Operation Valkryie the Plot to Kill Hitler
Operation Valkyrie: The July 20, 1944 Attempt on the Life of Adolf Hitler
By Katherine Stumpf
During the period of Hitler’s rise to power in Germany, few people were aware of the opposition to him and his party within Germany. During this period of time the world believed that Hitler had the total support of the German people. This was not entirely true; within Germany there was opposition to Hitler. Between 1921 and his death in 1945, there were at least forty five attempts made on Hitler’s life.[1] This opposition to Hitler came from within Germany. Operation Valkyrie Generals Henning von Treschow and Frederick Olbricht devised a plan called Operation Valkyrie in 1942. The codename “Valkyrie” was chosen because the Valkyrie were maidens of Norse- Germanic mythology who selected who would be slain in battle. In this case it was Hitler who would be the victim.[2] The irony of the plan was that Hitler had been shown part of the plan and approved it. Hitler was told that Operation Valkyrie would enable the Home Army to take over the security of Berlin and other German cities in case of a revolt by foreign workers in these cities. This type of revolt was unlikely, but Hitler, was suspicious of conspiracies and was paranoid about danger lurking everywhere.[3] It was easy for Hitler to support the idea of the Home Army protecting the internal safety of Germany because most of the regular Army was on the front lines. This helped Olbricht and von Treschow cover their plans and openly show the plans for the Home Army to take over Berlin, Vienna, Munich and Cologne.[4] The first phase of the plan was the assassination of Hitler in his Wolfschanze headquarters in Rastenburg. When Hitler’s death was confirmed, it would be the duty of the conspirators to cut off all communications to the outside world. For part two of the plan to be successful, Operation Valkyrie had to be
By Katherine Stumpf
During the period of Hitler’s rise to power in Germany, few people were aware of the opposition to him and his party within Germany. During this period of time the world believed that Hitler had the total support of the German people. This was not entirely true; within Germany there was opposition to Hitler. Between 1921 and his death in 1945, there were at least forty five attempts made on Hitler’s life.[1] This opposition to Hitler came from within Germany. Operation Valkyrie Generals Henning von Treschow and Frederick Olbricht devised a plan called Operation Valkyrie in 1942. The codename “Valkyrie” was chosen because the Valkyrie were maidens of Norse- Germanic mythology who selected who would be slain in battle. In this case it was Hitler who would be the victim.[2] The irony of the plan was that Hitler had been shown part of the plan and approved it. Hitler was told that Operation Valkyrie would enable the Home Army to take over the security of Berlin and other German cities in case of a revolt by foreign workers in these cities. This type of revolt was unlikely, but Hitler, was suspicious of conspiracies and was paranoid about danger lurking everywhere.[3] It was easy for Hitler to support the idea of the Home Army protecting the internal safety of Germany because most of the regular Army was on the front lines. This helped Olbricht and von Treschow cover their plans and openly show the plans for the Home Army to take over Berlin, Vienna, Munich and Cologne.[4] The first phase of the plan was the assassination of Hitler in his Wolfschanze headquarters in Rastenburg. When Hitler’s death was confirmed, it would be the duty of the conspirators to cut off all communications to the outside world. For part two of the plan to be successful, Operation Valkyrie had to be