Baron Philipp von Boeselager is dead

Tarek Morgen · 05-02-2008, 06:51 AM

Baron (Freiherr) Philipp von Boeselager died on the 1.May 2008 in the age of 91 years. I guess most of you are not familiar with this Person so let me tell you a bit about him.

After brought up in strong catholic Household he wanted to join the Foreign Office but changed his mind after consulting with his father as this would have most likly required to join the NSDAP. Instead he joined the Wehrmacht. The first years of the war he spended mostly with staff work, but ended up as an assistant of Generalfeldmarschall Günther von Kluge at the eastern fron in 1942. After witnessing crimes against the local civilian population he joined Henning von Tresckow in the military resistance against Hitler. He particepated in several attemps to kill Hitler. In one of them he was supposed to shoot him and Himmler himself with a Walther PP while they werer visiting the eastern front, but the assasination was canceld in the last minute because Himmler left, and they were afraid that as long as Himmler was still alive killing Hitler would have no effect, as he would simply take his place.

He was alsp part of the famour 20 July Plot and was supposed to take controll of several key buildings in Berlin with about 1200 men under his command. But when he heart of the failure of the attemp to kill Hitler, he was able to return with his men to their original post, without being noticed.

He managed to survive the war and the witch hunt of Nazis after members of the 20 july plot, because not a single one of the captured was willing to give up his name, even under torture.

After his war he founded and led charity and welfare organisations and spoke at schools and universitys to encourage young Germans to particepate more in politics as he believed that a "political apathay" was one of the most important factors in the nazis rise to power.

I have heart that a few weeks ago he gave a interview to the American History Channel for a documentary about the 20 july plot, but I have not seen it yet.

His home where he spend the rest of his life beard a motto over the entrance: Et si omnes ego non/Even if everyone else, not me.

S-2 · 05-02-2008, 16:28 PM

Thank you. An interesting life, no doubt. We've lost so much access to that history in the last decade or so.

God bless his soul.

Tarek Morgen · 05-02-2008, 16:41 PM

as far as I know he was the last survivor of the 20 july plot members

05-02-2008, 06:51 AM	#1 (permalink)
Tarek Morgen Contributor Join Date: 02-08-07 Location: Kassel Posts: 661 Country:	Baron Philipp von Boeselager is dead Baron (Freiherr) Philipp von Boeselager died on the 1.May 2008 in the age of 91 years. I guess most of you are not familiar with this Person so let me tell you a bit about him. After brought up in strong catholic Household he wanted to join the Foreign Office but changed his mind after consulting with his father as this would have most likly required to join the NSDAP. Instead he joined the Wehrmacht. The first years of the war he spended mostly with staff work, but ended up as an assistant of Generalfeldmarschall Günther von Kluge at the eastern fron in 1942. After witnessing crimes against the local civilian population he joined Henning von Tresckow in the military resistance against Hitler. He particepated in several attemps to kill Hitler. In one of them he was supposed to shoot him and Himmler himself with a Walther PP while they werer visiting the eastern front, but the assasination was canceld in the last minute because Himmler left, and they were afraid that as long as Himmler was still alive killing Hitler would have no effect, as he would simply take his place. He was alsp part of the famour 20 July Plot and was supposed to take controll of several key buildings in Berlin with about 1200 men under his command. But when he heart of the failure of the attemp to kill Hitler, he was able to return with his men to their original post, without being noticed. He managed to survive the war and the witch hunt of Nazis after members of the 20 july plot, because not a single one of the captured was willing to give up his name, even under torture. After his war he founded and led charity and welfare organisations and spoke at schools and universitys to encourage young Germans to particepate more in politics as he believed that a "political apathay" was one of the most important factors in the nazis rise to power. I have heart that a few weeks ago he gave a interview to the American History Channel for a documentary about the 20 july plot, but I have not seen it yet. His home where he spend the rest of his life beard a motto over the entrance: Et si omnes ego non/Even if everyone else, not me. __________________ uh I might be wrong

05-02-2008, 16:28 PM	#2 (permalink)
S-2 *Military Professional* Join Date: 09-11-06 Location: Bend, Oregon Posts: 1,924 Country:	Tarek Morgen Reply Thank you. An interesting life, no doubt. We've lost so much access to that history in the last decade or so. God bless his soul. __________________ "This aggression will not stand, man!" Jeff Lebowski

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05-02-2008, 16:41 PM	#3 (permalink)
Tarek Morgen Contributor Join Date: 02-08-07 Location: Kassel Posts: 661 Country:	as far as I know he was the last survivor of the 20 july plot members

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