The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-03-20
GERMAN REVEALS
C0UP'S FAILURE
Continued from Page One)

some former labor leaders, this III
formant said.
This is his story:
It became increasingly clear
that only someone in uniform and
from the. old .Prussian military
caste could carry out the. assassi-
nation. Unknown even to Hitler, a
first attempt was carried out in
December, 1913 but the bomb was
defective and was recovered be-
fore Hit,er's associates discovered
it.
The circle of conspirators ex-
tended even to Himnler and Mar
shall Erwin Rommel, supposedly
two of Hitler's most trustworthy
paladins Ronmel was killed in
France and escaped detection.
Himmler afterWard reneged. 1t
was he who delegated Popitz, the
Prussian finance minister, to sit
in on the conspirator meetings,
and he also sent an attorney nam
ed Langbehn to Switzerland to ask
the Allies whether he, Iimmler,
would be acceptable in case Hit
Ter ceased to exist.
In a meeting with Gauleiters
seven days after the Inflated at
tempt, however. Himmler claimed
Popitz had contacted him and that
he had pretended to play along
just to get evidence on the plot
tiers.
The. ideal occasion for. putting
the plot into effect seemed OF come
when Hitler invited Mussolini to
general headquarters near Loezen
in East Prussia to attend cere-
mony incorporating two Fascist di-
visions into the German Wehr-
macht.
Won Stautfenberg, as executive
office to the chief CT troop Undue
tons, Maj. Gen. Friedrich o.
BRIGHT, was the customary officer
designated formally to take in the
Italian units with crisp brief
speech. Won Stauffenberg and his
fellow-conspirators, however, as
sumed that Hitter as usual would
preside over the ceremony in a
bomb-proof concrete bunker.
Instead, Hitler desired to put on
an act of fearlessness before Mus
solini, and hence held the staff
meeting that particular day in a
wooded shed camDuflaged as a
grove of willow trees.
The session opened with TO-
minute address by Field Marshal
Wilhelm Keitel expressing graft
tude to the Fascists. Won Stauf.
fenberg followed. STOPPING to fetch
piece of paper with his remarks
from a brief case next to his chair
he also pulled out an egg-sizeC
bomb and with his boot showed i
unobserved under Hitler's chair
His brief address over, Vor
Stauffenberg left since he had NJ
further business and Hitler called
for the daily overall Wehrmach
report. Won Stauffenberg fingered
outside a few moments.
There was a terrific explosion
Won Stauffenberg, looking through
door that had been blown open
saw Hitler lying on the floor
blood and aflame, an.
took it for granted the Fuehrel
was dead He calmly entered {
waiting plane and flew back t
Berlin, certain the plot had beer
successful.
But he learned later tina Hitler
while listening to the Wehrmach
report, had left his chair and step
pee to cupboard for a magnify
ing glass. Thus the bomb hit hin
indirectly. The effectiveness of the
blast also was marred by the fac
it was intended for a concrete
bunker rather than resilien
wooden shed.
At the War Offices in Berlin
Won Stauffenberg met General
Beck, Erwin Won Witzleben ant
Erich Hoeplner, according to m.
informant, and told them Hitle,
was dead. Machinery was put il
motion Tor the coup.
1.-TWO vital mistakes OF omission
were made, however," the inform
ant said. First was the failure
to make certain that right dut,
officer was in charge of the Der
lin guards regiment. Instead al
ardent young NaZi named Renne.
who in a short time advanced
from sergeant to major-was o.
duty. He carried out the first or
der unqucstioningly - namely, TO-
the regiment to seize the social
ed government quarters (roughly
between the Inter den Linden ano
the Leipziger Strasse and between
| Wilhelmstrasse and Friedrich
Strasse).
Another order, however, was t.
arrest Goebbels. Instead Of mere
ly obeying instructions, he tole
Goebbels we must arrest you be
cause our Fuehrer is dead -
Goebbels intuitively, and will
accustomed bluff, replied, 1T ism
true! I'll prove it to you'll He
seized secret private telephone
connected directly with genera,
headquarters and got Hitler t,
stammer a few words. Then h,
called together all propagand;
ministry officials and told them 0
the attempt on the life Of tn
Fuehrer.
Then Renner, on Goebbels' or
ders, rushed back to the War OF
! flee where his men overpoweree
and shot Won Stauffenberg and OF
BRIGHT and gave Beck, who wa
| bleeding to death slowly from 3