Hans-Ulrich von Oertzen
Encyclopedia
Hans Ulrich von Oertzen (6 March 1915 - 21 July 1944) was a German officer who served in Army Group Centre
of the Wehrmacht
during World War II
. He took part in the military-based July 20 Plot
conspiracy against Adolf Hitler
and many letters to his wife have been published that provide an insight into his thoughts during that period.
Born in Berlin
to an aristocratic family, he followed his father into the army and trained as a general staff officer. During World War II
he was promoted to Major
and by 1943 he was serving in Army Group Centre
under Generalmajor Henning von Tresckow
who was one of the leading members of the resistance. He then helped Claus von Stauffenberg to develop Operation Valkyrie
. On 26 March 1944, he married Ingrid von Oertzen Langenn and a selection of 240 letters he wrote to her from 1942 to 1944 were recently published in book form in Germany.
On 20 July 1944 he was the liaison officer to the commander of the defense group III (Berlin) and passed on the first Valkyrie orders. After the failure of the coup attempt, he was arrested and interrogated by General Joachim von Kortzfleisch
and Generalleutnant Karl Freiherr von Thüngen
, who was himself a member of the resistance. There was no evidence of complicity in the plot until the next morning when a secretary reported having seen him with von Stauffenberg. With the arrival of the Gestapo
imminent he killed himself by detonating two hand grenade
s.
Army Group Centre
Army Group Centre was the name of two distinct German strategic army groups that fought on the Eastern Front in World War II. The first Army Group Centre was created on 22 June 1941, as one of three German Army formations assigned to the invasion of the Soviet Union...
of the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He took part in the military-based July 20 Plot
July 20 Plot
On 20 July 1944, an attempt was made to assassinate Adolf Hitler, Führer of the Third Reich, inside his Wolf's Lair field headquarters near Rastenburg, East Prussia. The plot was the culmination of the efforts of several groups in the German Resistance to overthrow the Nazi-led German government...
conspiracy against Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
and many letters to his wife have been published that provide an insight into his thoughts during that period.
Born in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
to an aristocratic family, he followed his father into the army and trained as a general staff officer. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he was promoted to Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
and by 1943 he was serving in Army Group Centre
Army Group Centre
Army Group Centre was the name of two distinct German strategic army groups that fought on the Eastern Front in World War II. The first Army Group Centre was created on 22 June 1941, as one of three German Army formations assigned to the invasion of the Soviet Union...
under Generalmajor Henning von Tresckow
Henning von Tresckow
Generalmajor Herrmann Karl Robert "Henning" von Tresckow was a Major General in the German Wehrmacht who organized German resistance against Adolf Hitler. He attempted to assassinate Hitler in March 1943 and drafted the Valkyrie plan for a coup against the German government...
who was one of the leading members of the resistance. He then helped Claus von Stauffenberg to develop Operation Valkyrie
Operation Valkyrie
Operation Valkyrie was an emergency continuity of government operations plan developed in Nazi Germany for the Territorial Reserve Army of Germany to execute and implement in case of a general breakdown in civil order of the nation...
. On 26 March 1944, he married Ingrid von Oertzen Langenn and a selection of 240 letters he wrote to her from 1942 to 1944 were recently published in book form in Germany.
On 20 July 1944 he was the liaison officer to the commander of the defense group III (Berlin) and passed on the first Valkyrie orders. After the failure of the coup attempt, he was arrested and interrogated by General Joachim von Kortzfleisch
Joachim von Kortzfleisch
General Joachim Otto August Achatius Kortzfleisch was a German army officer who was the commander of the defense group III and had a role in ensuring the failure of the attempted coup after the July 20 Plot attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler.-Biography:Joachim von Kortzfleisch was born into an...
and Generalleutnant Karl Freiherr von Thüngen
Karl Freiherr von Thüngen
Lieutenant General Karl Freiherr von Thüngen was a German army officer who was the inspector of the army in Berlin andwas executed after the failed July 20 Plot in 1944....
, who was himself a member of the resistance. There was no evidence of complicity in the plot until the next morning when a secretary reported having seen him with von Stauffenberg. With the arrival of the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
imminent he killed himself by detonating two hand grenade
Hand grenade
A hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...
s.