German resistance to Nazism

Valkyrie : Heroes of the German Resistance Deutsche Widerstand

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• published: 17 Jun 2008
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http://www.ceepackaging.com http://www.youtube.com/alanheath An exhibition housing details of the opposition to the Nazis can be found in the former Bendlerblock of the Wehrmacht in what is today called Stauffenberg Strasse, located very close to Potsdamer Platz. Under the leadership of the Infantry General Friedrich Olbricht, the centre of the military resistance was formed in the Bendlerblock. It was here that Olbricht developed the Valkyrie operational plan into a plan for a coup d'état against Hitler. In October 1943 Colonel Stauffenberg was transferred to the General Army Office as Chief of Staff. His position gave him direct access to situation briefings in Hitler's headquarters, the Wolf's Lair. On July 20, 1944 he planted the bomb there and returned to Berlin. The bomb went off, but Hitler survived. When news of Hitler's survival spread, the conspirators were unable to take control of Germany. Following the arrest of the conspirators in the Bendlerblock, General Olbricht, Graf von Stauffenberg, Werner von Haeften and Albrecht Ritter Mertz von Quirnheim, all members of the uprising, were executed that same night in the courtyard of the building, by firing squad. A fifth plotter, Generaloberst Ludwig Beck, was offered the option of shooting himself. I found this interesting article in an edition of Variety from June 2007: The German government has done an about-face and decided to allow the makers of "Valkyrie" -- the Tom Cruise starrer about the failed 1944 plot to kill Adolf Hitler -- to use the actual site where the officers behind the conspiracy were executed. Thorsten Albig, a spokesman for the Finance Ministry, told the Bild newspaper that there had been a change of heart about allowing the filmmakers to shoot at the Bendlerblock, where plot leader Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg and several of his co-conspirators were killed shortly after the bomb they planted injured, but failed to kill, the Nazi leader on July 20, 1944. The Finance Ministry is responsible for all property owned by the federal government, including the Bendlerblock, which is now a memorial and national German shrine. "There was a change of sentiment at the Ministry of Defense," Albig said, referring to the government department located in the complex of buildings surrounding the shrine to von Stauffenberg -- a national hero. "There was a different feeling about the project," he added. "We will take a closer look with director Bryan Singer at the location and, while ensuring that the dignity of the shrine is protected, see what's possible and what's not." The Defense Ministry had raised objections earlier this year because of bad experiences in recent years with film crews that had set up their equipment -- and catering trucks -- at the location. United Artists Entertainment said in a statement that it was "extremely grateful to the German government for allowing us to film at the Bendlerblock." "Valkyrie" -- the code name of the conspirators' plot -- began filming July 18 2007 in Berlin. MGM/UA plans a June 27 2008 release.