Erik+Johnson

Erik Johnson, Pd 1 Assassinating Hitler (Elser)

1. On November 8, 1939, Johann Georg Elser tried to assassinate Hitler at a speech in the Burgerbrau Beer Cellar in Munich, Germany. He spent a year planning the assassination. He placed a time bomb inside a pilliar behind Hitler's podium. Hitler left the speech to return to Berlin for a meeting about the war, without knowing about the bomb, about 15 minutes before it went off. The bomb exploded, destroying the cellar and killing 8 people and wounding many more. Elser was on his was to Switzerland when he was arrested and brought back to Munich.

(The Burgenbrau after the explosion.)

[|Click here] to read more about the Elser assassinatin attempt.

Question 1: Why did Hitler leave the speech early, and how long after he left did the bomb go off?

(Stauffenberg)

Stauffenberg had decided in 1942 that he should help the conspirators kill Hitler and take control of Germany. He thought the war was near an end, and it was certain Germany would be defeated. On July 20, 1944, Claus Schenk Von Stauffenberg tried to assassinate Hitler using a bomb at a conference at The Wolf's Lair, one of Htiler's army headquarters.Stauffenberg entered the conference room and set a briefcase containing a time bomb on the floor, then left the room to make a phone call. The bomb exploded and Stauffenberg left the Wolf's Lair. Later, it was revealed that after Stauffenberg left, another person at the conference moved the briefcase with his foot further under the table, allowing one of the oak beams holding the table up to shield Hitler from the blast.

(The Wolf's Lair after the explosion)

[|More Info on Stauffenberg attempt]

Question 2: When and why did Stauffenberg join the conspirators? Question 3: Why wasn't Hitler killed from the explosion?