European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 20, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Of c us the hit that failed continued from Page 15 Gen. Hans Oster for instance Early on signalled the extent of the opposition to Hitler within Germany by covertly warning Belgium and Holland in 1940 that the. Blitzkrieg was about to come their Way. Hitter s amazing escapes from death Date to 1929 when a disgruntled is officer planted himself and a bomb beneath a lectern where Hitler was to speak. Leaving to relieve himself the Soldier was inadvertently locked in a lavatory. On nov. 8,1939, Hitler returned to the Munich Beer Hall where he had staged an unsuccessful coup 16 years earlier. An astrologer had forecast an assassination attempt but Hitler s aides chose not to Tell him. George a Elser a communist sympathizer recently released from the Dachau concentration Camp had wired a bomb where Hitler was to speak. It was timed to explode at 11 20 . Uncharacteristically Hitler Cut Short his customary Harangue and left the Hall at 11 07. The bomb exploded on time killing seven and injuring 63, including the father of Eva Braun Hitler s eventual mistress. Some generals prominent among them Ludwig Beck conspired to seize Hitler on the eve of the takeover of Czechoslovakia in 1938. Beck feared Hitler Wou a throw Europe into a War from which Only communism would Triumph.  of Britain and France at Munich pulled the Rug from under any plots. Once the War began anti Hitler generals put patriotism above conspiracy. But with Stalingrad and subsequent debacles in Russia killing Hitler increasingly appeared to be the Only Way to save  Naif Hitler had taken to wearing a flak jacket under his tunic. His peaked Cap was lined with steel. A bodyguard of is troopers accompanied him on the few trips he ventured. After much persuasion Hitler visited the russian front on March 13,1943. Plastic explosives a British a were put in two Brandy bottles that an aide to Gen. Henning von Tresckow asked Hitler s Pilot to deliver to a Friend. The aide Fabian von sch Abendorff broke a capsule of acid that would eat through the wire triggering the bomb in half an hour. Hitler took off. To avoid weather the Pilot flew higher than planned freezing the mechanism. Sch Abendorff later retrieved the bomb and found its Detonator a Dud. Eight Days later maj. Freiherr Rudolf von Gersdorff planned a suicidal assassination blowing up Hitler and himself with two bombs in his overcoat pocket while the Fuhrer was visiting an exhibit in Berlin. Hitler was to stay half an hour. The bombs had 10-minute fuses. Hitler left after Only eight minutes. Gersdorff defused the bombs. That december capt. Axel von dem Bussche who had joined the conspirators after seeing 1,200 jews slain in an afternoon agreed to sacrifice himself by blowing up a hand grenade in his pocket while Hitler was examining a display of new uniforms. Beforehand the uniforms were destroyed in an air raid. A similar attempt War. Plotted Over Christmas. Hitler decided at the last minute to spend the Holiday with Eva Braun. The assassination s Mantle now fell on  Schenk von Stauffenberg a most unlikely Choice. Stauffenberg 37, was an aristocrat great grandson of count gneiss a a hero of the wars against Napoleon. Hollywood handsome and magnetic he had joined the army in 1923. Over time he became appalled at Hitler s savagery against jews and was convinced that his a unrelenting aggression it Jid eventually destroy Germany killing Hitler w Ould be an act of patriotism. A committed Catholic Stauffenberg knew members of Adolf Hitler leaves the Wolf s Lair with an unidentified nazi officer after the assassination attempt. The Kreisa Circle Well born conservative co religionists who opposed the nazi regime. He was also acquainted with some of the military conservatives. But loyalty to country compelled him to fight in Poland France Russia and finally North Africa where he was horribly wounded losing an Eye Arm and two fingers of his remaining hand. Nonetheless he took a staff position in Berlin on recovery. His forceful personality brought him to the forefront of the conspirators. Sitting on the Fence were some of the biggest names of the German army Field marshal Erwin Rommel hero of North Africa and commander in Normandy Field marshal Gunther von Kluge soon to be Overall commander in France adm Wilhelm Canaris head of the a Wehr and his More Active Hitler hating assistant Gen. Hans Oster. Gen. Friedrich Fromm head of the Home army in Germany Vyas aware of the plot and Gen. Karl von Stuelpnagel commander in Paris and Gen Erich Fel Giebel head of army communications were More directly involved. The conspirators were