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Verner HaftenGerman lawyer and officer.
Date of Birth: 09.10.1908
Country:  Germany |
Content:
- Werner von Haeften: A Key Figure in the German Resistance
- Military Service and the Eastern Front
- Anti-Nazi Resistance
- The July 20 Plot and Its Aftermath
- Execution and Treatment of Remains
- Legacy
Werner von Haeften: A Key Figure in the German Resistance
Early Life and EducationWerner von Haeften was born into a Prussian aristocratic family. His maternal uncle was Field Marshal Walther von Brauchitsch, and his father worked in the Imperial Archive. Haeften studied law at the University of Berlin and later worked as a legal advisor at the Hamburg Bank.
Military Service and the Eastern Front
With the outbreak of World War II, Haeften joined the Wehrmacht and rose to the rank of Oberleutnant. He fought on the Eastern Front, where he was severely wounded. In November 1943, Haeften was assigned to the German Army General Staff as an aide to Colonel Count Claus von Stauffenberg.
Anti-Nazi Resistance
Haeften's connection with Stauffenberg and other conspirators brought him into the movement against Adolf Hitler. He became an active member of the July 20 Plot of 1944, which aimed to assassinate Hitler and overthrow the Nazi regime.
The July 20 Plot and Its Aftermath
On July 20, 1944, Haeften accompanied Stauffenberg to the Wolf's Lair, Hitler's headquarters. After the assassination attempt, he flew back to Berlin with Stauffenberg and remained with him throughout the day. However, the plot failed, and Haeften was arrested that evening.
Execution and Treatment of Remains
Haeften was executed by firing squad along with Stauffenberg, Friedrich Olbricht, and Albrecht Mertz von Quirnheim. Their bodies were initially buried in the cemetery of St. Matthias Church in Berlin. However, Hitler later ordered their exhumation, cremation, and scattering of their ashes.
Legacy
Werner von Haeften and his fellow conspirators are remembered as heroes of the German resistance. Their actions, though ultimately unsuccessful, demonstrated their bravery and determination to oppose the Nazi tyranny.
