Resistance fromthe Army

The Army was obviously a powerful group in Germany

and had played a major role in undermining the Weimar

government, thus paving the way for Nazism.

As a junior officer, Hitler had been looked down upon by

many senior soldiers. However he gradually became dominant,

forcing them to support him.

In fact many senior military figures came to back Hitler’s

actions in rebuilding German strength, including

rearmament and conscription.

Hitler also made the army make a personal oath of

allegiance to him, again trying to ensure their loyalty. The

Generals were also supportive of his attack on the SA.

In time however, many senior military figures began to worry about Hitler’s power, especially as his actions seemed likely to

provoke a war.

The Czechoslovakia crisis brought these issues to a head. Many Generals opposed such a conflict, especially Army Chief of Staff General Ludwig Beck.

Beck spoke at a meeting of army generals against plans to

invade Czechoslovakia, so Hitler forced him to resign.

Beck worked with a group of senior military figures (led by

General Hans Oster) who favoured a coup to remove

Hitler from power. Many Generals knew of this but did

not inform Hitler.

As the Czechoslovakia crisis grew, plans for the coup were

accelerated. However in the end, Britain and France gave in

to Hitler’s demands at the 1938 Munich Conference.

As a result of Hitler’s success, plans for an army led revolt

foundered. Many of the Generals were angry at British

PM Neville Chamberlain.

There is also evidence that the Abwehr – Germany’s military

intelligence organisation – was involved in anti-Nazi activities.

The Abwehr was led by Admiral Wilhelm Canaris,

who along with General Beck had opposed Germany’s actions in Czechoslovakia. Canaris was opposed to Hitler’s persecution

of religious groups.

Canaris supported German nationalism but regarded the

Nazis as gangsters. He is believed to have passed

information to UK and US spies.

Canaris also helped Jews to leave Germany, often by giving them fake papers claiming they

were Abwehr agents. He was executed in 1945.

Some other Abwehr officers helped Jews escape from

Germany, although this was sometimes for corrupt reasons

(bribes) rather than genuine anti-Nazi opposition.

Some people have claimed that the Abwehr’s main ‘success’ in

undermining Nazism was because they were poorly run.

Historians are split on the full extent of the Abwehr’s anti-

Nazi activities.

Walter Goerlitz claims that the Abwehr was the “real centre of military opposition to Hitler” but Allan Dulles says that, at best, 5% of Abwehr officers

opposed the regime, meaning 95% gave them their support.

The most prominent examples of military opposition to Hitler took place during World War

Two, in the shape of assassination plots.

There were numerous failed attempts, including Colonel

Rudolf von Gersdorff who in March 1943 failed after Hitler

turned up late at an event.

The most famous assassination attempt was on 20 July 1944.

A bomb – organised by the Kreisau Circle - was set off at

the Wolf’s Lair, Hitler’s Eastern Front headquarters, however

Hitler survived.

7000 people were arrested and almost 5000 were killed as a result of the failed endeavour.

• Historians’ views

• Mary Fulbrook: At first the German elite – including the army – shared common aims with the Nazis. This only began to break down as the regime became more radical in the late 1930s.  

• Detlev Peukert: Political structure from 1933 was an alliance of entrepreneurs and members of the political elite (especially the army). This largely remained the case throughout Nazi rule.

• Omer Bartov: The army did give support to Hitler as many soldiers had previously been in the Nazi Youth. However many army leaders genuinely shared Hitler’s ideology.