Guarding Hitler: The Secret World of the Führer

by Mark Felton

Von Kluge was fully aware of what many of his subordinate officers were up to, led by his own Operations Officer, Generalmajor Henning von Treskow. Hitler visited Smolensk to discuss the forthcoming offensive at Kursk with Kluge and other army commanders. Hitler was, in effect, unknowingly entering the belly of the beast when he entered Army Group Centre. It was probably the most dangerous location that the Führer visited, where he would find himself surrounded by dozens of officers who would not have thought twice about putting a bullet between his eyes. As we have seen, one officer did object to such a move – von Kluge. The original plan had been to shoot Hitler dead while he was taking luncheon with the headquarters officers. When Kluge was informed of this plan he was outraged: ‘One could not just shoot the man at his meal.’5 Also Kluge and other senior officers were afraid of getting caught in the crossfire during the inevitable shoot out with Hitler’s SS bodyguards; and the conspirators were averse to risking their commanding general’s life, as he would be needed in the post-Nazi government.