The German alibi. The myth of the "Stauffenberg assassination"

Contemporary history in dialog

The 80th anniversary of the failed assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler by Claus Graf Schenk von Stauffenberg has received some attention in academia and the media in the summer of 2024. Among the new publications on the history of the July 20, 1944 conspiracy, one publication stands out that takes a critical look at how German society dealt with this central event in the history of resistance against the Nazi regime. In her book "The German Alibi", nominated for the German Non-Fiction Prize, historian and journalist Ruth Hoffmann analyzes myths and gaps in the post-1945 debates surrounding July 20. To this day, little attention is paid to the fact that numerous men and women from completely different social classes and political camps were also involved in "Operation Valkyrie", beyond the inner circle of conspirators from the military and aristocracy. Ruth Hoffmann deconstructs the myth of the "Stauffenberg assassination" and traces how July 20 has been politically instrumentalized for very different motives since the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Ruth Hoffmann will present the book, followed by a commentary by Fritz Felgentreu (Chairman of the Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold, Bund aktiver Demokraten e. V.). The subsequent discussion will be moderated by Kristina Meyer (Federal Chancellor Willy Brandt Foundation).

The series "Contemporary History in Dialogue" takes place in cooperation with the Institute for Contemporary History Munich-Berlin.Translated with DeepL

Booking: Please register at or use the registration form.

Next date:

• Date Tuesday, 03/December/2024 18:00 bis 19:30
• Venue Forum Willy Brandt Berlin
• Address Behrenstraße 15, 10117 Berlin-Mitte