The German Resistance That Almost Worked

The History of Germany: Kingdoms, War, and Rebuilding Europe — Fexingo History · Sep 26, 2026 · 6m · transcript

We often think of World War II in Germany as a monolith of Nazi control, but beneath the surface, a complex web of dissent was forming. This episode explores the Abwehr, the military intelligence service led by Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, and how it became a haven for officers who wanted to stop Hitler from within. We look at the July 20 Plot, where Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg attempted to assassinate the Führer at the Wolfsschanze. But this isn't just about the bomb; it's about the broader conspiracy involving General Ludwig Beck and Carl Goerdeler, who had plans for post-war…