Noblesse Oblige: Countess Von Moltke

This January, Countess Freya Von-Moltke, a paragon of the little-known Kreisau Circle of aristocrats and intellectuals who openly opposed the Nazi regime during World War II, died at the ripe age of 98. She courageously played host to the circle at her estate in Kreisau Poland and supported her husband, The Count, in his endeavor to reveal Nazi war crimes as they occurred.

Combined, the couple made up a kind of real life Victor Lazlo and Ilsa Lund of Casablanca fame.
Count Von Moltke worked in the Abwehr and attempted to publicize violations of the Geneva Convention as well as the horrible violations occuring in the concentration camps. He also attempted to extradite hundreds of Jews to countries which resisted Germany. For his work, he was arrested by the Gestapo and eventually executed for his seditious actions. In a final letter to his two sons he wrote " Since National Socialism came to power, I have striven to make its consequences milder for its victims and to prepare the way for a change. In that my conscience drove me - and in the end that is a man's duty."

Shortly before the execution the Countess fled to South Africa with her children where she continued to lecture about the inherent evils of National Socialism. The Kreisau Circle, the Von Moltkes, Admiral Wilhem Canaris and the Von Stauffenberg plot are just a handful of examples of Bourgeoisie and Aristocratic opposition to Hitler and the Nazis. It remains unfortunate that the lives of these brave patriots has gone largely unrecognized in academia & the popular media. Contrary to what many unsophisticated historical texts will tell you, many powerful Germans were not in Cahoots with Hitler, Himmler or any of their goons.