Hans Bernd von Haeften: Difference between revisions
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==Biography== |
==Biography== |
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Von Haeften was born in [[Berlin]] to Agnes (née von Brauchitsch, a relative of [[Walther von Brauchitsch]]) and Hans von Haeften, an army officer and President of the ''Reichsarchiv''. His siblings were Elisabeth and [[Werner von Haeften|Werner]] (1908–1944). After studying law, which had led him as an exchange student to [[Oxford University]], he first found himself busy with the [[Stresemann]] Foundation, and then in 1933, he joined the Foreign Service. He worked mainly for the cultural-political department of the [[Foreign Office (Germany)|Foreign Office]] and as a [[cultural attaché]] in [[Copenhagen]], [[Vienna]] and [[Bucharest]]. |
Von Haeften was born in [[Berlin]] to Agnes (1869-1945) (née von Brauchitsch, a relative of [[Walther von Brauchitsch]]) and Hans von Haeften (1870-1937), an army officer and President of the ''Reichsarchiv''. His siblings were Elisabeth (1903-1980) and [[Werner von Haeften|Werner]] (1908–1944). He passed abitur in 1924 in Berlin-wilmersdorf. After studying law, which had led him as an exchange student to [[Oxford University]], he first found himself busy with the [[Stresemann]] Foundation, and then in 1933, he joined the Foreign Service. He worked mainly for the cultural-political department of the [[Foreign Office (Germany)|Foreign Office]] and as a [[cultural attaché]] in [[Copenhagen]], [[Vienna]] and [[Bucharest]]. |
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In 1940, von Haeften became the department's leader, but refused to join the [[Nazi Party]]. From 1933, he belonged to the [[Confessing Church]]. He had contacts with the [[Kreisau Circle]], especially through [[Ulrich von Hassell]] and [[Adam von Trott zu Solz]]. He refused on religious and moral grounds to have anything to do with any attempt on [[Adolf Hitler]]'s life, but supported the attempt to overthrow Hitler and stood ready to take power at the Foreign Ministry for the plotters.{{citation needed|date=November 2013}} |
In 1940, von Haeften became the department's leader, but refused to join the [[Nazi Party]]. From 1933, he belonged to the [[Confessing Church]]. He had contacts with the [[Kreisau Circle]], especially through [[Ulrich von Hassell]] and [[Adam von Trott zu Solz]]. He refused on religious and moral grounds to have anything to do with any attempt on [[Adolf Hitler]]'s life, but supported the attempt to overthrow Hitler and stood ready to take power at the Foreign Ministry for the plotters.{{citation needed|date=November 2013}} |
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On 2. September 1930 he married Barbara Curtius (1908–2006), daughter of Julius Curtius. The couple had five children: Jan (* 1931), Dirk (1934–2006), and three daughters born till 1944. |
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In January 1944 he stopped his brother, Lieutenant [[Werner von Haeften]], from shooting Hitler with a pistol with the argument that this would break the [[You shall not murder|Fifth Commandment]].<ref>(Hoffman, 1995) p.231</ref> |
In January 1944 he stopped his brother, Lieutenant [[Werner von Haeften]], from shooting Hitler with a pistol with the argument that this would break the [[You shall not murder|Fifth Commandment]].<ref>(Hoffman, 1995) p.231</ref> |
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Revision as of 17:55, 6 July 2016
Hans-Bernd August Gustav von Haeften | |
|---|---|
| Born | 18 December 1905 Berlin, Germany |
| Died | 15 August 1944 (aged 38) |
| Cause of death | Execution by hanging |
| Occupation | Diplomat |
| Known for | German Resistance |
Hans-Bernd August Gustav von Haeften (18 December 1905 – 15 August 1944) was a German jurist and member of the German Resistance against Adolf Hitler.
Biography
Von Haeften was born in Berlin to Agnes (1869-1945) (née von Brauchitsch, a relative of Walther von Brauchitsch) and Hans von Haeften (1870-1937), an army officer and President of the Reichsarchiv. His siblings were Elisabeth (1903-1980) and Werner (1908–1944). He passed abitur in 1924 in Berlin-wilmersdorf. After studying law, which had led him as an exchange student to Oxford University, he first found himself busy with the Stresemann Foundation, and then in 1933, he joined the Foreign Service. He worked mainly for the cultural-political department of the Foreign Office and as a cultural attaché in Copenhagen, Vienna and Bucharest.
In 1940, von Haeften became the department's leader, but refused to join the Nazi Party. From 1933, he belonged to the Confessing Church. He had contacts with the Kreisau Circle, especially through Ulrich von Hassell and Adam von Trott zu Solz. He refused on religious and moral grounds to have anything to do with any attempt on Adolf Hitler's life, but supported the attempt to overthrow Hitler and stood ready to take power at the Foreign Ministry for the plotters.[citation needed] On 2. September 1930 he married Barbara Curtius (1908–2006), daughter of Julius Curtius. The couple had five children: Jan (* 1931), Dirk (1934–2006), and three daughters born till 1944. In January 1944 he stopped his brother, Lieutenant Werner von Haeften, from shooting Hitler with a pistol with the argument that this would break the Fifth Commandment.[1]
Von Haeften was arrested on 23 July 1944, three days after the failed German Generals assassination attempt or the July 20 Plot against Hitler at the Wolfsschanze in East Prussia. His brother Lieutenant Werner von Haeften, the adjutant of Colonel Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg, had been summarily shot along with von Stauffenberg in the early hours of 21 July at the Bendlerblock. On 15 August, von Haeften was brought before the Volksgerichtshof or People's Court, where he described Hitler as "a great perpetrator of evil."[2] He was sentenced to death and hanged the same day at Plötzensee Prison in Berlin. On 25 January the Bundestag decided that the Volksgerichtshof was an instrument of terror to push throug arbitrary domination, his rules have no force of law in the Germany of nowadays. The judgements of the Volksgerichtshofs and special courts were cancelled by law 1998 ,[3] so you can say this was murder and justice murder.
Footnotes
- ^ (Hoffman, 1995) p.231
- ^ (Fest, 1996) p.326
- ^ Gesetz zur Aufhebung nationalsozialistischer Unrechtsurteile in der Strafrechtspflege (NS-AufhG) (PDF; 37 kB), abgerufen 6. Juni 2008.
See also
References
- Fest, Joachim (1996), Plotting Hitler's Death (translation of 'Staatsstreich: Der lange Weg zum 20 Juli'), Weidenfeld & Nicolson, ISBN 0-297-81774-4
- von Haeften, Barbara (1997), Nichts Schriftliches von Politik - Hans Bernd von Haeften: Ein Lebensbericht, Munich: C. H. Beck, ISBN 3-406-42614-X
- Hoffmann, Peter (1995), Stauffenberg (translation of 'Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg und seine Brüder'), University of Cambridge, ISBN 0-521-45307-0
Related movies
- The Restless Conscience (USA 1991)
External links
- Hans Bernd von Haeften in the German National Library catalogue
- Hans-Bernd von Haeften at Jewish Virtual Library
- Template:De icon Die Gedenkstätte Plötzensee: Der 20. Juli 1944 (title translated into English: July,20 1944); 2003; p. 12–13
- Template:De icon Andreas Möckel: Zum 100. Geburtstag von Hans-Bernd von Haeften (title translated into English: 100th anniversary); Website of Kreisau-Initiative Würzburg e.V.
- Template:De icon Michael Stürmer: Barbara von Haeften: Abschied; in: Die Welt, Ausgabe April 8, 2006.
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