This Date in History: November 15

 

Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg, Army Colonel, born on November 15, 1907 in Jettingen/Baden Württemberg, General Staff officer, seriously wounded in North Africa, while in the 10th Panzer Division, resulting in the loss of his right hand (amputated above the wrist), left eye and the third and fourth fingers on his left hand – in addition to injuries to his left ear and knee, key figure in the July 20, 1944 attempt at Rastenburg, East Prussia to assassinate Hitler, executed by a firing squad at Army headquarters at the Bendlerstrasse in Berlin on late July 20, 1944; his last words were: “God save our holy Germany!”  (2,000 Quotes From Hitler’s 1,000-Year Reich)

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Erwin Rommel, Army Field Marshal, born November 15, 1891 in Heidenheim, winner of the Pour le mérite in World War I, author (Infanterie greift an), Infantry Attacks, commander of the 7th Panzer Division, commander of the Africa Corps, commander Army Group B in France until 1944, winner of the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, committed suicide by poison October 14, 1944 at Herrlingen after implication in the July 20, 1944 plot to assassinate Hitler, last words:

“I shall die in fifteen minutes.”  (2,000 Quotes From Hitler’s 1,000-Year Reich)