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Claus von Stauffenberg took his briefcase bomb to three conferences with Hitler. 

On 11 July 1944 he attended a conference in the Berghof, in the Bavarian alps, but generals in the conspiracy ordered him not to go ahead if Himmler was not present. On 15 July he took the bomb to the Wolf’s Lair in East Prussia (see episode cover photograph). In a long telephone call the generals were again reluctant to have the bomb detonated with Himmler absent. Claus decided to go ahead anyway – but the telephone call with the generals had taken so long that the conference was over.

On 20 July 1944 Stauffenberg flew to the Wolf’s Lair again. 

Shown to a sitting room to change his shirt, Claus set about arming the bomb – a delicate task. When he had set fuses in the first lump of plastic explosive, he was interrupted by a badly timed telephone call. He was unable to arm the second lump of explosive.

He took the briefcase into the conference. He placed the bomb close to Hitler, and quietly asked to make a call outside. He strode from the briefing hut.

At 12.41 an explosion sent a sheet of flame into the air. Several people were killed. Claus saw a body carried out covered in Hitler’s personal cloak.

He was able to bluff his way out of the Wolf’s Lair and fly back to Berlin.

In Berlin, information was confused. Unsure whether Hitler was dead, the officers dithered.

Meanwhile, after initial confusion, the Nazis’ suspicion hardened around Stauffenberg. They ordered his plane shot down.

Written and narrated by Brian Walters

Original music, editing and sound design by the amazing Sam Loy

Artwork by Mike Vernon.

Episode Transcript

A full transcript of the episode is available here.

Read the book TREASON

You can read more about Claus von Stauffenberg and the German resistance to Hitler, in the book Treasonby Brian Walters.

For those with iPads, Treason is available as an interactive Apple Book here.

The hard copy can be bought here.

If you live out of Australia, the hard copy is best purchased from Blurb.

There is also a Kindle version.

Resources

For a list of the creative commons music and sound effects used in this episode, head here.

Finally …

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By all means contact me, Brian Walters, by email on walters@vicbar.com.au

TREASON: Claus von Stauffenberg and the plot to kill Hitler