Because the officer was shouting instructions to the firing squadvery loudly I could not hear Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg last words.
Did anyone else hear those words?
~
It was either "Long live our sacred or holy Germany" or possibley "secret Germany".
share"Don't shoot!!"
shareI dont think that is funny. Von Stauffenberg's last wrods are recorded as being "long live Sacred (Holy) Germany. He was nto afriad of dying, he knew that his chances of pulling off hte coup and surviving were slim but he had hte courage to do it.
shareYou're wrong. It was funny.
shareWhatever his last words were (I think, in the movie, he shouted "Long live sacred Germany"), the tragic fact remains that of a nation of almost 80 millions, at the time, only a handful of 'conspirators' took action and actively stood against Hitler. The total amount of people persecuted for Stauffenberg's ill fated attempt was, according to wikipedia, just shy of 5,000. Even if we say that for each of the 15 failed attempts on Hitler's life there was a similar amount of people persecuted (which there were not!) it amounts to 75,000, tops! Perhaps this is one of the main reasons Germans are so ashamed of their recent past. They did ELECT Hitler, TWICE, and then, when the war turned against them, they chose to remain at his side!
I could go on and compare numbers of people following anti-Nazi movements in occupied Europe with those in Germany. I could be VERY generous in my estimations and go as high as TENFOLD the number listed above (3/4 of a million is not low, is it?) BUT when compared with the millions that followed resistance in other parts (Yugoslavia, France, Greece and, above all, the USSR) it pales. If we say there were 800,000 Germans that truly resisted (not counting German Jews in KZ's at the time, let's limit this to "Aryan" Germans) it makes roughly 1-1.5% of the population. Add the Germans (Jewish or otherwise) that were in concentration camps (KZ for short) we may go as high as 3.5-4 million and that's 5% of the population total. In Greece alone, by the end of 1942, there were at least 1.5 million members of EAM (National Liberation Front) and about 35-45,000 members of its military branch, ELAS (Greek People's Liberation Army), when Greece had a total population no more than 8.5 millions (that's about 15%, if my math is not too far off), by the end of the war, around October 1944, membership in EAM had risen to 3.2 millions while armed partisans peaked at about 50,000 (While EAM was initially organized by communist elements it was followed by enormous parts of the general public due to its scope - liberating Greece from Nazi rule. After October 12, 1944, when Germans evacuated Athens, most of the non-communist members turned in their 'membership cards' since the objective was reached. Only hard core communists remained after December 1944 and it led to the Greek Civil War, between 1946 and 1949).
In Yugoslavia, under Marshall Tito, numbers soared. Armed Partizans peaked at 850,000 in early 1945. In France, estimates went from a low of 220,000 (1.1%) to as high as 2,000,000 (10%) of the adult population, quite remarkable if one thinks of the amount of "able" Frenchmen that were abroad at the time, fighting in various parts of the French "empire" (Indochina comes to mind) or alongside British forces wherever possible.
However admirable Stauffenberg's (and Co) attempt at, in the end, redeeming Germany of Nazi rule, the fact remains that Germans were complicit in FULL. They elected, they re-elected AND they remained faithful to the bitter end!! Maybe that's why they are so ashamed of the 12 years that plunged the world in an unprecedented bloodbath (if WWI was only in , small, part their fault, WWII was their fault in FULL and history has made sure nobody forgets it!). Perhaps Stauffenberg and the rest of the conspirators were the exception that confirmed the rule?
Cute and cuddly boyz!!
Stauffenberg and the rest of the conspirators are restorers of faith in humanity, no matter their number. Let's not discount the effect of propaganda on a citizenry. Germany and Japan are prime examples. It took me awhile to recognize that.
shareTrue!! If it weren't for them I could go on and say "all Germans were and still are Nazi at heart", which is not true of course, any way you slice it! I am just saying that the level of "participation" from the general German public during the Nazi regime was way above what the Germans themselves would care to admit - that's why they are so ashamed about it! They were complicit, in various levels for each group, and now they cannot deal with it!
Cute and cuddly boyz!!
Well, the only thing I know of German culture is their fine automobiles. So I can't comment on how much shame they harbor. But I would tell them that they shouldn't feel shame. Same with the North Koreans of today. They're not bad people. They are just completely ignorant thanks to their evil leadership.
share[deleted]
Interesting point... how about the Russians? Not Soviets but Russians? They didn't do much better than the Germans after 'freeing' Eastern Europe! They 'freed' Eastern Europe and then forgot to leave! Actually, if it wasn't for Stalin, there might not have been a WWII as he agreed to share Poland with the Germans thus prompting Britain and France to declare war on Germany! I really doubt Hitler would have invaded Poland without first agreeing with the Russians.
