Carl Goerdeler

Carl Goerdeler (1884-1945) was a German lawyer and politician, elected as the Mayor of Leipzig before the Nazis came to power, and who became a prominent member of the German Resistance.

After leaving office , he traveled through Europe, in the late 1930s, warning European leaders not to deal with Hitler. In 1940, with Ludwig Beck, he began to consider assassinating Hitler.

He recruited many members of the Resistance, and was sufficiently respected that some individuals, such as declined but did not report him to the Nazi security apparatus.

He took part in the July 1944 assassination attempt against Hitler and was the designated Chancellor in the post-coup country. Arrested in August, he was interrogated under torture for five months, and executed in February 1945.