Hans Otfried von Linstow


Hans Otfried von Linstow, was a German Army colonel. He took part in the 20 July Plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler.

Early life

Born in Berlin, von Linstow joined the German military, Reichswehr, after the First World War.

World War II

He served in several units, in 1939 with 15th infantry division and 1940 with the 10th army corps, in 1941 with the 9th army corps in Russia. In April 1944, he was dispatched to Paris, France, as Chief of Staff under the authority of Carl-Heinrich von Stülpnagel.

Participation in the plot to kill Hitler and his execution

It was not until the actual day of the 20 July Plot in 1944, that Stülpnagel included von Linstow in his plans. Von Linstow promptly rounded up most SS, SD and Gestapo officers in Paris and imprisoned them. Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg called him later to inform him that Berlin was lost. Von Linstow was arrested three days later on 23 July in Paris. Sentenced to death in Berlin by Roland Freisler, president of the People's Court on 30 August, he was executed that same day in Berlin-Plötzensee.