International
80 years since the attack on Hitler that killed Count Claus Schenk von Staufenberg
A day like this Saturday, a bomb placed by Count Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg exploded in the headquarters of the ‘Führer’ Adolf Hitler in Rastenburg – today Ketrzyn, in Poland – to kill the Nazi dictator who, however, was only slightly injured and would soon trigger his repression against the conspirators.
Von Stauffenberg’s bomb was part of the ‘Valkiria Plan’, an attempted coup d’état conceived between 1943 and 1944 within the Wehrmacht as a desperate response to the unfavorable evolution of the war in Europe.
Shortly before, on June 6, the landing in Normandy had taken place, the allied military operation that would end up being crucial in the defeat of the Third Reich.
Among those responsible for that frustrated attempt to kill the tyrant were retired general Ludwig Beck, division general Henning von Tresckow, colonel general Friedrich Olbricht and other high-ranking officers, although von Stauffenberg was the one who was personally responsible for carrying out his attack on Hitler.
Von Stauffenberg, after being promoted to colonel and relocated as Chief of Staff of the Reserve Army Command, gained such a position in the high instances of the Third Reich that participated in meetings attended by Hitler.
Von Stauffenberg failed in the same way as his conspiratorial comrades, who had to rise up against the regime in Berlin.
That attempt cost them their lives, because the history books show that between 180 and 200 people were executed by the Third Reich, shot, hanged or even strangled, after the failed bomb of Von Stauffenberg.
Von Stauffenberg himself, and three other officers were shot without trial in the courtyard of the building that today houses the Ministry of Defense in Berlin.
Hitler did not die in the explosion of his Rastenburg headquarters, but took his life in his Berlin bunker on April 30, 1945, with Germany – and much of Europe – destroyed, and his regime having committed the systematic murder of six million European Jews on the blackest page in the history of the Old Continent.
On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the attack, which happens to be the greatest act of military resistance against Hitler during the Third Reich, the Center for Military History and Social Sciences (ZMSB) in Potsdam (east) recalls through a new digital dossier a historical moment that could have given an unexpected turn to history.
In addition to a compilation of historical documents and analyses, the experts consulted by the ZMSB of Potsdam reflect on how the historical evolution of the perception of those facts has been.
Thus, in the early 1950s, the West Germans saw the heroism of Von Stauffenberg and company with some distance.
In 1951, one in three Germans did not link the date of July 20 “to any event or had no opinion,” “another third saw it with critical eyes” and the other 33% saw the attempted murder against the Führer well, according to John Zimmermann, a member of the team of investigators who has prepared the ZMSB dossier.
“The peak of this negative feeling was reached in 1952: 28% thought that Germany would be better if there had been no resistance, and 39% even believed that they could have won the war without it,” added this researcher.
If Von Stauffenberg finally ended up enjoying the status of “hero in public opinion” this is due to the “political history” of Germany, whose authorities, in particular of the administration and the academic world, have turned July 20 into a date with which to remember a man who could have dealt a mortal blow to the Third Reich before time, according to Zimmermann.
International
China calls for dialogue amid rising Iran-Israel conflict
The Chinese government emphasized on Monday the importance of “creating the conditions to return to the proper path of dialogue” between Iran and Israel, which have exchanged attacks in recent days resulting in more than 20 Israeli and over 220 Iranian deaths.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun expressed deep concern at a press conference over the Israeli attacks on Iran and the “sudden escalation” of the military conflict.
Guo called on all parties to “take immediate measures to ease tensions and prevent the region from descending into further turmoil,” stating that “force cannot bring lasting peace.”
“If the conflict between Israel and Iran continues to intensify or even expand, the countries of the Middle East will be the first to suffer the consequences,” he added, while noting that China “will continue to maintain communication with the relevant parties, promoting peace and dialogue.”
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke last Saturday with his Iranian and Israeli counterparts to condemn the Israeli airstrike on Iranian territory, which he described as a “violation of international law” with the potential to trigger “disastrous” consequences.
In both calls, Wang reiterated China’s rejection of the use of force, defended diplomacy as the only solution to the Iranian nuclear dispute, and offered China’s mediation to prevent further destabilization in the Middle East.
International
Suspect arrested in killing of Minnesota legislator and husband, governor Says
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced on Sunday the arrest of Vance Luther Boelter, 57, the main suspect in the killing of Democratic legislator Melissa Hortman and her husband in a Brooklyn Park suburb on Friday night.
Boelter, who also reportedly shot State Senator John Hoffman and his wife early Saturday morning, was apprehended in Sibley County following an intensive manhunt involving hundreds of law enforcement officers.
In a public statement, Governor Walz condemned Boelter’s “unthinkable actions,” which resulted in the death of a woman who “shaped the core of who we are as a state.”
“We cannot become numb to this. We are a deeply divided nation,” Walz said in a statement posted on his X account.
“We move forward not with hatred or violence, but with humility, grace, and civility,” he added.
Expressing solidarity with the victims’ families, Walz said the entire state of Minnesota is in mourning. He also thanked law enforcement for their bravery and professionalism: “They have saved lives,” he emphasized.
“As we heal, we will not let fear win,” Walz concluded. “We must honor Melissa by moving forward with understanding, service, and above all, humanity.”
Throughout Sunday, police and sheriff units searched a rural area in Minnesota for Vance Luther Boelter, a security company director and preacher who, according to Governor Walz, acted out of politically motivated violence.
International
40,000 tourists stranded in Israel amid airspace shutdown over Iran conflict
Approximately 40,000 tourists are stranded in Israel following the closure of the country’s airspace amid escalating hostilities with Iran, the Israeli Ministry of Tourism reported on Monday.
The ministry has set up a virtual office to provide information via email (virtual@goisrael.gov.il) and phone (+972-53-583-5808), as well as a Facebook page called Israel Virtual Tourist Office.
Israeli Tourism Minister Haim Katz is in contact with hotels and accommodations across the country to offer support to tourists in need, the ministry added.
Many stranded travelers are considering crossing overland into Jordan or Egypt to seek flights from those countries. The Israel Airports Authority reminded the public that land border crossings remain open.
Three German tourists stranded in Jerusalem told EFE today that they have not received any assistance from their country’s embassy in Israel, and their primary option currently is to cross into Jordan to catch a flight from there.
Since early Friday morning, Israel launched operations against Iran, targeting military personnel and infrastructure, including energy and nuclear facilities, as well as numerous residential areas in Tehran.
In response, Iran has fired hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel, some of which have struck various locations across the country, leaving at least 24 dead so far, according to Israeli authorities.
Iranian health officials report at least 224 deaths, mostly civilians, including at least 17 senior military officials—nine from the Revolutionary Guard—and more than a dozen nuclear scientists.
The Israeli military has warned that many more “targets” remain, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guard declared on Monday that it will continue missile attacks against Israel until its “destruction.”
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