Hans John
Encyclopedia
Hans John was a German
lawyer
and World War II resistance figure.
Hans John was born in Ziegenhain
, Hesse
, and studied law at the University of Berlin. In 1939, he was hired as a legal assistant at the Aviation Law Institute in Berlin. In June 1940, he was instated into the Wehrmacht
, but after suffering a wound at the Eastern Front
, he was released back into academics.
With his brother Otto
, John was in contact with the resistance elements within the Abwehr
and Oberkommando der Wehrmacht
. After hearing about Operation Walküre, the brothers joined the resistance, and became heavily involved in the July 20 Plot
to kill Hitler
. After Hans Oster
and Hans von Dohnanyi
were arrested in the spring of 1943, they kept the escaped Ludwig Gehre
hiding from the Gestapo.
John was arrested in August 1944 on plotting charges, and was severely mistreated in jail. The People's Court
sentenced him to death in February 1945. He was shot in April 1945 by a Sonderkommando
, near Berlin's RSHA office. His brother Otto
managed to escape Germany in July 1944.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and World War II resistance figure.
Hans John was born in Ziegenhain
Schwalmstadt
Schwalmstadt is the largest town in the Schwalm-Eder district, in northern Hesse, Germany. It was established only in 1970 with the amalgamation of the towns of Treysa and Ziegenhain together with some outlying villages to form the town of Schwalmstadt.-Location:Schwalmstadt lies in the Schwalm...
, Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
, and studied law at the University of Berlin. In 1939, he was hired as a legal assistant at the Aviation Law Institute in Berlin. In June 1940, he was instated into 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:...
, but after suffering a wound at the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
, he was released back into academics.
With his brother Otto
Otto John
Otto John was the first head of the West German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution from 1950 to 1954...
, John was in contact with the resistance elements within the Abwehr
Abwehr
The Abwehr was a German military intelligence organisation from 1921 to 1944. The term Abwehr was used as a concession to Allied demands that Germany's post-World War I intelligence activities be for "defensive" purposes only...
and Oberkommando der Wehrmacht
Oberkommando der Wehrmacht
The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht was part of the command structure of the armed forces of Nazi Germany during World War II.- Genesis :...
. After hearing about Operation Walküre, the brothers joined the resistance, and became heavily involved in the 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...
to kill 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...
. After Hans Oster
Hans Oster
Hans Oster was a German Army general, deputy head of the Abwehr under Wilhelm Canaris, and an opponent of Adolf Hitler and Nazism. He was a leading figure of the German resistance from 1938 to 1943.-Early career:...
and Hans von Dohnanyi
Hans von Dohnanyi
Hans von Dohnanyi was a German jurist, rescuer of Jews, and German resistance fighter against the Nazi régime.-Early life:...
were arrested in the spring of 1943, they kept the escaped Ludwig Gehre
Ludwig Gehre
Ludwig Gehre was an officer and resistance fighter involved in the preparation of an assassination attempt against Hitler.-Life:...
hiding from the Gestapo.
John was arrested in August 1944 on plotting charges, and was severely mistreated in jail. The People's Court
People's Court (German)
The People's Court was a court established in 1934 by German Chancellor Adolf Hitler, who had been dissatisfied with the outcome of the Reichstag Fire Trial . The "People's Court" was set up outside the operations of the constitutional frame of law...
sentenced him to death in February 1945. He was shot in April 1945 by a Sonderkommando
Sonderkommando
Sonderkommandos were work units of Nazi death camp prisoners, composed almost entirely of Jews, who were forced, on threat of their own deaths, to aid with the disposal of gas chamber victims during The Holocaust...
, near Berlin's RSHA office. His brother Otto
Otto John
Otto John was the first head of the West German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution from 1950 to 1954...
managed to escape Germany in July 1944.