Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg (1907–1944)

Claus von Stauffenberg, born into an aristocratic Catholic German family, served as a career officer in the Wehrmacht (German Army) and was seriously wounded in North Africa. Along with Generals Henning von Tresckow and Hans Oster, he was one of the leaders of the opposition movement that developed within the armed forces as Germany appeared to be losing World War II. He was a key figure in what became known as the 20 July Plot of 1944 to kill Adolf Hitler and remove the Nazi Party from power. For his role in the event, he was executed by firing squad.