Hitler assassination plan

Lesson at a glance

Suitable for: Key stage 3, Key stage 4

Time period: Second World War 1939-1945

Curriculum topics: The Second World War

Suggested inquiry questions: Use these documents to discover British plans to assassinate Hitler.

Potential activities: Students research how Claus von Stauffenberg, German army officer attempted to assassinate Hitler at German HQ on the Eastern front in 1944: The assassination of the leading Nazi Reinhard Heydrich in December 1941 by Czechoslovakian agents.

Download: Lesson pack

How did the British plan to kill Hitler?

In 1944 the SOE (Special Operations Executive) drew up various plans to kill Hitler. The proposed assassination plans, code-named Operation Foxley, were not attempted in the end. The most likely timing for the operation would have been during one of Hitler’s visits to the Berghof, his residence in the Bravarian Alps near Berchtesgaden, Germany.

These plans were released to the public in July 1998 and at the time they caused world media interest. This lesson is a unique chance to work with some of the original secret documents which formed part of Operation Foxley.


Tasks

1. Read Source 1. This is the introduction to Operation Foxley, the British plan to assassinate Hitler.

  • What is the ‘object’ of Operation Foxley?
  • How many different methods are put forward?
  • Where is the assassination likely to be carried out? Find the two places mentioned

2. Read Source 2. This piece of the file details the plans for assassination at Salzburg railway station.

  • What method of killing Hitler is described here?
  • What is meant by the word ‘medium’?
  • What is meant by the word ‘operatives’?
  • Briefly describe how the cleaners could be used to kill Hitler
  • Who else could be used in this plan?
  • What will cause the poison to mix in the water?

3. Read Source 3. This section of the plan describes the poison which could be used.

  • How much of ‘I’ kills?
  • What would ‘I’ not be suitable for? Why is this?
  • List all the reasons why ‘I’ is the best ‘medium’ to use

4. Read Source 4. This section of the plan details Hitler’s drinking habits.

Read Hitler’s drinking habits carefully. What would be the best way of poisoning him without the poison being detected?

Consider the following factors in your answer:

  • How likely is there to be the right opportunity to put this plan into action?
  • If the plan goes ahead, how likely is it to kill rather than just injure Hitler?
  • How likely is it that the people carrying out the plan will be caught?

5. Read Source 5. This section of the plan deals with the opportunities to assassinate Hitler in Obersalzberg.

  • How will the assassins know whether Hitler is in Obersalzberg?

6. Look at Source 6a. This is a map of the area of the Berghof, Hitler’s home in Obersalzberg. Use the key provided with the map to help you answer the question.

  • Study the map carefully. Where do you think would be a good place to make the assassination attempt? Why is this?

7. Read Source 7. This section of the plan describes the opportunity to assassinate Hitler during one of his daily walks.

  • Find Hitler’s walk on the map shown in Source 6. Was this one of the locations you suggested?
  • How well protected is Hitler on this walk?
  • What cover does the area provide for would-be assassins?

8. Read Source 8. This section deals with locations for the assassins.

  • Can you work out where on the map (Source 6) the assassins should launch their attack on Hitler?
  • What weapons should the assassins carry?
  • What disguises are suggested?

9. Read Source 9. If the first plan fails, what is the alternative one?

10. Now have another look at each of the plans to assassinate Hitler.

  • Which plan do you think had the greatest chance of succeeding? Give reasons for your choice.
  • How do you think the SOE department found out the information which allowed them to develop these plans?
  • Why do you think these plans were not carried out by the British Government?
  • Can you think of any difficulties with any of these plans?
  • Can you find out why these documents were released to the public in 1998?

Background

Throughout Hitler’s career as a politician and as leader of Germany he was at danger from assassination attempts. Indeed, a number of attempts were made on his life but he survived them all. Bombs were left in a variety of places that either failed to go off, or Hitler changed his plans at the last moment.

