Kill Hitler - Operation Valkyrie 1944 by Neil Short & Peter Dennis

Author:Neil Short & Peter Dennis
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Europe, World War II, Germany, Military, Teen & Young Adult, History
ISBN: 9781780962580
Publisher: Osprey Publishing
Published: 2013-05-21T04:00:00+00:00

The Raid

When Esebeck arrived, he read the messages and agreed with Kodré that they should be followed, but just to

double-check Kodré rang Stauffenberg, his counterpart in Berlin, who confirmed that the orders were correct and urged him to enact them with the utmost speed. By now the senior officers (or their deputies) had begun to arrive at the Old War Ministry. At 1920hrs the conference began. Those present were briefed on developments and were directed to enact the Valkyrie order in their respective areas. Generalleutnant Adolf Sinzinger, City Commandant of Vienna, was tasked with arresting party dignitaries and senior SS officers.

However, rather than frogmarch the accused to Wehrkreis XVII headquarters, they were to be invited and then detained; force was only to be used as a last resort.

Understandably, some of the individuals invited to the Old War Ministry were suspicious about the request,

especially at this late hour. Most did turn up, though some had to be cajoled into entering the building and others came armed. When they were all assembled they were briefed on the orders received and specifically the order to arrest them.

They accepted that Esebeck was only doing his duty and submitted to incarceration, the inconvenience being eased by the provision of brandy and cigars.

A teleprint was now received in Wehrkreis XVII headquarters detailing the As part of the investigation

appointment of political representatives to take up key roles in the city. These into the bomb plot,

individuals were known to be unsympathetic to the regime, which raised evidence was gathered to

doubts in Esebeck’s mind about what was going on. These concerns were establish how the attack was

carried out and by whom.

heightened with the receipt of a further message stating that the radio message These are the pliers that

talking of Hitler’s survival was untrue. If any doubt remained, it was swept were used by Stauffenberg

away by a telephone call from Keitel, who impressed on Kodré and Esebeck to break the glass vial that

in no uncertain terms that Hitler was alive and that the orders from Berlin would detonate the

were not to be followed. In a later call, Stauffenberg tried to convince Kodré explosives. They were left in

of the need to keep his nerve, but the call was cut off. Kodré and Esebeck tried the briefcase and damaged

in the blast. (NARA)

to call Witzleben, but without success; later they spoke to Burgdorf, who confirmed that a Putsch had been attempted but it had been unsuccessful and power still rested with Hitler. The Valkyrie orders were now cancelled and all the prisoners were released. The following day Esebeck, Sinzinger and Kodré explained themselves to Baldur von Schirach, the Gauleiter, but without success and they were imprisoned until the end of the war.

Events in Prague

Oddly, the adherence to the Valkyrie order was much more successful outside Germany and Austria. This was surprising because the German units in Czechoslovakia and France were in ‘occupied’ countries and were therefore surrounded by a population that was hostile to German forces of whatever hue. There was consequently a very real danger that any Putsch could lead to internal unrest.

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