Schulenburg

Schulenburg is one of the resistance conspirators whose departure makes visible the group’s internal disarray. An Interior Ministry representative, he joins a small cross-departmental circle seeking to oppose Hitler, but leaves its meeting convinced that its secrecy and improvised schemes have not become a workable political plan.

Position within the conspiracy

At five o’clock, Schulenburg meets with the other members of the core group in Erich Kordt’s office in the Prussian State building. The gathering includes Interior Ministry colleagues Gisevius and Dohnányi, as well as figures from Justice, the Abwehr, and the Foreign Service. Their strategy for concealment is to claim, if questioned, that the meeting is merely an informal discussion about forming an interdepartmental planning group for the newly liberated Sudeten territories. The cover story places the conspirators’ private purpose behind the appearance of routine administrative work.

A demand for proof

The meeting’s fragile cooperation is tested when Hartmann refuses to reveal the proof he possesses. Schulenburg asks to see it, then questions why Hartmann will not show it; when Hartmann remains silent, the secrecy deepens rather than resolves the group’s disagreements. Schulenburg’s concern soon broadens beyond this withheld evidence to the conspirators’ lack of coordination and common purpose.

Resignation and rupture

Schulenburg bitterly argues that the English must regard the conspirators as amateurs: each man speaks for himself, there is no central coordination, and they have no plan for a Germany without Hitler. He says he has had enough and pushes himself out of his armchair. Kordt appeals to him to sit down, acknowledging that the group has suffered a reverse and is disappointed, but urging the men not to quarrel among themselves.

Instead, Schulenburg grabs his hat and points it at Hartmann, accusing him of endangering them all with his schemes. He slams the door behind him. Dohnányi’s immediate agreement that Schulenburg is quite right leaves the accusation hanging over the meeting: the resistance’s peril comes not only from the dictatorship it opposes, but also from its own inability to agree on a plan.