Ah, you see, not only did the Nazi regime kill “others,” they killed themselves, too. The Hitler scheme did not work out too well considering it came to an end as it did. The July Plot of 1944 was a good example of this. It was the pure encapsulation of the distaste for the Nazis. Even some of the most proud and devout Nazis had disdain for the Hitler regime. The Nazi war machine was a ticking time bomb waiting to explode, but it ultimately ended by the hands of others. However, it’s not to say that some of the people on the same side did not help. These are the 10 Nazi generals killed by Nazis, which does not include Claus because he was a colonel.
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While some Nazis came to the aid of the Allies, some had something else brewing in mind for their fascist dictator Adolf Hitler. Many of them wanted to end the regime, but the reasons may not necessarily surprise you. Everyone had a different motivation, but it does not mean that they did not meet their demise. Not every war “hero” turned “criminal” in the eyes of the Nazi had a pact with the devil, so maybe it was the other way around. Ultimately, many of those who decided to face fascism died at it’s hand, one way or another. I’m going to list here the top 10 Nazi generals who were killed by the Nazis.
10 Nazi Generals Killed By Nazis
1. Erwin Rommel
Johannes Erwin Eugen Rommel was a German general and military theorist born in Heidenheim an der Brenz, Germany in 1891. Rommel was known as the Desert Fox because of his campaigns fought in North Africa for the Nazi forces during World War 2. He is known as being the most popular field marshal of the German armed forces amongst the German people. He even gained the respect of his enemies from his victories as commander of the Africa Korps. In spite of his powerful control over the Wehrmacht, Rommel ended up becoming doubtful of their prospects. He questioned the Germans place in war and wished to seek peace with the Allied Powers.
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Knowing Hitler could not make peace with it or a potential loss, this grew on Rommel. In the Spring of 1944, Rommel was approached by some of his friend’s who had joined the clandestine opposition. Little did Rommel know that they were planning to assassinate Hitler. This was in spite of them saying that he would take over if anything were to happen to Hitler. Rommel had on several occasions pointed the obvious fact of a lost war out to Hitler. He was saying that they should come to terms with the western powers. Rommel was also not one for means of murder to reach political ends, having had ignored Hitler’s orders on several occasions.
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Later on in July of 1944, Rommel’s car was attacked by British fighter-bombers and suffered a head injury. In August, he returned to duty after the failed July Plot to assassinate Hilter, and his conjunction with the conspirators came to light. Hitler did not want Rommel, known as the “People’s marshal,” to appear before the court as his enemy. This would mean that Rommel would end up being taken to the gallows and hung. Hitler later sent two generals to him, offering him poison to avoid a sullied reputation for him and his family. Rommel later committed suicide by taking the poison later the same year in October.
2. Erich Hoepner
Erich Hoepner was a German general born in Frankfurt, Germany in 1886. He joined the German Army during World War 1 and became a member of the Freikorps, a German paramilitary force. By 1938, having remained in the army, he reached the rank of Major General in the Nazi Army, taking part in the invasion of Czechoslovakia and Poland. Hoepner even placed the tanks at the disposal of the conspirators for the intended 1938 coup against Hilter. Early the next year, Hoepner succeeded Guderian as head of the 16th Army Corps, and in 1940, led his troops in France and chased Allied forces to Dunkirk.
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Most of what drove Hoepner was the fight against the Russians. He was taking charge in various operations and battles, including Operation Barbarossa. Caring little for other causes, Hoepner declared his hatred and disgust with the Russian people. His reasons being in part of the survival of the “German people”. Later on, after a battle in Leningrad and a movement towards Moscow in 1941, Hoepner withdrew his troops to avoid being annihilated. Hitler was furious, and so he decided to discharge Hoepner in 1942 for withdrawing troops against his will. Although, he did allow him to maintain his rights and pension.
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Later on Hoepner joined the July Plot to overthrow Hilter and became Commander-in-Chief of the Home Army to help initiate Operation Valkyrie. He was later arrested, he declined to commit suicide and faced the People’s Court. Hoepner was later found guilty of treason and hanged at a prison in August of 1994.
10 Nazi Generals Killed By Nazis
3. Ludwig Beck
Ludwig August Theodor Beck was a German general who was born in Biebrich, Germany in 1880. Beck distinguished himself in World War 1 as an artillery officer, and later became chief of the army general staff from 1935-1938. However, in 1938, after becoming chief of the elite general staff, resigned after protesting to conquer Czechoslovakia.
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Beck later failed to organize an army opposing Hitler, but he soon became recognized as the leader of the conspirators of Germany. Seen as a possible president for Germany, especially if Hitler were to fall, took part in the July Plot to overthrow Hitler. After the plot failed, Beck later attempted to commit suicide by gunshot, but failed. He was then given a Coup de grâce by a fellow officer shortly after by being shot in the back of the neck.
4. Wilhem Canaris
Wilhelm Franz Canaris was a German general born in Aplerbeck, Germany in 1887. Wilhelm was an admiral and head of military intelligence, known as Abwehr, and he was key to the opposition of the military officers against Hitler. Having served in the Navy in World War 1, he already began his streak against fascism by being apart of the military tribunal that sentenced the murderers of German communist theoretician Rosa Luxemburg. However, he also helped one of the officers invovled escape, paving the way for this anti-authoritarian tendency he had.
