Claus Von Stauffenberg was a was a German army officer and Catholic aristocrat who was one of the leading members of the failed 20 July plot of 1944 to assassinate Adolf Hitler and remove the Nazi Party from power. Along with Henning von Tresckow and Hans Oster , he was one of the central figures of the German Resistance movement within the Wehrmacht, but was Claus a hero or a villain.
Some say hero some say villain. I say hero. Stauffenberg formed something called the 20 July plot, He saved thousands of lives by setting back the German forces and he sacrificed his own life for the good of his own country Claus Von Stauffenberg was a German army officer AKA Colonel Stauffenberg.
Although Stauffenberg agreed with some of the Nazi party’s nationalistic beliefs, he found many aspects of its ideology extremely distasteful and unacceptable therefore never became a member of the party Since Stauffenberg was a practicing catholic, the growing systematic ill-treatment of Jews and suppression of religion had offended Stauffenberg’s strong personal sense of Catholic religious morality and justice. [1] Stauffenberg’s strong beliefs forced him to form the 20 July plot with the help of Henning Von Tresckow, he united the conspirators.
Basically the plan was to assassinate Adolf Hitler in his Wolf’s lair field headquarters near Rastenburg, using a set of explosives in a brief case planted in the bunker next to the fuehrer by Stauffenberg. Although the attempts were failures, it doesn’t mean they should go un-noticed. To even attempt to do what Stauffenberg did takes courage and is a sure act of heroism in my eyes. When it comes to 20 July plot, it doesn’t only consist of killing Hitler, because that wouldn’t do that much because another leader would just take his place.
For their plan to work well Claus would need the help of General-Major Henning Von Tresckow, part B of the plan was to turn each district of Europe and Berlin to follow the side of the resistance. After the bombing, false news had spread around Europe that Hitler was dead, so generals were very panicked to find a side they should take. Naturally they took Stauffenberg’s side and quickly started arresting all Nazi’s that weren’t with Stauffenberg. Unfortunately it all came to a screeching halt when one general was sent to arrest Joseph Goebbels and Goebbels had apparently had Adolf on the line.
The new news was spread quickly and Generals went back to doing what they were doing before, before Hitler notice they had left his army. This set back Hitler’s plans greatly and saved many lives from being taken by the Nazi’s which certainly seems like the act of a hero. To lay your life on the line for people you know and love is one thing. But laying your life down on the line for thousands of people who don’t know you, that’s something else entirely, that’s heroism. Stauffenberg saw the corrupted and cruel fascist ways of the Nazi government and knew it wasn’t what Germany needed. He decided Germany needed the entire Nazi party gone.
So he risked his life on July 20th for the people of Germany so his country could flourish and be healthy. Unfortunately the Hero was executed immediately after he was arrested, without trial for high treason on July 21st.
In conclusion Colonel Claus Von Stauffenberg should be deemed a hero in the eyes of society for the valorous acts he committed in the Second World War. Although he failed, his efforts did not go unforgotten. He formed the 20 July plan, he saved thousands of lives and he risked his life for the greater good of his country, if that’s not a hero, I don’t know what is.
