List of people killed or wounded in the 20 July plot

Main article: 20 July plot
A black-and-white photograph of six men in military uniforms while surveying a shattered conference building.
Hermann Göring and Martin Bormann surveying the shattered conference hut shortly after the explosion. Neither man was present during the conference.[1]
People present at the 20 July conference
Outcome   Victims
Slightly injured
7
Injured
11
Seriously injured
2
Killed
4

On 22 June 1944, the Soviet Armed Forces launched a massive attack against the German forces based in Belorussia, which were made up of two strategic army groups known as Army Group Centre.[2] By mid July, Army Group Centre had lost no fewer than 250,000 men in less than a month of fighting, making the German position close to hopeless.[3][4]

In deciding what to do, a series of military conferences were scheduled at the Wolf's Lair headquarters in East Prussia.[5] On 20 July, Adolf Hitler and his top military commanders entered the briefing hut of the headquarters, as the usual bombproof room, with no windows and thick walls of solid concrete, was considered "unbearably hot".[5] In attendance was Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, who had lost an eye, his right hand and half his left in action during the North African theatre.[6] Undetected by Hitler's ring of bodyguards, Stauffenberg carried a British-made bomb in his briefcase.[7] His plan was to get as close as possible to Hitler, leave the briefcase nearby, and then make an excuse to quickly leave the conference by car with his adjutant and fellow conspirator Werner von Haeften.[5] This was part of a larger planned coup d'état led by a group of army officers who were appalled by the way Hitler was leading Germany.[8] Everything proceeded according to plan, until the bomb exploded as Stauffenberg walked towards his car, earlier than hoped.[5] When the explosion tore through the hut, Stauffenberg was convinced that no one in the room could have survived.[5] Unbeknownst to Stauffenberg, staff officer Heinz Brandt had moved the briefcase containing the bomb further away from Hitler, placing it behind a solid wooden table leg, as it was in his way. Hitler survived with only minor injuries,[9] as did most of the others present, although three officers and a stenographer were killed.[5]

Although strictly against security doctrines imposed at the Wolf's Lair, Stauffenberg and Haeften were allowed to pass through all three checkpoints and proceed to the airport, succeeding in getting away before clarity could be established back at the now completely demolished briefing hut.[5] In the last hours of 20 July, Stauffenberg, Haeften, and several other plotters, were arrested and summarily condemned to death.[1] The executions were carried out by soldiers under Major Otto Remer early on the morning of 21 July.[1]

Following the assassination attempt Hitler came to believe that the Wehrmacht leadership could not be trusted; he launched a purge of the officer corps and also used the shock of the attack to round up all the surviving members of the old opposition in the Reichstag.[1] At the same time, those officers who had been injured or killed by the bomb were awarded the 20 July Wound Badge and hailed as heroes.[10] General Günther Korten, General Rudolf Schmundt, Colonel Heinz Brandt and stenographer Heinz Berger were given a state funeral with a eulogy delivered by Vice-Chancellor Hermann Göring.[1]