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After being appointed head of military intelligence in 1935, he organized German aid to Francisco Franco of Spain during the Spanish Civil War. Canaris eventually started to believe that the Nazi regime would destroy traditional conservative values, thinking that the foreign ambition of Germany at the time would ruin the country. Because of this, he later enlisted many of the conspirators against Hitler and shielded their activities. He was later caught and investigated by the Schutzstaffel and transferred to the economic staff of the armed forces. Later, after the July Plot was crushed, Canaris was arrested and executed.
10 Nazi Generals Killed By Nazis
5. Henning von Tresckow
Henning Hermann Karl Robert von Tresckow was a German Major General born in Magdeburg, Germany in 1901. Besides his load of a name, he joined to fight in World War 1 and became a junior officer afterwards. Afterwards, he decided to make a career being a stock broker, rejoined the army in 1924, and by 1938 was a decorated lieutenant colonel. He later was involved in the invasion of Czechoslovakia, becoming disgusted with the Gestapo and SS and their treatment and murder of Red Army soldiers.
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Thinking that Nazi Germany should be overthrown, he decided to up his rank to gain access to others, becoming a general staff officer. He then started to recruit others to join his conspirator plot to overthrow Adolf Hitler. After an attempt to bomb a plane Hitler was on failed because of a malfunctioning detonator in 1943, he remained undetected and was made chief of staff to the Second Army. Having recruited Claus Von Stauffenberg in 1942, he went on to help with the July Plot of 1944. The plot failed, and Tresckow went to the Eastern Front and blew his head up with a grenade.
6. Erwin von Witzleben
Erwin von Witzleben was a German general born in Breslau, Germany in 1881. Witzleben was a field marshal who started out in the military in 1901. Later on, he served in World War 1, earning the Iron Cross. Remaining in the army, he rose in the the ranks, and in 1934, he reached the rank of major general. Being an opponent of Hitler’s government, he made an inquiry about the death of someone involved after the Night of the Long Knives. After becoming furious about a trumped up charge against his friend related to homosexuality, he further made plans to overthrow Hitler.
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Now considering a coup against Hitler, the Gestapo later found out, and in 1938, he was forced to resign. He later conspired with others mentioned earlier in this list to create a plan to overthrow Hitler. Witzleben was later called back to the army and promoted to the rank of field marshal. He was later plotting again, the Gestapo found out again, and he was forced to retire again. He later got involved with the July Plot in 1944 and was promoted again to Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. The next day, he was arrested, sent to court and humiliated by showing up without his belt false teeth. In August, he was hung by a piano wire from a meat hook.
10 Nazi Generals Killed By Nazis
7. Friedrich Olbricht
Friedrich Olbricht was a German general born in Leisnig, Germany in 1888. He fought in the First World War, and by 1938 was a lieutenant general. In 1940, he then became the chief of the General Army Office in Berlin, later becoming disillusioned by the Nazi regime. Olbricht then joined fellow conspirators of the July Plot and became part of the resistance. He was the one who gave signal to take over power after the attempted assassination plot to murder Hitler.
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After it was clear that their little plan had failed, Friedrich Fromm, a fellow officer, decided that, in order to protect himself, he would organize the executions of Olbricht and other involved officers, including Claus Von Stauffenberg and Werner von Haeften. He was later arrested and executed via firing squad in the courtyard of the War Ministry.
8. Carl-Heinrich von Stülpnagel
Carl-Heinrich von Stülpnagel was a German general born in Berlin, Germany in 1886. Born to a wealthy and aristocratic family, Stulpnagel later joined the German Army at the age of 18. He later served in the First World War and helped put down the German Revolution of 1919.
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Reaching the rank of colonel in 1933, he was a staunch opponent of Hitler and the Nazi Party. He later joined the group of officers mentioned here to oppose the Gestapo. Although he was no advocate of Hitler, he still rose in the ranks, led an army after Operation Barbarossa and advocated for the extermination of the Jews. He later took part in the July Plot of 1944 and was hanged the same year in August for his participation.
10 Nazi Generals Killed By Nazis
9. Erich Fellgiebel
Erich Fellgiebel was a German general born in Pöpelwitz, Germany in 1886. Fellgiebel was in the Prussian Army during the First World War, and by the 1930s became a general. Along with other like-minded compatriots, he became further and further disillusioned with the Nazi cause. He joined the many of whom became a part of Operation Valkyrie in 1942.
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Being the chief army signal officer, they were trying to interrupt to and from Hitler’s headquarters at any given moment. However, Fellgiebel knew that little can be done. This is because of each respective office and branch of the military had their own lines of communication. He mentioned that their attempt to overthrow Hitler revolved around doing little planning ahead of time. It was simply about doing the right thing at the right time. After the July Plot failed, Fellgiebel was arrested and tortured, but did little to reveal any new details. Fellgiebel was one of the last people executed who were involved with the plot; he was later executed in September of 1944.
10. Hans Oster
Hans Oster was a German general born in Dresden, Germany in 1887. Like many other co-conspirators, he joined the German Army during the First World War. He later joined Abwehr after having had an affair with another officer’s wife. Later, his superior General Bredow was killed during the Night of the Long Knives. This ended up creating a disgust in Oster that made him despise Hitler.
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Oster joined the small anti-Nazi regime including many of the people on this list. Because of his position, he was able to send classified information to foreign governments about Hitler’s plans; however, his warning shots about Poland and Czechoslovakia were ignored. In 1943, Oster was suspended from duty, and later he was arrested by the Gestapo and executed at the Flossenburg Concentration Camp in April of 1945.
10 Nazi Generals Killed By Nazis
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