Operation Valkyrie: the man who wanted to assassinate Hitler

2024-01-24T04:07:02.106Z

Highlights: Operation Valkyrie: the man who wanted to assassinate Hitler. On July 20, 1944, a handful of rebellious German officers almost killed Hitler. Within the Wehrmacht itself, the members of Operation Valkyrie feel that the Führer is leading the country to its downfall. Claus von Stauffenberg is the heir of an aristocratic German family. He joined the army as soon as he finished his studies: for him, working for the greatness of Germany was a duty. He lost his right arm, two fingers on his left hand and one of his eyes.

On July 20, 1944, a handful of rebellious German officers almost killed Hitler. Within the Wehrmacht itself, the members of Operation Valkyrie feel that the Führer is leading the country to its downfall. In a new story, Virginie Girod takes you to the heart of the history of this plot against the Nazi regime. Claus von Stauffenberg is the heir of an aristocratic German family. He joined the army as soon as he finished his studies: for him, working for the greatness of Germany was a duty. Germany in the 1930s, which was struggling to recover from the consequences of the First World War, was devastated by the economic crisis of 1929. One man promised to revive the country and soon became Chancellor: Adolf Hitler. He established the Third Reich and required the German army, to which Von Stauffenberg belonged, to swear an oath to him. The latter is not a Nazi, but he dreams of the great Germany of his ancestors. Soon, war tears Europe apart. Von Stauffenberg took part in the Polish campaign, convinced that he was acting for the good of his country. But at the same time, he became closer to officers opposed to Nazism. Among them is General Friedrich Olbricht, who helped develop the emergency plan to guarantee the continuity of the state in the event of an insurrection. Hitler himself validated the creation of this operation called Valkyrie, named after a Wagner opera. But for the conspirators, it will be the tool of their coup d'état. In 1943, while serving in North Africa, Von Stauffenberg was seriously injured. He lost his right arm, two fingers on his left hand and one of his eyes. He is convinced that if his life was saved, it was to rid Germany of Hitler. Integrated as Chief of Staff, he regularly participates in military meetings in his presence. On July 20, 1944, he took action and placed a briefcase loaded with explosives at the Führer's feet, before slipping away. Convinced that he has just killed Hitler, he reaches the airport and flies to Berlin to launch Operation Valkyrie. Only Hitler survived. As the news spreads, the army turns against the conspiring officers. Tried urgently, Von Stauffenberg was shot with his accomplices. Themes covered: Hitler, Nazi regime, conspiracy, Second World War