This page examines the extent and type of resistance to Nazi rule used by the German army during 1933-1939.

1. Resistance from
the Army

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. • 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.