They Almost Killed Hitler

Book excerpt: Originally published in 1947, this book chronicles the assassination attempts on Adolf Hitler, both of which Fabian von Schlabrendorff, a major leader in the resistance against Hitler, played a direct role. The first attempt took place on 13 March 1943: During a visit by Adolf Hitler to Army Group Center Headquarters in Smolensk, Schlabrendorff smuggled a time bomb, disguised as bottles of cognac, onto the aircraft which carried Hitler back to Germany. The bomb detonator failed to go off, however, most likely due of the cold in the aircraft luggage compartment. Schlabrendorff managed to retrieve the bomb the next day and elude detection. A further attempt followed on 20 July 1944: Claus von Stauffenberg and other conspirators, including Schlabrendorff, attempted to kill Hitler inside his Wolf’s Lair field headquarters near Rastenburg, East Prussia, in what would become known as Operation Valkyrie. The plot was the culmination of the efforts by several groups in the German resistance to overthrow the Nazi German government. The failure of the assassination and the military coup d’état which was planned to follow led to the arrest of at least 7,000 people by the Gestapo—including Schlabrendorff—of whom 4,980 were executed.