Trial of Generaloberst Erich Hoepner

[Walküre]

This is a photograph of Generaloberst Hoepner at his show trial before Freisler's People's Court. Hoepner appears to be a man who has resigned himself to his grim fate.

It came from the estate of a US war photographer. If you note the date of the transmission, Hoepner had been executed before this photo had been received.

[valkyrie]

I rtly ecenpurchased a CD copy of the extant trial footage and although I have minimal German, I was struck by how boldly these men stood in front of Freisler and stated their positions. They could have been in no doubt as to their fate as they stood in the court but most of them show little or no fear or nervousness. The recent German film on Sophie Scholl includes a maseterful recreation of the court and portrayal of the reptilian Freisler.

I always wondered what Hoepner hoped to achieve by talking Fromm into excluding him from the July 21 firing squad at Bendlerstrasse. He could not possibly have expected to be found not guilty. so I guess he just wanted his day in court to give Hitler a public 'finger.' He might have made a different choice if he had known the dress code and the rules of evidence.

Colin