Gördeler, Karl

1884–1945

   Gördeler was one of the leaders of an anti-HITLER faction in Germany. He was a former Mayor of Leipzig and had resigned his post as Reich Commissioner of Prices in 1935 as a protest against the Nazi regime. He took a cover job as a representative for the firm Bosch and traveled around Germany recruiting sympathizers and plotting against Hitler. He was an idealist who took a romantic view of conspiracy, but did not have the forceful personality needed to lead a resistance movement. He was more concerned with the political intrigue of conspiracy and was a member of the Cabinet which would take power on Hitler’s death. Gördeler was hopelessly indiscreet and was under surveillance by the Gestapo. After the failure of the July Plot in 1944 of Count von STAUFFENBERG Gordeler was one of the first to be arrested. He was sentenced to death but was able to put off his execution by writing endless memoranda presenting an excess of information which confused his captors. His luck ran out in February 1945 and he was hanged in Prinz Albrechtstrasse Prison.