Die Stunde der Offiziere
Encyclopedia
Die Stunde der Offiziere (The Hour of the Officers) is a German
semi-documentary movie of 2003 telling in chronological order about the German resistance
attempts to kill Adolf Hitler
and seize power in Germany in the July 20 plot
of 1944.
Produced by German TV ZDF
, it parallels Stauffenberg
of Jo Baier produced by German TV ARD
in 2004 for the 60th anniversary of the coup. Historian Guido Knopp
oversaw the production of Stunde der Offiziere.
puts a bomb on Hitler's plane, but the bomb fails to explode. On 21 March 1943, Rudolf Christoph von Gersdorff intends a suicide bombing attack on Hitler in an exhibition, yet Hitler leaves prematurely. A similar attempt by Axel von dem Bussche fails as the event is canceled due to allied air raid on Berlin.
Last hope is on Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg
who, being in charge of Operation Walküre, has access to Hitler for reports. The bomb detonates on 20 July 1944 in Rastenburg. After returning to Berlin, he orchestrates the July 20 plot
which fails after rumors, reports and finally confirmation about Hitler's survival become known. Four officers are executed immediately, many more after staged Volksgerichtshof trials.
actions in detail.
It was first shown on 29 June 2004. It is frequently re-run on German documentary TV channel Phoenix
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
semi-documentary movie of 2003 telling in chronological order about the German resistance
German Resistance
The German resistance was the opposition by individuals and groups in Germany to Adolf Hitler or the National Socialist regime between 1933 and 1945. Some of these engaged in active plans to remove Adolf Hitler from power and overthrow his regime...
attempts to kill Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
and seize power in Germany in the July 20 plot
July 20 Plot
On 20 July 1944, an attempt was made to assassinate Adolf Hitler, Führer of the Third Reich, inside his Wolf's Lair field headquarters near Rastenburg, East Prussia. The plot was the culmination of the efforts of several groups in the German Resistance to overthrow the Nazi-led German government...
of 1944.
Produced by German TV ZDF
ZDF
Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen , ZDF, is a public-service German television broadcaster based in Mainz . It is run as an independent non-profit institution, which was founded by the German federal states . The ZDF is financed by television licence fees called GEZ and advertising revenues...
, it parallels Stauffenberg
Stauffenberg (Film)
Stauffenberg is a German-Austrian TV movie released in 2004 by Das Erste , about Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg and the 20 July 1944 plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler....
of Jo Baier produced by German TV ARD
ARD (broadcaster)
ARD is a joint organization of Germany's regional public-service broadcasters...
in 2004 for the 60th anniversary of the coup. Historian Guido Knopp
Guido Knopp
Guido Knopp is a German journalist and author. He is well known in Germany, mainly because he has produced a great number of TV documentaries, predominantly about the "Third Reich" and National Socialism, but also about other topics, such as Stalinism.- Life and work :After gaining his doctorate...
oversaw the production of Stunde der Offiziere.
Plot
On 13 March 1943, Henning von TresckowHenning von Tresckow
Generalmajor Herrmann Karl Robert "Henning" von Tresckow was a Major General in the German Wehrmacht who organized German resistance against Adolf Hitler. He attempted to assassinate Hitler in March 1943 and drafted the Valkyrie plan for a coup against the German government...
puts a bomb on Hitler's plane, but the bomb fails to explode. On 21 March 1943, Rudolf Christoph von Gersdorff intends a suicide bombing attack on Hitler in an exhibition, yet Hitler leaves prematurely. A similar attempt by Axel von dem Bussche fails as the event is canceled due to allied air raid on Berlin.
Last hope is on Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg
Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg
Claus Philipp Maria Justinian Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg commonly referred to as Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg was a German army officer and Catholic aristocrat who was one of the leading members of the failed 20 July plot of 1944 to assassinate Adolf Hitler and remove the Nazi Party from...
who, being in charge of Operation Walküre, has access to Hitler for reports. The bomb detonates on 20 July 1944 in Rastenburg. After returning to Berlin, he orchestrates the July 20 plot
July 20 Plot
On 20 July 1944, an attempt was made to assassinate Adolf Hitler, Führer of the Third Reich, inside his Wolf's Lair field headquarters near Rastenburg, East Prussia. The plot was the culmination of the efforts of several groups in the German Resistance to overthrow the Nazi-led German government...
which fails after rumors, reports and finally confirmation about Hitler's survival become known. Four officers are executed immediately, many more after staged Volksgerichtshof trials.
Background
The "docu drama" integrates re-enacted scenes, eye witness reports, and original footage to illustrate German resistanceGerman Resistance
The German resistance was the opposition by individuals and groups in Germany to Adolf Hitler or the National Socialist regime between 1933 and 1945. Some of these engaged in active plans to remove Adolf Hitler from power and overthrow his regime...
actions in detail.
It was first shown on 29 June 2004. It is frequently re-run on German documentary TV channel Phoenix
Phoenix (German TV station)
Phoenix is a publicly-funded television station in Germany which is produced jointly by public broadcasting organizations ARD and ZDF. Its programming consists of documentaries, news broadcasts, special events coverage, and discussion programmes...
.