Lair with a couple of bombs, but it's damned shame nonetheless.
     
  10. KJ Jr

    KJ Jr Well-Known Member

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    In a time where most people did not do the decent thing. This attempt makes him, at least, a better person
     
  11. PzJgr

    PzJgr Drill Instructor

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    Do we know if he was aware at the time of the arming of the bomb that the meeting was moved to the wooden hut instead of inside the bunker? As in the movie, he armed the bomb prior to finding out the meeting was moved. If this was the case, we can't really fault him for arming the one bomb can we?

    Very little information on him out there. Everything else is speculation. Good luck in your search
     

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