Pencil sketch of a Nazi by Dr K Prabhakar Rao

THEODOR STRUENK

Theodor Strünck studied legal science, graduating at the University of Rostock in 1924, and became a lawyer (later a director) at an insurance company. Initially sympathising with National Socialism, he then turned to opposing the regime on their seizure of power and the subsequent decline in the rule of law. In 1937 he became a Hauptmann in Germany's reserve forces, working in the Wehrmacht section of the Amt Ausland/Abwehr under Hans Oster. He came into contact with Carl Goerdeler and organised meetings of German Resistance members in his own home.For his participation in the 20 July 1944 plot, Theodor Strünck was arrested on 1 August, dishonourably discharged from the army on 24 August as part of the "Ehrenhof" (so that the Reichskriegsgericht or Reich Courts Martial would no longer have control of his sentencing), and on 10 October condemned to death by the People's Court under its president Roland Freisler. He was then imprisoned in Flossenbürg concentration camp, where he, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Wilhelm Canaris, Ludwig Gehre, Hans Oster and Karl Sack were executed together by hanging on 9 April 1945y