The failed assassination attempt of 20th July lives on in my heart today…it was a tradgedy and I would like to remember the thousands of resistance members who died because of it and the millions of Jews who were murdered after it.

Chief among my thoughts are Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg whose bravery should never be forgotten. I also would like to salute Henning von Tresckow and Hans Oster, leading members of the resistance who were executed because of their part in the attempt.

With the help of wikipedia I discovered that Hitler would have been killed if:
-The briefcase was not moved (in my ficly)
-The meeting was in his bunker.
-Both bombs had detonated….

I’m sorry if any of my information is wrong – I’m only 15 so be kind. I would also like to apologise for my sombre mood but I think a memorial is appropriate in this challenge…
Abby x

Hi Abby,

You are quite accurate with some of your conclusions. However a couple of small points.

C. Von S only had one hand, and that hand only had three fingers, so his shaking hands would not be correct. No one would sit in the presence of the fuhrer.

He went to keitels small office with the excuse of changing int a clean shirt prior to meeting the furher.

The plan was for two bombs and two detonators to be carried in. In this way if one failed to go off the other probably would.

Unfortunately when someone knocked on the door to hurry him to the conference, he failed to put the second, as yet unprimed, bomb into his briefcase. Even if it did not have a second detonator, the presence of the additional explosive would have provided enough energy to the explosion to kill everyone in the room.

He left the conference room with the excuse that he had to make a phone call.

I was thinking of using this as a plot for this challenge too. Great job.

Definitely a major historical happening you’ve chosen Abby.

I do not know any of the details of said event, except that there was an attempt made and that it failed. In no way did it spoil my enjoyment of reading your piece.

If I might be a touch critical, I think that a different last line might have made the piece more effective. The literal spelling out of what happened kind of ‘waters down’ your piece a little, almost saying that it is something we couldn’t see for ourselves. Even leaving that line out altogether may have made for a better ending. Maybe the second-last line was a bit obvious also.

Hey, I really enjoyed reading it anyway, and it is really good writing, ESPECIALLY for one who is “only 15” and is writing about something from a long time past.

:O)

hello,
Thanks for your comments – I wasn’t sure about C. Von S’ hand at the time of original writing and I’ve made the adjustments you suggested.
I decided to let him take in both bombs just to be sure and to please you, scratch, the character limit meant I could no longer write those four (extremely pleasurable words): Herr Hitler was killed…
I guess you’ll just have to get the picture and feel the warm glow for yourself…