Where Was John Georg Elser Born?

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Where Was John Georg Elser Born?

Early Life and Nazi Opposition

John Georg Elser, the German carpenter who attempted to assassinate Adolf Hitler in 1939, was born on January 4, 1903, in Hermaringen, a small town in the Württemberg region of southwestern Germany.

Elser came from a working-class family and had a limited formal education. He completed only six years of elementary school before apprenticing as a carpenter. As a young man, Elser became politically active and joined the Communist Party of Germany (KPD). He was deeply disturbed by the rise of the Nazi Party and the increasing repression of political freedoms in Germany.

By the mid-1930s, Elser had become convinced that Hitler's regime posed a grave threat to Germany and to the world. He decided to take action to eliminate Hitler, believing that his death would cripple the Nazi movement and prevent further bloodshed.

where was john georg elser bron

The Assassination Plot

In 1938, Elser began planning his assassination attempt. He obtained a job as a carpenter at the Bürgerbräukeller, a beer hall in Munich where Hitler was scheduled to give a speech on November 8, 1939.

Over the course of several months, Elser secreted himself inside the beer hall after hours and planted a timed explosive device in a pillar behind the podium where Hitler would stand. He also planted a smaller backup explosive device in the cellar.

On the evening of November 8, 1939, Hitler arrived at the Bürgerbräukeller. He gave his speech as scheduled, beginning at approximately 8:00 PM. Elser, who had been hiding in the cellar, activated the backup explosive device at 9:20 PM, believing that Hitler was still inside the beer hall.

However, Hitler had left the beer hall 13 minutes earlier to catch a train back to Berlin. The backup explosive device detonated, killing eight people and injuring dozens more. The main explosive device, which was designed to kill Hitler, failed to detonate.

Capture, Interrogation, and Execution

Elser escaped from the Bürgerbräukeller after the explosion. He was arrested by the Gestapo (German secret police) on November 9, 1939, while trying to cross the Swiss border.

Elser was interrogated extensively by the Gestapo. He initially denied involvement in the assassination attempt but later confessed, believing that he would be released if he cooperated. However, the Gestapo had already established his guilt through fingerprints and other evidence.

Where Was John Georg Elser Born?

When was John Georg Elser born?

Elser was sentenced to death by the Volksgerichtshof (People's Court) on April 19, 1941. He was executed by guillotine on April 9, 1945, just a few days before the end of World War II.

Legacy

John Georg Elser's assassination attempt against Hitler was a bold and courageous act of resistance. Although he failed in his mission to kill Hitler, Elser's actions helped to demonstrate that there was opposition to the Nazi regime within Germany.

Elser's story has been the subject of several books and films, including the 2015 German film "Elser - Er Hätte Die Welt Verändert" (Elser - He Could Have Changed the World). His assassination attempt remains a reminder of the dangers of tyranny and the importance of standing up for what is right.