Description

Statement by Otto Abetz, german ambassador to occupied france, describes how he expierenced July 20th. 1944, the attempted killing of Adolf Hitler, in Paris. The statement was given in London. There are copies in germand and english language.

Otto Abetz

July 20 in Paris

Abetz writes how he recognized that Rommel was in “sharp opposition” to Hitler. He describes a night Abetz and Rommel spent together discussing the foreign relations of the Reich. He is also citing Rommels Liaison Officer Emil Gemeinder, who testifies that Abetz would have had oppositional thoughts.

Further, he is writing about a meeting with General von Stuelpnagel where he claims that he and the General critically discussed the policy towards France. He further writes about the moment when the news of the assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler reached him, claiming that this news had left him and the embassy staff in “joyful excitement”. Abetz also reports on the SItuation in Paris in light of the attemptet assasination and on a meeting of representatives of German security agencies in Paris.

Abetz writes about the aftermath of July 20 that a few days after the failed assassination attempt, the prosecution of those involved in the assassination began. Abetz names several Germans who were in Paris and who are said to have been involved in the assassination. Among those were: Oberst Brenner, General von Boyneburg – Lengafeld and General von Stuelpnagel. In the last part of the report, Abetz again refers to Rommel. He writes that he has no information from a reliable source that would confirm Rommel’s involvement in the July 20 attack. Rommel’s chief of staff, General Speidel, was arrested in the course of the negotiations surrounding the assassination attempt and, according to Abetz, was only kept alive because his trial had not yet been concluded when Germany’s military collapse occurred.