In my first line I mention Russians not Soviets... that's because the Russians treated Ukrainians (for example) worse than the Germans did! I know, I've been living in Ukraine for a few years and you hear things. Some Ukrainians actually helped the Germans to push the Russians out.
All in all, I just wanted to say that many people still talk badly about WWII Germans - so do I! Part of my family were murdered while others like my mum had to live in the Underground in London - but people forget that the Russians were on the same level.
In RL he called out "Long live Holy or Sacred Germany".
shareWhat are you talking about? The best the NSDAP ever did in free elections was 37.2% in July 1932. In the last free election in September of '32 they only got 33.1%, less than a third of all votes. Hitler was put into power by the old elites who made a coalition with the DNVP possible, thinking they could use Hitler as their puppet. Boy were they wrong.
Apart from that, lets not forget the millions of collaborators in countries like France, Croatia and the Netherlands. In the 30s there were also strong national socialist movements in Britain and the US.
In the end, you don't know how you would have acted if you had grown up in an environment of constant indoctrination and propaganda. Nobody does.
Finally someone who knows history, it's incredible how willfully ignorant people are. I also resent the attitude of modern keyboard warriors on how people back then should have behaved, should have resisted. How many of today's people actively resist their government on matters they disagree with in countries where such practices don't even remotely put their lifes at risk?
shareExcellent post, Maegnas; I was thinking the exact same thing while watching this film today. I thought, here is a nation given ONE more chance to do the right thing and what do they choose? Not to.
The film keeps demonstrating, at first, officials blindly following orders--whatever orders come down from up high ("Send both orders through, our job is not to interpret," says one of the lackeys).
Later, however, each and every one of the those "just following orders" took it upon themselves to side with the wrong side. It was a beautifully tragic commentary on the nature of the beast.
-This is my signature. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
@Maegnas
Excuse me? should the majority of the Americans answer for Iraq because you know.. bush was re-elected.
Hitler wasn't a bad leader for the German people before the war, he acted very much in good favor for the country and many of his actions were justified before it became a dictatorship were any voice of different opinion (that hadn't been kept in control by effective state propaganda like the majority) was suppressed and killed off, maybe you missed this part?
These countries you listed were UNDER OCCUPATION by a foreign power, of course that is going to attract and grow much more intense resistance groups than a country simply "defending itself" as many Germans were led to believe.
Not just Germany, Soviet controlled areas and countries were not too happy about their situation either, during and after the war and there were MANY revolts.
These people had not been steadily indoctrinated like the ordinary peasant in Russia or Germany, it was actually a very easy task to denounce the invaders way of things and instead fight "for king and country".
Your thesis would also suggest that the millions in the Soviet union, who were murdered by the Soviet Union and later in the war also "got what they deserved" because they were led to believe in the wrong man and fooled by a vicious system.
Although this will surely make no difference in your opinion of the people of Germany at the time, you have to understand the reasons why he was elected in the first place. The reelections were a foregone conclusion, as he never would have not been reelected.
You also have to understand the reasons why so few people tried to do anything about him. The vast majority of the citizens of Germany didn't know the extent of the atrocities committed in their name. They also didn't know the precarious situation the country was in toward the later stages of the war. Propaganda was a HUGE and extremely successful part of their society.
Also, to try anything was tantamount to killing yourself. No one but the military people could ever get close to him, and, like we now know, some finally did.
To blame the entire country for what happened and say the citizens were complicit in full is vastly shortsighted, and ridiculously simplified.
"Well, the world needs ditch diggers, too."
I dont think that is funny. Von Stauffenberg's last wrods are recorded as being "long live Sacred (Holy) Germany. He was nto afriad of dying, he knew that his chances of pulling off hte coup and surviving were slim but he had hte courage to do it.
Lighten up, Francis. Actually, you know what is really funny is your atrocious spelling. Seriously, you should think about suing whatever school district from which you graduated.
Two obviously mechanical typos is not "atrocious spelling". Sheesh. Get a grip for gosh sake.
[deleted]
That was bloody funny mate
shareThey most likely were "Lang lebe heiliges Deutschland" - long live holy Germany.
In Finland we have this thing called "reilu meininki"
I believe they're meant to be "(Long live) Secret Germany" (i.e. the Germany opposing Hitler) as "Secret Germany" (Geheime Deutschland) was the name given by the poet Stefan George to some writings/poetry imagining a (benign) quasi-spiritual aristocracy. (Remember, von Stauffenburg was an aristocrat.)
Apologies if this has already been suggested.
