Stauffenberg: A Family History, 1905-1944

by Peter Hoffmann

The three Stauffenberg brothers, Berthold, Alexander and Claus, were inseparable both emotionally and intellectually. Their view of human existence was rooted in their south German aristocratic background, in classical antiquity, and in Christian culture, as well as in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Pindar, Dante, Holderlin and Stefan George were their principal literary heroes; Alexander, Caesar, Frederick II, Napoleon and Gneisanau were their models in generalship and statesmanship.
This 'family biography' describes the brothers' youth and formative years, their association with the circle of the poet Stefan George, and their professional and political development. Their professions and their political and military environments led them to take fundamental positions on the military ethos and on their government's and Hitler's tyranny.
The military career of Claus, Count Stauffenberg and his fight to overthrow Hitler, culminating in the attempted assassination and coup of 20 July 1944, provide the focus for the book. It is based on the most comprehensive collection of sources yet used, including family papers, correspondence, and information from numerous contemporaries, with a unique collection of illustrative material.

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, Germany, Military Fiction, World War II, European History

464 pages, Paperback

First published October 27, 1995

About the author

Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

Reviews

[Raymond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter Hoffman’s, “Stauffenberg, A Family History, 1905-1944,” will ever be valued for its insights into Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler, the highest echelons of the German army during the 1939-1945 war in Europe, the German nobility which existed in that era, the German opposition to Hitler, the German oppositions' actions and the Hitler assassination attempts, the biography of the brothers von Stauffenberg and all their family and - especially - Claus von Stauffenberg who led the planning for a coup d’etat and who attempted the assassination of Hitler. Some reviewer tagged, “Stauffenberg,” a work of erudition. Surely it is that; there are (nearly) 150 pages of appendices, notes and index. Hoffman is a scholar, not a fine writer, and he lays out more German army units, more names - titles and ranks - than nearly anyone could want. In total, the work is fascinating.

[Shannon Silver · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this book five stars because it was well written and researched. I found it it to be incredibly detailed, informative, and interesting. I learned so much about the German military, nobility, poetry and resistance! The downside, I found it pretty dry and a bit hard to follow. Much of the book was names and dates and locations without a lot of context or story, so it was difficult for me to keep track of the people involved sometimes. Or maybe it’s because I’m always reading with kids running around me haha. Either way, this book was a very worthwhile read and I’m looking forward to learning more about some of the other people and events discussed in it.

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading about heroes of WWII Germany who stood up to the Nazis and Hitler. This man stands out and I don't think he is spoken about enough. This book sucked me in and gave fantastic insight to who this man was without any of the Hollywood hype of "Valkyrie"

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The attempt to assassinate Hitler is widely acknowledged, but few are aware of the individuals involved. In this detailed family history Peter Hoffmann reveals the tragic and heroic life of Claus, Count Stauffenberg, German aristocrat and would-be assassin of Adolph Hitler."

[Michael Ascher · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly this read like a paper a college student would write for an upper level seminar. The Stauffenbergs were interesting - they weren't so interesting that I needed a diary like catalog of so many events in their lives, and because there were three of them, the time lines get really fuzzy as one tries to plough through. I read it for my book club, which meets to discuss tomorrow night, so I admit I did not continue into the notes/appendices - 400 pages worth! I did read the first couple of letters, and it was funny that they immediately gave me more insight into what the author was after.

And that ultimately is the problem with the book. Because it is packed so densely with the events of the characters' lives, it is very difficult as a reader to pick up on the themes that the author is trying to get to, e.g. Stefan George's role in their lives and as some sort of poet/hero in Germany, the "Secret Germany" theme, the brothers as uber civil servants who are also learned Renaissance men, the soldier ethos, etc. To the extent the author tries to explore these themes, they drown in the cascade of events, and are further confused by hopping back and forth in the timeline. Even in the best parts of the book - the conspiracy and the attempts - one gets confused about the aborted July 15 mission and the doomed/failed July 20 attempt. So many characters and so much going on; it needed to be pared down.

Basically, if the author wanted to explore the assassination attempt and the Stauffenberg family's ties to a German poet, the classics, civil service, etc., he should have picked one or the other, and focused on the theme and let the events bring it out. Instead, the themes drown in the sometimes chronological cataloging of the events of the lives of Claus and his family. Just from reading the first few letters in the appendices, I'm left thinking that one should read the letters and some of the sources in the appendices in real time with the book, but that's a massive investment and honestly not how I read.

[Lisa B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I purchased this book shortly after watching Valkyrie and just never got around to reading it. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to learn more about Claus Von Stauffenberg and the conspiracy to kill Hitler.

[Jindřich Čermák · Rating 5 out of 5]

Neuvěřitelně detailní a precizní pohled na myšlenky Clause von Stauffenberga a potažmo i generality německého vojska.

[Ampersand Inc. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fascinating history of Claus von Stauffenberg, one of the plotters whose assignation attempt on Hitler failed in 1944.

[Peter Owens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somewhat dry, but a fascinating peer into the life of Colonel Claus, Baron von Stauffenberg, a main orchestrator in the final German assassination attempt on Hitler's life. Immaculately researched.

[Benedict · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very biased, the author is obviously a huge fan of Stauffenberg. But also very detailed and allows one to form their own picture