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Fellgiebel and the 1944 Plot MUNINN Volume 2 (2013)German troops loyal to Hitler seized Bendlerblock and the rest ofBerlin, the Home Army was ordered to stand-down, and many of theconspirators such as Olblbricht and Stauffenberg were alreadyexecuted. 30Fellgiebel’s time ran out as he was arrested on the night ofJuly 20th. Albert Speer wrote that Hitler was furious when he foundout that General Fellgiebel was involved in the plot and used him as anexcuse of why his war was failing: “Now I know why all my greatplans in Russia had to fail in recent years. It was all Treason! But forthose traitors, we would have won long ago. . . . Now we will find outwhether Fellgiebel had a direct wire to Switzerland and passed all myplans on to the Russians. He must be interrogated by every means!” 31Hitler’s wish was carried out all too well as Fellgiebel was cruellyinterrogated. 32 After being convicted in the People’s Court, he wassentenced to death on August 10, 1944. Fellgiebel reportedly told thejudge after being sentenced: “Then hurry with the hanging, [YourHonor], otherwise you will hang earlier than we.” 33 Fellgiebel was notashamed of what he had done. He knew what was in store forGermany—a horrible defeat and more death for the people ofGermany. 34 Nearly five thousand conspirators were executed.General Fellgiebel was a brave man who lived during a darktime in Germany’s history. He did not have many options on how tofight against the Nazi Party and the dictator that was leading thecountry to ruin, so he chose a desperate option in an attempt to save hiscountry. Though issues arose, which hurt the conspirator’s plot,Fellgiebel did not give up. He played an important part in OperationValkyrie, and, though given an impossible task, he followed through onhis part in the plot. He did block communication from the Wolf’s Lairas best he could, but since Hitler was not killed, he could not preventHitler and higher ranking officers from getting orders out. To do that,he would have had to blow up several communication centers, whichwould have been impossible for one man. Fellgiebel’s story and thestory of any other Germans who fought against Hitler and the NaziRégime deserves to be told and retold as new historiography encountersnew evidence.Further Sources Consulted:Forman, James. Code Name Valkyrie. New York: S. G. Phillips, 1973.Prittie, Terence. Germans against Hitler. Boston: Little Brown, 1964.30Macksey, 139-140.31Speer, 390. Editor’s note: The reader is reminded that Fellgiebel was in charge of allcommunications, including the Engima codes themselves, and had access to all Germansecrets including that of advanced weaponry.32Macksey, 141.33Zimmermann, 196, 201: also see Macksey, 140.34Macksey, 118, 140.40