If you thought that a political leader existed that would, if given enough power, cause great pain to a race of people and plunge your nation into a state of destruction, would you do something to stop this person? That is what Johann Georg Elser did.
Georg Elser attempted to assassinate Adolph Hitler on November 8, 1939. Hitler had been Chancellor of Germany for about six and a half years, and many Germans loved him for saving Germany from the financial doom of the Great Depression and for bringing hope and national pride back to the nation after its defeat in World War II. At this point only a few Germans had misgivings about the beliefs espoused by the Nazi Regime, because they had created financial stability for the nation during a time of turmoil. They had created jobs during a time when many Germans were jobless, which created a loyalty to the Regime. Georg Elser was one of few Germans who, at this time, did not think that Adolph Hitler was fit to be a leader for Germany.
Georg Elser was not a man with an extensive education. In fact, he left his childhood home of Königsbronn at the age of 14 and became a transient worker, taking carpentry and factory jobs. At the age of 30, Elser joined the Roter Frontkämpferbund, but he was removed from the group two years later due to inactive membership and was largely not politically active after this, up until 1939.
It was the War Economy Decree of September 4, 1938, that convinced Elser that action against the Nazi Regime had to be taken. This decree restricted many of the freedoms that workers had enjoyed previously. Additionally, Elser was concerned that Hitler was obsessed with the idea of a world war. It is somewhat astounding that a man like Georg Elser, who had little education or politically activity, saw so clearly what so few others did. By early 1939, Elser became convinced that an attempt to assassinate Adolph Hitler had to be made.
Georg Elser read in German newspapers that Hitler was expected to hold a Nazi Party meeting at the Bürgerbräukeller, a beer hall in Munich. This meeting was scheduled for the 8th of November, 1939, the anniversary of the Beer Hall Putsch, a coup attempt by the Nazi party led by the young Adolf Hitler, for which Hitler was arrested and imprisoned. Because this was such an important date, Elser could be sure that the meeting would not be cancelled.
It was the War Economy Decree of September 4, 1938, that convinced Elser that action against the Nazi Regime had to be taken. This decree restricted many of the freedoms that workers had enjoyed previously. Additionally, Elser was concerned that Hitler was obsessed with the idea of a world war. It is somewhat astounding that a man like Georg Elser, who had little education or politically activity, saw so clearly what so few others did. By early 1939, Elser became convinced that an attempt to assassinate Adolph Hitler had to be made.
Georg Elser read in German newspapers that Hitler was expected to hold a Nazi Party meeting at the Bürgerbräukeller, a beer hall in Munich. This meeting was scheduled for the 8th of November, 1939, the anniversary of the Beer Hall Putsch, a coup attempt by the Nazi party led by the young Adolf Hitler, for which Hitler was arrested and imprisoned. Because this was such an important date, Elser could be sure that the meeting would not be cancelled.
In April of 1939, Elser traveled to Munich to take measurements of the Bürgerbräukeller. He decided to hollow out a pillar in order to place a bomb in the beer hall that would explode during Hitler’s speech. In August, Elser moved to Munich and began patronizing the Bürgerbräukeller every night. Elser would wait in a closet until the beer hall employees closed the facility, then he would dismantle the wooden panel covering a cement pillar and then proceed to carve a space in the cement for his bomb. Elser himself built the bomb, using knowledge he amassed while working at a clock factory. Elser’s bomb was well built, with a two clocks attached to a triple detonator. He muffled the clocks with cork to avoid detection. Elser left Munich on November 6, 1939, but he was detained by police on November 8th, as he was attempting to flee to Switzerland with an out-of-date crossing pass.
Hitler’s speech was scheduled to run from 8:30 to 10:00 p.m., and Elser calibrated his bomb to detonate at 9:20 p.m. Unfortunately for Elser, something he could not have planned for came between him and his plans for Adolph Hitler. Hitler’s entourage was advised that heavy fog would make travel later in the night very dangerous, so he wrapped up his speech around 9:07. Elser’s bomb detonated thirteen minutes later, killing seven people and injuring seven.
Hitler’s speech was scheduled to run from 8:30 to 10:00 p.m., and Elser calibrated his bomb to detonate at 9:20 p.m. Unfortunately for Elser, something he could not have planned for came between him and his plans for Adolph Hitler. Hitler’s entourage was advised that heavy fog would make travel later in the night very dangerous, so he wrapped up his speech around 9:07. Elser’s bomb detonated thirteen minutes later, killing seven people and injuring seven.
Elser was interrogated by German authorities from his arrest on November 9th until his confession on November 14th. He was taken to Sachsenhausen concentratin camp and later transferred to Dachau. He stayed here throughout the entire duration of the war until, on April 9, 1945, when the Nazis saw that their Regime was soon to fall, they murdered Elser rather than allow him to survive when the Third Reich would not. Elser was 42 years old.
Elser was largely forgotten after World War II ended. It wasn’t until 2015 that German Chancellor Angela Merkel made a public statement declaring that Elser was, “one who struggled on his own… to try to prevent the war”. Memorials have been built for Elser in the nation he attempted to protect. Also in 2015, a film called 13 Minutes follows Elser’s decision to assassinate Adolph Hitler and his actual assassination attempt.
Elser was largely forgotten after World War II ended. It wasn’t until 2015 that German Chancellor Angela Merkel made a public statement declaring that Elser was, “one who struggled on his own… to try to prevent the war”. Memorials have been built for Elser in the nation he attempted to protect. Also in 2015, a film called 13 Minutes follows Elser’s decision to assassinate Adolph Hitler and his actual assassination attempt.
If you were in Johann Georg Elser’s position, what would you have done? If you thought that a political leader was dangerous to your nation, would you risk your own life to prevent them from being in power? Could you justify the loss of other lives in order to remove a dictator from office? Georg Elser said, “I wanted to prevent war.” He was able to justify the loss of a few lives because he felt that he could prevent all of the lives that were eventually lost during World War II. Do you agree with him?