Claus von Stauffenberg

Born into Bavarian nobility on 15 November 1907, Stauffenberg served through Poland, the Soviet invasion in Operation Barbarossa, and Tunisia, where he lost his left eye, right hand, and two fingers. The wounds didn't end his career - they sharpened his resolve. Alongside Henning von Tresckow and Hans Oster, he became central to the Wehrmacht's resistance circle and the architect of Operation Valkyrie, a scheme to kill Hitler and arrest the Nazi leadership in one stroke. On 20 July 1944, he placed the bomb himself at the Wolf's Lair; it detonated but left Hitler only lightly injured. The conspirators were rounded up within hours. Stauffenberg was executed by firing squad on 21 July. His wife Nina, arrested and pregnant, gave birth to their fifth child in custody.