Participants

Alphabetically listed per their Christian name
Name Rank Position Years of Service Outcome Image Ref.
Heusinger, AdolfAdolf Heusinger Generalleutnant Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Army 1915–1945 and 1955–1964 Slightly injured A black-and-white photograph of a smiling man sitting down in civilian clothing. [5]
Hitler, AdolfAdolf Hitler Supreme Commander of the German Armed Forces Führer und Reichskanzler 1935–1945 Slightly injured A black-and-white photograph of a man in a semi-military uniform while crossing his hands. [5]
Jodl, AlfredAlfred Jodl General Chief of Staff of the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW) 1910–1945 Slightly injured A black-and-white photograph of a military figure with a chest order in the shape of an Iron Cross. [5]
von Freyend, Ernst JohnErnst John von Freyend Major Adjutant to Wilhelm Keitel
—
 Injured
—
 [11]
von Sonnleithner, FranzFranz von Sonnleithner
—
 Foreign Ministry representative
—
 Injured
—
 [12]
Korten, GüntherGünther Korten Generaloberst Chief of General Staff of the Luftwaffe 1914–1944 Killed A black-and-white photograph of a smiling man in a military uniform. [5]
Voss, Hans-ErichHans-Erich Voss Konteradmiral Liaison officer
—
 Injured
—
 [13]
Borgmann, HeinrichHeinrich Borgmann Oberstleutnant Adjutant to Adolf Hitler 1932–1945 Seriously injured
—
 [14][5]
Assmann, HeinzHeinz Assmann Kapitän zur See Staff officer
—
 Injured
—
 [15]
Heinz Berger
—
 Stenographer
—
 Killed
—
 [16][5]
Brandt, HeinzHeinz Brandt Oberst Aide-de-camp to Adolf Heusinger 1925–1944 Killed
—
 [5]
Heinz Buchholz
—
 Stenographer
—
 Injured
—
 [12]
Heinz Waizenegger Oberstleutnant Staff officer
—
 Injured
—
 [17]
Büchs, HerbertHerbert Büchs Major Adjutant to Alfred Jodl
—
 Injured
—
 [12]
Fegelein, HermannHermann Fegelein SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Schutzstaffel (SS) representative 1925–1945 Injured A black-and-white photograph of a smiling man in semi profile wearing a military uniform and a neck order in shape of an Iron Cross. [18]
Bodenschatz, KarlKarl Bodenschatz General Adjutant to Hermann Göring 1910–1945 Seriously injured
—
 [19][5]
von Puttkamer, Karl-JeskoKarl-Jesko von Puttkamer Konteradmiral Naval adjutant to Adolf Hitler 1917–1945 Injured A black-and-white up-and-front photograph of a naval officer. [20][5]
von Below, NicolausNicolaus von Below Oberst Luftwaffe adjutant to Adolf Hitler 1929–1945 Injured A black-and-white photograph of a man wearing a military uniform and adjutant ribbons on his right shoulder. [21]
Günsche, OttoOtto Günsche Sturmbannführer Schutzstaffel (SS) adjutant and bodyguard to Adolf Hitler 1933–1945 Slightly injured A black-and-white up-and-front photograph of an SS officer in paramilitary uniform. [22][5]
Schmundt, RudolfRudolf Schmundt General Chief of the Army Staff Office 1914–1944 Killed A black-and-white photograph of a smiling man wearing a military uniform. [23][5]
Buhle, WaltherWalther Buhle General der Infanterie Chief of Army Staff at the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW) 1914–1944 Injured A black-and-white up-and-front photograph of a smiling man wearing a military uniform. [24]
Keitel, WilhelmWilhelm Keitel Feldmarschall Chief of the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW) 1901–1945 Slightly injured A black-and-white photograph of a man wearing a military uniform and a neck order in shape of an Iron Cross. [5]
Scherff, WalterWalter Scherff Generalmajor Military historian
—
 Slightly injured
—
 [25][5]
Warlimont, WalterWalter Warlimont General Deputy Chief of Staff of the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW) 1914–1945 Slightly injured A black-and-white up-and-front photograph of a man wearing a military uniform. [5]

Approximate positions of participants when bomb exploded

Approximate positions of the attendees at the meeting in relation to the briefcase bomb when it exploded: 1. Adolf Hitler 2. Adolf Heusinger 3. Günther Korten 4. Heinz Brandt 5. Karl Bodenschatz 6. Heinz Waizenegger 7. Rudolf Schmundt 8. Heinrich Borgmann 9. Walther Buhle 10. Karl-Jesko von Puttkamer 11. Heinz Berger 12. Heinz Assmann 13. Ernst John von Freyend 14. Walter Scherff 15. Hans-Erich Voss 16. Otto Günsche 17. Nicolaus von Below 18. Hermann Fegelein 19. Heinz Buchholz 20. Herbert Büchs 21. Franz von Sonnleithner 22. Walter Warlimont 23. Alfred Jodl 24. Wilhelm Keitel.

See also

References

Sources

Printed

  • Domarus, Max (2004). Speeches and Proclamations, 1932–1945. University of Virginia. ISBN 978-0865162310. 
  • Eberle, Henrik; Uhl, Matthias (2009). The Hitler Book: The Secret Dossier Prepared for Stalin. PublicAffairs. ISBN 978-0786734917. 
  • Hamilton, Charles (1984). Leaders & Personalities of the Third Reich. R. James Bender Publishing. ISBN 0-912138-27-0. 
  • Hoffmann, Peter (1996). History of the German Resistance, 1933–1945. McGill-Queen's Press. ISBN 978-0773566408. 
  • Housden, Martyn (2013). Resistance and Conformity in the Third Reich. Routledge. ISBN 978-1134808465. 
  • Kershaw, Ian (2008). Hitler: A Biography. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 0-393-06757-2. 
  • Miller, Michael (2006). Leaders of the SS and German Police. R. James Bender Publishing. ISBN 978-93-297-0037-2. 
  • Moorhouse, Roger (2010). Berlin at War. Basic Books. ISBN 978-0465022755. 
  • Short, Neil; Dennis, Peter (2013). Kill Hitler – Operation Valkyrie 1944. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1780962603. 
  • Shirer, William (1960). The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0-671-62420-0. 
  • Weinberg, Gerhard (2013). Hitler's Foreign Policy 1933–1939: The Road to World War II. Enigma Books. ISBN 978-1936274840. 
  • Williamson, Gordon (2002). World War II German Battle Insignia. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1841763521. 
  • Williamson, Gordon (2002). German Army Elite. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1841764054. 
  • Zaloga, Steven (1996). Bagration 1944: The Destruction of Army Group Centre. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85532-478-7. 
  • Zeimke, Earl (2014). From Stalingrad to Berlin. Pen & Sword. ISBN 978-1473848085. 


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