2) Opposition 7: Conservative and Military Resistance 2: Beck-Goerdeler Group Flashcards
Who was the leading conservative and military resistance group led by?
General Ludwig Beck and Carl Goerdeler
What was this group behind?
This group was behind the July 1944 bomb plot on Hitler’s life.
Who was General Ludwig Beck?
Chief of the army general staff from 1935 to 1939.
What did Beck decide to do to prevent Germany from being plunged into an unnecessary war?
He mounted a coup by a small group of army officers to overthrow Hitler’s regime.
Who was the second key figure in the conservative resistance against Hitler?
Carl Goerdeler, the former mayor of Leipzig.
What was Goerdeler appointed in 1934?
In 1934, Goerdeler was appointed Reich Commissioner for Price Control in Hitler’s government.
What did Goerdeler become increasingly disillusioned by?
He became increasingly disillusioned by the Nazi regime and resigned from the government in 1935.
From 1937 onwards, what did Goerdeler become?
He became the leading civilian figure in the conservative-military resistance against the Nazis.
When was there very little opportunity to win support within the Wehrmacht?
During the early successful years of the war.
However by 1941, what had Goerdeler managed to establish?
By 1941, Goerdeler had managed to establish a small informal group of sympathisers (the Beck-Goerdeler group) who discussed the idea of overthrowing Hitler.
What did they know was the best way to get to Hitler?
Through the army, and so made strenuous efforts to win support among Hitler’s military commanders.
When did the number of army officers in the Beck-Goerdeler group increase?
As the fortunes of the German army plummeted in the war against the Soviet Union and after its defeat in Stalingrad.
What did the Beck-Goerdeler group want to create?
They wanted to create a government based on the rule of law, with free speech, religious freedom and social justice.
What was their most important aim in foreign policy?
To negotiate a peace settlement with the Western allies which they hoped would lead to peaceful co-operation in Europe.
There were other conservative groups who discussed the political order that should be established after Hitler’s downfall, name one.
The Kreisau Circle.
