Adolf Hitler- Fuhrer of Nazi Germany 1933-1938
"He's a man of courage and conviction. And what resolution in his speeches! There should be a handful of such people in all our churches, and at least two handfuls in the Wehrmacht. If there were, Germany would look quite different!"- Hans Oster speaking about von Brauchitsch
As March 1938 came into light the world stood on the brink of war. Germany had annexed Austria and was gearing up for a war over the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia. Despite his Generals protests Hitler was planning on going ot war lest the Munich Conference didn't pan out. In response Hans Oster of the Abwehr planned on storming the Reichskanzlei and killing Adolf. He approached Walther von Brauchuitsch nervously on joining the proposed coup, and found a willing ally. They wasted no time in planning and shipping in the weapons from numerous outside sources including Colt, Kynotch and Hotchkiss. Oster himself stole the floor plans to the Reichskanzlei to aid the plotters. So when Hitler, Mussolini, Daladier, Ciano and Chamberlain all met in Munich the world watched on nervously.
The talks dragged on for months as Hitler demanded the Sudetenland only for Chamberlain to refuse. Eventually, in June of 1938, Hitler stormed out of the Conference after Chamberlain recommended compensation to Germany in return for a promise to not invade Czechoslovakia. He returned to Berlin and ordered the German army to invade Czechoslovakia. Colonel General Walther von Brauchitsch (Commander in Chief of the Army), who was involved in the Oster plot, instead sent a coded message to Oster that signaled to begin the plot. Twenty Minutes later the gears were turning and Hitler's hours were numbered. The 1st Panzer Division moved to Berlin and around the Reichskanzlei, trapping Hitler inside. Inside the building Hitler was furious and tried to get a hold of Wehrmacht HQ but found his communications lines cut. Count Hans-Jürgen von Blumenthal then led a platoon of Wehrmacht grunts into the building where they engaged SS units. The SS put up a furious fight and Hitler even made an appearance once to try and persuade the attackers to go home, but his calls for peace fell on deaf ears. Despite the SS's best efforts the plotters were too numerous for their limited amount of men but they still held their ground to give the Fuhrer a chance of perceived escape. They called in their one and only Focke-Wulf Fw 61 Helicopter to land on the new 1930 extension to evacuate Hitler, but a faulty bolt in one of the rotors caused it to crash on the way, sealing Hitler within the building.
Hitler, when learning the news of the Focke Wulf's crash, flew into a furious rage and screamed at the top of his lungs for God to save him, the savior of the Aryans. When nothing happened he calmed and sat at his desk, took out a piece of paper and began to write; as the gunshots down the hall got closer, Hitler cried(2). When the plotters charged in von Blumenthal read Hitler his accusations "Squashing of Democracy, Repression of Basic Rights of Man and the Mass Imprisonment" before condemning him to death. According to von Bluthemal "It was then Hitler lunged at us, screaming 'Long live the Reich!' and I was forced to shoot him". With the death of Adolf Hitler the remaining SS within the Reichs Chancellery surrendered to Oster's forces.
With the Chancellery under his control Oster began the second stage, seizing Berlin. von Brauchitsch issued his now famous "Order No. 874" which ordered all units in and around Berlin to move into the city to "restore order". They obeyed and it wasn't long before Wehrmacht troops were spotted at key intersections and around buildings across Berlin. Soon after a select group of Wehrmacht troops who were loyal to Oster walked into the Reichstag and arrested Hermann Goring then announced the transfer of power to a Transitional Council made up of senior, Non-NSDAP, politicians. As word of the Revolution spread across Berlin senior Nazi officials (including Joseph Goebbels and Heinrich Himmler) tried to flee the city only to be snatched up at checkpoints on every major highway out of the city. By 3:30 that day, 2 hours after the start of the revolution, Berlin had fallen to Oster.
Osterists(1.1) occupy Berlin and begin to transfer power to the Transitional Council
The revolution in Berlin was followed by attacks on Nazi Regional Headquarters across the country to deprave the Hitlerites of being able to launch an effective counterattack. This attack was led by Walther von Brauchitsch and was a great success in Northern and Central Germany because the Nazi's didn't have much time to prepare. As the new German Army moved South the Nazi Parties of Bavaria and Baden-Wurttemberg set up defenses across South Germany, hindering the German Army's advance. The short but aptly named "Southern War" helped cement the new government as rulers of Germany. This worked wonders as Great Britain, France and even the United States prepared to recognize the revolutionaries as the legitimate government of Germany, but first they needed a leader.
Since the seizure of Berlin Oster had led an informal "Transitional Council" to run Germany. Now the Nazis were on the run and Oster recognized that the Council couldn't be a long term government. It is said that while he was wondering on who could lead Germany, he got a telegram from Munich. In it it said that German forces under Walther von Brauchitsch had smashed the Nazis inside the city. Oster found his new President of Germany. He also held an election for a new Reichstag and Chancellor. After a short but eventful election Otto Wells of the SDP was elected Chancellor and Erich Ollenhauer, also of the SDP was elected as Chancellor of the Reichstag when the SDP gained 30 seats putting them at 100 (largest in the Reichstag). With that Oster faded in obscurity.(3) Von Brauchitsch was taken aback some by his appointment of President of Germany, he was a military man after all. He was also not known much out Prussia, that would have to change if he would to want to run for reelection.
Walther von Brauchitsch, 1934
On September 1st, 1939, a mere 3 days after his appointment, President Von Brauchitsch proposed his first bill. In it he outlined closing the work camps, starting with Buchenwald. Afterward he made a speech outside the Brandenburg Gate that laid a plan for Germany for the next 5 years. His plan worried Britain and France as it called for continuing re-arming just at a slower pace. Winston Churchill was quoted as saying "All we did was replace on nut with another!". He also called for talks with Britain and France to negotiate the reparation payments. It is suspected that this is actually the Wells talking and by some is recognized as the beginning of Wells's rise to the Presidency.
(1)As they are known in pop culture
(1.1)What they were known at the time
(2)Spots were seen on the paper, modern lab analysis proves they are tears
(3)Oster remained active in German politics until his death in 1965 at 75
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