Claus Schenk Graf von...

Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg

Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg was an officer in the German Army during the Second World War who led an unsuccessful plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler on July 20, 1944.

Fast Facts:

Born into aristocratic, Roman Catholic family
Never formally joined the Nazi Party
Spouse: Nina Freiin von Lerchenfeld
Executed on July 21, 1944
Last words: "Long live our sacred Germany!"
Portrayed by Tom Cruise in upcoming film Valkyrie

Brief Biography

Born into the German aristocracy, Stauffenberg was a nationalist who supported Hitler's nationalist aims but never joined the Nazi party. As a Catholic, Stauffenberg became increasingly disillusioned with the regime's ethnic policies. After being wounded in Tunisia in 1943,¹ Stauffenberg came to the realization that he wanted to be part of the resistance and began making contacts with opposition leaders through his brother Berthold.

Operation "Valkyrie"

The plans of the opposition did not just include the assassination of Hitler, but also the simultaneous takeover of the functions of government from the Nazi Party. Stauffenberg's role, since he had access to Hitler's secret bunker at Rastenburg, was to plant a bomb under a table in the main meeting room. The bomb detonated, but the heavy oak table shielded Hitler from the bomb, and although Stauffenberg initially escaped to Berlin, he was captured and executed for treason.

Categories

History | European History | World War II | Nazis

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The Mahalo Top 7

Wikipedia: Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg
German Resistance Memorial Center: Stauffenberg and the Assassination Attempt of July 20, 1944
BBC News: Germany imposes ban on Tom Cruise (June 26, 2007)
Telegraph.co.uk: Countess von Stauffenberg obituary (2006)
USAToday.com: Extras hurt on set of Tom Cruise movie (August 20, 2007)
Amazon.com: Books about Claus von Stauffenberg
IMDb: Valkyrie overview and news

Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg Background and Profiles

BBC News: Emerging from the Nazi shadow? (2004)
Jewish Virtual Library: Claus von Stauffenberg profile
TimesOnline: Nina von Stauffenberg obituary (2006)

July 20 Plot

Wikipedia: July 20 Plot, Members of the July 20 plot and Operation Walküre
Time: Plot That Failed (1947)
DW-World.de: Germany Remembers Plot to Kill Hitler (2004)
BBC.co.uk: On This Day: 1944: Hitler survives assassination attempt
BBC News: Hitler plot 'heroes' commemorated (2004)
BookRags: July 20 Plot information

Upcoming Tom Cruise Film Valkyrie

TheEconomist.com: Should Tom Cruise star in a film about Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg? (August 2, 2007)
Slashfilm: Photos: Tom Cruise in Bryan Singer’s Valkyrie (July 19, 2007)
Time: Germany's Offering to Cruise (July 6, 2007)
American Chronicle: German Military in the Business of Filmmaking (July 2, 2007)
Spiegel Online: Opinion: Much Ado About Tom Cruise (July 2, 2007)
The New York Times: "Plot Thickens in a Tom Cruise Film, Before the Cameras Begin to Roll" (June 30, 2007)
Independent Online: "Tom Cruise banned from German military bases" (June 26, 2007)
Der Spiegel: "Stauffenberg's Son on Tom Cruise Film: 'It's Bound To Be Rubbish'" (June 22, 2007)
Guardian Unlimited: "Family of German war hero slam Cruise casting" (March 27, 2007)
USAToday.com: Cruise's Scientology stirs ire in Berlin (2007)

Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg Images and Media

Google Images: Claus von Stauffenberg
Flickr: Claus von Stauffenberg
Stern.de: Photos from "Operation Valkyrie"

Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg Blogs and Message Boards

Gridskipper: The Tom Cruise Guide to Berlin
Free Republic: Claus von Stauffenberg: The Nazi who tried to kill Hitler (July 17, 2007)
Google Blog Search: Claus von Stauffenberg

Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg Timeline

November 15, 1907: Born in Jettingen, Bavaria
1939: Participated in German occupation of Poland
1943: Sent to North Africa to join the 10th Panzer Division
May 8, 1943: Awarded the German Cross
July 1, 1944: Appointed Chief of Staff to General Friedrich Fromm
July 20, 1944: Plants bomb in conference room in a failed attempt to kill Adolf Hitler
July 21, 1944: Executed by firing squad

Related Pages on Mahalo

Adolf Hitler | Friedrich Fromm | July 20 Plot | Nazi Party | World War II | Tom Cruise

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