hoping for a triple play killing Hitler Gestapo head Heinrich Himmler and no. 2 nazi Hermann Goering with one bomb at a joint meeting. Stauffenberg was called to a meeting at hitter s Alpine retreating Bavaria on july 11,1944, bringing a bomb of British explosives. But Himmler was not present. Four Days later Stauffenberg took the bomb in a briefcase to a meeting at the fihrer s Wolf s Lair deep in the Woods of East Prussia. Hitter left Early. Stauffenberg hurriedly defused the bomb. Another meeting was set for july 20 at the Wolf s Lair. Long on the books had been operation Valkyrie mobilization of Home forces in the event of a revolt by foreign slave labor inside Germany. Once Hitler was dead the conspirators were to take Over the government under the Guise of initiating Valkyrie. Stauffenberg flew in to the Wolf s Lair told the Pilot to wait and passed through two Security Gates of the tightly defended Concrete command Complex. The Day being hot the conference was to be held in a wooden Frame building. The windows were left open. Excusing himself to go to the lavatory Stauffenberg with his three remaining fingers fused the bomb to go off in 15 minutes. Then he discretely entered the conference. He sidled up to Gen. Adolf Heusinger next to Hitler and nonchalantly placed his briefcase As near to Hitler As he could. The Fuhrer was leaning Over the massive Oak table while Heusinger delivered a grim report on the fighting in Russia. Unobtrusively Stauffenberg left the room. Blocked by the briefcase from a better View of the map Heusinger s aide moved to the far Side of a heavy table leg from Hitler. At 12 42 the bomb exploded in a Sheet of flame. Four were killed. But the Frame building and its open windows softened the effect of the blast. The Fuhrer his eyebrows singed his hair standing on end his face blackened was alive. A doctor rushed to the scene and was stunned to find that Hitler s pulse was Normal. Hitler greeted his three secretaries who had run to his Side Quot Well my ladies., More proof that Fate has selected me for my  Stauffenberg was quickly suspected but although stopped at the second Gate he had talked his Way through by Bluff and rank and was flying Back to Berlin. Unable to confirm Hitler s death due to damage at the Wolf s Lair and a communications blackout the conspirators became indecisive such As Hitler had never been. His feet Cooling Fromm told the plotters he was cancelling Valkyrie and arresting them. After a scuffle they arrested him instead. The Berlin Garrison had been called out but maj. Otto Remer a former member of the Hitler youth wanted confirmation of the fihrer s death. He decided to Check with Joseph Goebbels the propaganda minister and Hitler s mouthpiece. Goebbels got through to the Wolf s Lair where Hitler told Remer Quot do you believe that i am alive Quot dubious Remer nonetheless accepted his fihrer s order that he was in command of All the military in Berlin regardless of rank. Gen. Paul von Hase commander of the Garrison sheepishly yielded to his subordinate asking Only if he could get something to eat and to Call his wife. Quot there go our revolutionaries Quot Goebbels scoffed. Quot All they think about is eating drinking and calling  meanwhile Loyal is troopers stormed the wehrmacht Headquarters where Beck had joined the conspirators in a fusillade of gunfire Stauffenberg was wounded. Fromm held a drumhead court martial. Beck was Given the option of suicide with a pistol but missed his vitals on two tries. A sergeant finished the Job with a shot in the neck. Stauffenberg and two others were hustled outside and executed. In Paris Stuelpnagel told his former is captives it had All been part of a Drill and went out drinking with them. As Many As 7,000 people known to Harbor anti Hitler sentiments were arrested. After torture and farcical trials of the ringleaders most were executed. The leaders were filmed As they strangled on piano wire Hung from meat Hooks. Hitler s coterie viewed the movies As Post dinner  killed himself As did Rommel who was Given the Choice of that or a trial. Fromm the flip flopper could not convince the nazis he was an innocent bystander a he was not a and they hanged him. Canaris too was executed As was Bonhoeffer for Good measure. None of his enemies Ever got Adolf Hitler. It remained for him to kill himself just before the War in Europe ended in May 1945. With peace the Bendle Strasse where the wehrmacht Headquarters was located was renamed. It became Stauffenberg Strasse. Berlin Center documents German opposition to nazis by de Reavis staff writer t he German resistance memorial Center in Berlin claims it can document some 10,000 cases of German resistance to