Robert Bernardis
Encyclopedia
Robert Bernardis was an Austria
n resistance fighter involved in the attempt to kill German dictator Adolf Hitler
in the July 20 Plot
in 1944.
After finishing the military akademie in Enns
and Klosterneuburg
Austria
, Bernardis started his military career as a lieutenant
in Linz
. After the Austria
n Anschluss
in 1938, he accepted the new régime, but critically. However, once the Second World War had begun, experiences at the front such as witnessing the murder of civilian
s changed his mind and he became involved in the resistance movement
against the Third Reich. He was assigned to the German General Staff
by May 1942.
By 1944, though still relatively young, he held the rank of an Oberstleutnant
. He was not stationed near Hitler's headquarters at Wolfsschanze
near Rastenburg when the July 20 assassination attempt was carried out, but was in Berlin
instead. Unaware that the bomb had failed to kill Hitler, Bernadis was responsible for the order that set Operation Valkyrie
in motion. That same evening, he was arrested by the Gestapo
. On August 8, he was sentenced to death by the German "People's Court" (Volksgerichtshof) and executed the same day.
Despite being deported to a concentration camp, Bernardis's family survived the war.
, Bernardis is portrayed by actor Michael Bornhütter.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n resistance fighter involved in the attempt to kill German dictator 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...
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...
in 1944.
After finishing the military akademie in Enns
Enns
Enns may refer to:* Enns , Upper Austria, Austria* Enns , a surname* Enns , a southern tributary of the Danube River...
and Klosterneuburg
Klosterneuburg
Klosterneuburg is an attractive small town in Lower Austria, Austria with a population of 24,442.It is located on the Danube, immediately north of Vienna, from which it is separated by the Kahlenberg and Leopoldsberg hills...
Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Bernardis started his military career as a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in Linz
Linz
Linz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria . It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube. The population of the city is , and that of the Greater Linz conurbation is about...
. After the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n Anschluss
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
in 1938, he accepted the new régime, but critically. However, once the Second World War had begun, experiences at the front such as witnessing the murder of civilian
Civilian
A civilian under international humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her country's armed forces or other militia. Civilians are distinct from combatants. They are afforded a degree of legal protection from the effects of war and military occupation...
s changed his mind and he became involved in the resistance movement
Resistance movement
A resistance movement is a group or collection of individual groups, dedicated to opposing an invader in an occupied country or the government of a sovereign state. It may seek to achieve its objects through either the use of nonviolent resistance or the use of armed force...
against the Third Reich. He was assigned to the German General Staff
German General Staff
The German General Staff was an institution whose rise and development gave the German armed forces a decided advantage over its adversaries. The Staff amounted to its best "weapon" for nearly a century and a half....
by May 1942.
By 1944, though still relatively young, he held the rank of an Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant is a German Army and Air Force rank equal to Lieutenant Colonel, above Major, and below Oberst.There are two paygrade associated to the rank of Oberstleutnant...
. He was not stationed near Hitler's headquarters at Wolfsschanze
Wolfsschanze
Wolf's Lair is the standard English name for Wolfsschanze, Adolf Hitler's first World War II Eastern Front military headquarters, one of several Führerhauptquartier or FHQs located in various parts of Europe...
near Rastenburg when the July 20 assassination attempt was carried out, but was 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...
instead. Unaware that the bomb had failed to kill Hitler, Bernadis was responsible for the order that set 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...
in motion. That same evening, he was arrested by 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...
. On August 8, he was sentenced to death by the German "People's Court" (Volksgerichtshof) and executed the same day.
Despite being deported to a concentration camp, Bernardis's family survived the war.
Portrayal in the media
In the 2004 German production, StauffenbergStauffenberg (Film)
Stauffenberg is a German-Austrian TV movie released in 2004 by Das Erste , about Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg and the 20 July 1944 plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler....
, Bernardis is portrayed by actor Michael Bornhütter.
Sources
- Karl-Reinhart Trauner:Mit Stauffenberg gegen Hitler:Oberstleutnant i.G. Robert Bernardis, Tillinger-Verlag, Szentendre 2008, ISBN 978-963-06-4558-4 (no translations)
- Karl Glaubauf:Robert Bernardis-Österreichs Stauffenberg, Wien 1994, Eigenverlag
- Karl Glaubauf:Robert Bernardis - Österreichs Stauffenberg, in: Austria-Forum, Internet - Lexicon,Graz 2010.