In 1944 Hitler was actually injured in an attempt on his life which really should have killed him. He managed to survive only with damage to his hearing. After this attack Hitler claimed he was ‘invulnerable and immortal’. Any attempts on his life by members of his own staff or enemies were brutally dealt with. In May 1942, one of his most senior Gestapo officials had been assassinated by SOE-trained Czechs. In the reprisals that followed 5,000 civilians were murdered.

The SOE was created in 1940 by the British to undertake ‘all action by way of subversion and sabotage against the enemy overseas’ now that much of Europe was under German occupation. The SOE began planning Operation Foxley in 1944 despite some opposition from within their ranks. Some people argued it was better to leave Hitler alive as he was making so many blunders. Nevertheless, a plan was put together and SOE began looking for recruits to perform the attempts. The Allied successes of 1945 overtook the planned assassination attempt and SOE concentrated its energies elsewhere. The existence of such a plan does, however, excite much interest as had it gone ahead and succeeded, it could have changed the course of the war and perhaps history.


Teachers' notes

This lesson is very text based, so it would be useful to familiarise yourself with the documents and the questions beforehand. Also it is worth re-creating in the classroom the sense of mystery associated with the release of previously secret documents.

In the first source students examine an extract from the introduction to Operation Foxley, the British plan to assassinate Hitler by shooting, by one or more snipers. Another plan is revealed in Source 2 to poison the water supply on the Führer’s train at Salzburg Station. Source 3 describes the type of poison suitable for using in the water supply. Source 4 outlines information discovered regarding Hitler’s drinking habits. Source 5 is an extract from the plan about the opportunities to assassinate Hitler in Obersalzberg. Source 6 is a map of the area of the Berghof, Hitler’s home in Obersalzberg and key. Source 7 is an extract which outlines the opportunities to assassinate Hitler during one of his daily walks shown in the map. Source 8 is the section of the plan which deals with locations for the assassins shown on the map. Source 9 is an extract which outlines the plan to use a bazooka against Hitler in his car should the sniper fail to kill him on his walk.

The last question in the lesson asks students to evaluate all the plans and assess their potential chances of success. It is worth discussing with the students what kind of additional intelligence would be necessary in order to execute any of these plans? How would agents be transferred to Bavaria?

All sources are provided with transcripts. Students could work on the sources individually or pairs and report back to the group with their findings and debate which is the best plan and why.

The lesson can also be extended to wider enquiry: Would it have been better to let Hitler live as Germany was failing so badly on the Eastern Front? Was there a danger that Hitler’s replacement could mean improvement in Nazi fortunes? Or would the successful assassination of Hitler be an astonishing body blow against the enemy and a psychological victory?

Finally, teachers could explain that the Public Records Act requires central government departments, and certain other public bodies, to identify records of historical value and transfer them for permanent preservation to The National Archives, or to another appointed place of deposit, by the time they are 30 years old. This was now been reduced to 20 years in 2013. During 2013 The National Archives received records from 1983 and 1984, and in 2014 records from 1985 and 1986. Two further years’ worth of government records are being transferred to us each year until 2022 when we will receive the records from 2001 and 2002.


External links

Intelligence historian Mark Seaman for the BBC considers the potential of Operation Foxley

Connections to curriculum

Key stage 3
Challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world 1901 to the present day: the inter-war years: the Great Depression and the rise of dictators

Key stage 4
AQA GCSE History: Germany, 1890–1945: Democracy and dictatorship
Edexcel GCSE History: c1900–present: Warfare and British society in modern era
OCR GCSE History: War and British Society c.790 to c.2010; attitudes and responses to war

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Lesson at a glance

Suitable for: Key stage 3, Key stage 4

Time period: Second World War 1939-1945

Curriculum topics: The Second World War

Suggested inquiry questions: Use these documents to discover British plans to assassinate Hitler.

Potential activities: Students research how Claus von Stauffenberg, German army officer attempted to assassinate Hitler at German HQ on the Eastern front in 1944: The assassination of the leading Nazi Reinhard Heydrich in December 1941 by Czechoslovakian agents.

Download: Lesson pack

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