Hitler's death planner dies at 90In the News

March 13, 2013 13:16
Hitler's death planner dies at 90

While the attempt of assassination has failed, von Kleist was chosen yet again for another attempt that very year which became very popular as the July 20 Plot later. He was the last surviving member of the group of officers associated with the plan to kill Fuhrer on July 20, 1944.

He was born into a family that was opposing the Hitler even before he came to power on July 10th 1922 in Schmenzin, Pommerania of Northeastern Germany, today's Poland. All his family were in high-ranking positions of the military and the administration departments.

Though his family was against the Nazi principles, von Kleist became a part of the German Army in 1940. After he was recovering from the wounds of the war on the eastern Front in 1943, he was asked by Col. Claus von Stauffenberg in 1944 to aid him in his plan to kill Hitler. He was asked to be the model for a new uniform Hitler was to wear. Stauffenberg told him that a suicide bomb would be concealed in the vest and that it would be blown up when he is beside Hitler.

Von Kleist told his father about the plot to kill Hitler and the father agreed without hesitation. It was not lack of love but the strength of the man to lose a son for the greater good. "Fathers love their sons and mine certainly did, and I had been quite sure he would say no," von Kleist recalled. "But, as always, I had underestimated him." Valkyrie, starring Tom Cruise, also brought this movie to the big screen where Tom played Stauffenberg. Only months later, Stauffenberg contacted Kleist for another plot with a suitcase of bombs to be planted in his office.

The plans were later changed and Stauffenberg himself planted the bombs. The briefcase was moved from the originally intended position and Hitler was saved from the attack. Von Kleist remained in Berlin, charged with overseeing the arrest of officers and officials loyal to Hitler in the city.

Stauffenberg, Kleist's father and thousands of others were arrested and executed after the foiled plot in revenge. Kleist was arrested but inexplicably he was let go from the concentration after being questioned by the Gestapo.

Munich Security Service Conference awarded him the the U.S. Department of Defense's Medal for Distinguished Public Service in 1991, its highest award for a civilian. He also held Germany's Federal Order of Merit and France's Officier de la Legion d'Honneur.

His funeral services would be private and minimal, since, he preferred nothing big, his wife said.


(AW- Anil)

If you enjoyed this Post, Sign up for Newsletter

(And get daily dose of political, entertainment news straight to your inbox)

Rate This Article
(0 votes)