I knew there was a reason I associated "Secret Germany" with von Stauffenburg. These may be of interest:
• http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Germany-Stauffenberg-Operation-Valkyrie/d p/1602392692/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1361058187&sr= 1-1&keywords=Secret+Germany
• http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Germany-Stefan-George-Circle/dp/B004JZX4I 2/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1361058187&sr=1-2&key words=Secret+Germany
His last words translate to:
Long live sacred Germany
Realize that what you were listening to was the English translation; his real last words were spoken in German and would not even sound similar to 'secret Germany'
He was proud and loyal to Germany; just not to Hitler (who he felt was destroying his beloved country). When speaking of Germany it was common for religious men to say holy Germany or sacred Germany; just as some people romanticize their own patriotism and might say 'my beloved homeland'
Also note: it is called 'Sacred Germany' several times throughout the film, never once did any character say secret Germany (if you are hearing it wrong, try watching with subtitles or download the script)
You are probably right as Stauffenberg and his brothers were among the young admirers of Stefan George, the s called George-Kreis. This poet was also known for his ... let's say "Old Greek" interests. I guess Bryan Singer was aware of that.
shareLeaving the movie aside, what Von Stauffenberg ACTUALLY shouted was " Long Live The German Democratic Republic!" There are two eyewitness statements giving identical accounts of his last words, which were meant to give Hitler a last slap in the face. It was that very institution he had overthrown. Secondly..some of you ask why there wasn't more resistance against the regime.
The answer is obvious. There might of been a faster way of dying in Nazi Germany..but i can't think of one! If you resisted,you died. If you showed signs of dissent, you died. It wasn't just you either, your ENTIRE family got hauled off to a camp by the Gestapo! Just listening to our B.B.C. on the radio got you beheaded!
Children in the Hitler Youth would denounce their own parents to the Police...farting out of key got you locked up! Most civilians stayed dumb because that was how they stayed breathing! Active resistance was tantimount to suicide. Google Sophie Scholl or The White Rose Movement, you'll soon find out how Nazi Germany dealt with resistance!
As a footnote..50,000 Jewish people survived the war in Berlin..moving from house to house every night. The secret network that sheltered them was comprised of ordinary Germans...disgusted at what Hitler was doing in their name.
The Nazi's were SCUM!..but not all Germans were Nazis..they just didn't want to die to prove it!
Good points Gary. Anyone know what Stauffenberg's last meal was or if he got one?
shareGerman prisons of that time period were not known for giving any special treatment or last meals to prisoners being executed.
If he ate anything at all it was likely standard prison rations (gruel) or just stale bread and water.
Von Stauffenberg wasn't given time for a cigarette..let alone a meal! Already wounded in the shoulder, he & the others faced General Fromm's flying court martial (nothing more than a kangeroo court to you & me!)
They were marched/dragged down to the courtyard of the Bendlerblock, stood on a sandpile..and shot!
Fromm was ambiguous at best as regards the plot, & "swapped" sides once he saw which way the wind was blowing. He tried to save his own neck..hoping a speedy firing squad would cover up his tacit complicity in the plot. It didn't work..whilst Rommel had the option of suicide ( albeit because his family was threatened) Fromm was executed. Himmler had a long reach, hundreds died..and died horribly. Just being an associate of someone implicated in the plot was enough to get you a one way ticket to the "peoples court"
The wise ones made use of their personal sidearm before the Gestapo turned up.
Those men were some of the bravest of the brave.
They're all worthy of everlasting rememberance!
Fromm was screaming treason in the movie and refused to join the coup so where was he complicit?
shareUm. He was complicit because he sat on the fence. He didn't immediately turn Stauffenberg & Co. over to the Nazis, hoping that he might reap some advantage from whatever they accomplished. Make sense now?
shareThe movie was just that.
A movie..and inaccurate. Don't use Valkyrie as a basis for your study of the 20 July bomb plot!
Fromm only called the men had shot "traitors" in a vain attempt to save his own neck!
(see my post above) Google Claus Von Stauffenberg..go to the bibliography, there are many superb books that detail Fromm's complicity in the assassination attempt, along with his frantic efforts to distance himself from Stauffenberg once it was clear things had gone badly wrong!
If you are interested in the 20 July bomb plot (& you clearly are!) DON'T refer to films in general,(& this one in particular) for information. Movies are to historical fact what submarines are to space flight! By all means enjoy the film..but bearin mind that what you see ISN'T what happened!
Is the German Valkyrie movie more accurate? I think it came out in the 80s or 90s. I've seen part of it and it seems a bit more accurate but one of you experts can expand on that.
shareI've not had the chance to see that film, so someone other than I will have to comment. If it's on a par with "Downfall" it'll be some movie!
I await somebody's review with interest!
I think this the German movie. It came out in 2004.
http://m.imdb.com/title/tt0388437/
There is another one called "The Plot to Kill Hitler" from 1990 but it's American.