the nazis but suspects there were Many More cases of individual resistance that went unrecorded. The memorial is in the so called Quot Bendler Block Quot which takes its name from a building Complex located on what was Bendle Strasse a now renamed Stauffenberg Strasse a on the Southern Edge of the former diplomatic Quarter of Berlin. It was Here during the reign of Kaiser Wilhelm ii that the expansion of the German Navy was planned prior to world War i. It was Here during the Weimar Republic that the military leadership sought to define its role in the new democratic state. And it was Here in 1933 that Hitler gave has notorious speech on Quot living space Quot for germans in Eastern Europe. But the Bendler Block is probably Best remembered As the Center of the july 20,1944, conspiracy to kill Hitler because Many of those involved in the plot worked for the German High command there. The plot Ted by Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg was the Only bit of resistance to the nazis by germans that receives wide recognition in the country. The idea for a resistance Center was conceived in 1983 and commissioned by the then mayor of Berlin Richard von Weizsacker As a permanent exhibition documenting the scope and the complexity of German resistance. The Bendler Block bombed during the War and reconstructed for Federal and local government offices in the 1950s, was seen As a fitting location. The memorial Center was opened on july 19,1989, in the second floor rooms where the coup d eat was planned and the permanent exhibit is housed there. The focal Point of the Center is the courtyard of the Bendler Block with a statue and plaque in memorial to the officers who were shot there after their coup had failed. The Center is divided into 26 thematic sections which include More than 5,000 photographs and documents that provide information on the motives actions and goals of a a individuals groups and organizations involved in resistance to National socialism. The sections include material on resistance during the Weimar Republic by different religious arts and labor groups by Liberal and conservative groups by disgruntled members of the military by youth conscientious objectors and military deserters and by Stauffenberg and the assassination attempt of july 20,1944. In recent months an 8-year-old argument Between the director of the Center Peter Steinbach and the son of count von Stauffenberg Franz Ludwig Graf Vons amps de Traavis a lecturer explains a Center display to visitors. Rtf1 photographs record the variety of people who joined the resistance against the nazis. Stauffenberg has escalated in the German Media. The Stauffenberg progeny has never been Able to reconcile himself to the idea that former communists were included in the 26-room exhibition. He argues that the july 20 conspirators were driven by their patriotic love for Germany whereas the communists were nothing More than Stalin s puppets. Steinbach. Counters with what be Calls Quot the facts of history Quot which he says refute Stauffenberg s arguments. Steinbach claims the motive for communist and socialist resisters was to rid Germany of the dictator. He argues that while Many German communists and fellow travellers were duped by Stalin s claim that he wanted a free Germany that does not Lessen their efforts or the Many sacrifices they made in the struggle against  Center is experiencing growing popularity a Center spokeswoman said it averages nearly 60,000 visitors annually including Many school classes and foreign tourists. A a. However the Center has had serious cuts in its funding from the City As a result of a nationwide cutbacks in. Municipal funds. Two months ago Berlin s lord mayor Eberhard Diepgen threatened to close it if the Federal government Cut funds the City received to support it when the City was still divided. Quot i think Diepgen threatened to close us expecting a wave of indignation to sweep the country and Force Bonn to support us Quot a spokeswoman at the Center said. Quot but. There was hardly any reaction a disappointing  admission to the German resistance memorial Center is Iree and it otters several brochures and a Booklet in English it is on Stauffenberg Strasse 13-14 in Boriin tie Garten and is open 9,a m. To 6 . Monday through Friday and 9 a m. To 1 . On saturday and sunday. Group registrations for free guided hours is available by calling 030-26542202,. It calling from oils de Germany use your country a Access code the country code 49 and drop Tho first Zero. Aps amps de Reavis a plaque Marks where five captured conspirators in the failed july 20 plot died. 16 the stars and stripes wedded essay july 20, 1994 the stars and stripes 17 f