Herbert von Bose Plaque

Herbert von Bose. A name etched in history, and on this plaque. Here, at Neuchateller Straße 8, we stand before a silent testament to a man who dared to defy the rising tide of Nazism. Herbert von Bose, head of the press division in Vice-Chancellor Franz von Papen’s office, was a key figure in the quiet resistance against Hitler’s regime. This plaque marks the very building where he worked and, tragically, where he was murdered during the Night of the Long Knives in 1934. A conservative who had initially participated in right-wing political gatherings, including one with the Nazi Party, Bose quickly grew to despise Hitler and National Socialism. He saw the danger they posed to Germany. He worked tirelessly behind the scenes with a small group of Papen’s aides, plotting to undermine the Nazi regime from within. Their plan was audacious: to convince President Hindenburg to declare a state of emergency, strip Hitler’s government of power, and restore control to the conservatives. Bose and his colleagues weren’t idle dreamers. They meticulously compiled dossiers, drafted provocative speeches, and even leaked information to the foreign press. They sought to expose the truth about the Nazis and galvanize opposition. One such speech, delivered by Papen at the University of Marburg in June 1934, openly criticized the Nazi regime. Its message resonated, with the defiant greeting “Heil Marburg” spreading quickly throughout Germany. This plaque at Herbert von Bose Plaque reminds us of the price of dissent. Just days after the Marburg speech, on June 30, 1934, SS troops stormed the Vice-Chancellery. Bose was cornered in his office, a room that would forever bear the stain of his sacrifice. He was shot ten times from behind. His murder, along with those of several colleagues, was a chilling act of repression, a stark reminder of the brutality of the Nazi regime. Herbert von Bose Plaque is more than just a metal plate. It is a symbol of courage, resistance, and the fight for truth in the face of tyranny. It serves as a chilling reminder of the dangers of extremism and the importance of speaking out against injustice.