Evening star., 1945-07-07

144 AIIemPI !
Failure and PI,
war. Besides Goerdeler and myself
there was Jacob Kaiser Of the
Christian Trade Unions, Heinrich
Langsohmer, Socialist leader; DR.
Wirmer of the Catholic Center
party and DR.. Lejeune-Jung Of the
German Nationalist party.
I'VE solemnly decided we would
accept any terms offered us by the
Allies. We realized this would mean
unconditional surrender but we
were convinced the war was lost
and that we must save as many
lives as possible and prevent physi-
cal destruction of German towns
and cities.
Our organization was now very
strong, though small. On the civil
ian side we had, In addition to the
ones I have named, DR.. Won Hassel,
former Ambassador to Rome; DIR.
Popitz; Count Won Schulenburg
Finance; Count Won Schulenburg
former Ambassador to Moscow, and
DR.. Kiep, former counsellor In the
United States Embassy. Beck had
recruited Gems. Olbricht, Haase,
Eoeppner and Stieff and Field Mar
shat Won Witzleben as well as many
others. I also remember wildly a
man who was named Hulmut Won
Moltke, granddaughter of the famous
Won Moltke.
"As for myself, I was bitter about
the war. My three sons who had
now become of military age had
gone to the Russian front. Two
already were dead. The third was
still alive when I had last heard
from him, but that was several
months before the end of the war.
No Date Set.
Now we come to July 20. OF
course, there was no definite date
arranged for the attempt on Hitler's
life. 1t had to be done whenever
the opportunity presented itself.
The civilian organization had long
been ready with its plans for COM
plete government under Goerdeler,
and we really knew little of Beck s
military preparations except this:
He was absolutely confident that
once Hitler was dead he would have
absolutely no difficulty in seizing
control of all the German armed
forces-yes, even of the SIS.
Il have reason to suspect that
Heinrich Himmler knew of this plot
in advance, but he did nothing
about 1t. Perhaps he proposed to
wait and see which wav the wind
would blow. AS for Won Runstedt
and other generals, they certainly
would have accepted the fait ac-
compli without causing any trouble
They had no real loyalty or convic-
ton
"Von Stauffenberg was obviously
selected to kill Hitler, because he
alone of the group was among the
general staff officers scheduled to
meet with Hitler at the east front
headquarters on July 20. Why he
chose the method of placing the
bomb at the foot Of Hitler's chair
instead of more certain method Is
difficult to say. For one thing he
had only one arm and he might not
have been able to use a gun effec-
lively. Then again he may have
felt natural desire to live TO see
the results of his accomplishment
and the bomb method was the only
way by which he could leave the
conference room alive. Anyway, the
assassination ATTEMPT failed; I un-
derstand, by the merest mischance
that, at the moment the bomb went
of Hitler walked to the far side oi
the room to point to a military Inar
on the, wall. That move saved Hit
ler's life and cost those of all the
members Of our group except mine
and Jacob Kaiser's.
Failure Described.
Even after Won Stauffenberg
mistakenly sent word to Col. Gen
Beck that Hitler was dead, I think
there would have been good
chance that we might have sue.
ceeded in overthrowing the govern.
ment II 1t had not been for one
Maj. Rehmer, commander of small
detachment at the Reichschancel-
lery, who refused TO obey Gen
Haas order to place himself under
his command. Instead, Rehmel
consulted with Goebbels who hap
pened to be In the chancellery.
Goebbels Immediately telephoned
Hitler, discovered he was still alive
and Immediately put countermeas-
ures into effect before Beck, Won
Witzleben and Haas could seize
control Of the army. 1t was a mat
ter of minutes between success
and failure. hope some day that
Rehmer will be caught-if he's still
alive-and punished properly fol
what he did. Won Stauffenberg was
murdered in the chancellery shortly
after his arrival in Berlin. Beck
killed himself before he could be
apprehended.
II was in Lindau on Lake Con-
stance on July 20 and I didn't know
about the attempt until Goebbels
broadcast the story about it the
next day. On July 20 the Gestapo
arrested me, together with two of my
collaborators-Dr. Gessler, former
Minister Of War, and DR.. Fehr, a
former Bavarian leader. We were
brought to Augsburg during the
night by auto and the next night we
were taken to Berlin by train. It
was the first time I had travelled in
first-class carriage since before
1888. thought of this humorously
though I knew my life was forfeit.
In Berlin I was imprisoned at
Fuerstenburg camp until September.
During this time I was questioned
endlessly and although I gave them
absolutely no information I was
beaten about the face only once.
Hunt Under Way.
Meanwhile, nationwide hunt
had started for Goerdeler and at the
end of August they finally caught
him in East Prussia. Goerdeler
talked. I don't hold this against
him becauSe God only knows how