German Resistance

The 20th anniversary of the unsuccessful attempt to assassinate Hitler was honoured in West Berlin. Dr. Luebke placed a wreath at the foot of a statue to the memory of Count Stauffenberg, leader of the resistance men. Dr. Gerstenmaier. himself one of the few survivors of the plot, said that abroad the plotters had often been dismissed as men who had revolted against Hitler only when they realised that the war was lost. This was a wrong assessment, as there had been a resistance movement in Germany since 1938. Nor was it true that the plotters were out to ease the way of the Western Powers to victory. Their aim had been to ” end the robbery and violence, the murder and torture being committed in Germany’s name “. The day was not for recrimination, but the failure of the Western Powers to back the plotters had ” handicapped the chances of a successful coup”.