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The Kreisau Circle

     The Kreisau Circle (1940-1944) (Kreisauer Kreis) was a group of about twenty-five German dissidents led by Hermuth James von Moltke, who met at his estate in the rural town of Kreisau, Silesia. The circle comprised men and a few women from a variety of backgrounds, including those of noble descent, devout Protestants and Catholics, professionals, socialists, and conservatives. Despite these differences, the members of the Kreisau Circle found common interest in their opposition to Hitler’s Nazi regime on both moral and religious grounds. At their meetings, the circle discussed how they would reorganize the German government after the end of the Third Reich. Although the circle did not promote violent overthrow of the regime, their planning was considered by the Nazis to be treasonous as it rested on the assumption that Germany would lose the war. The group began to falter after Helmuth von Moltke was arrested by the Gestapo in January 1944 and eventually came to an end when most of its members were arrested following von Stauffenberg’s attempt on Hitler’s life on July 20, 1944. 

Intellectual Background 

The members of the Kreisau Circle were heavily influenced by popular movements in Germany that followed World War I, most notably the German Youth Movement and Religious Socialism. Despite the ideological differences between these movements, each faction inspired resistance to the Nazi regime by encouraging their followers to reconsider traditionally rigid political, social, and religious distinctions and engage in discourse with those who disagreed with them. These fundamental similarities created and environment that allowed for persons of a variety of backgrounds to meet and participate in intellectual resistance to the Third Reich.

The German Youth Movement

The German Youth Movement was characterized by the creation of various youth organizations that emphasized a return to nature beginning in 1896. For example, the Wandervogel was a youth movement that arose in the early 20^th century. The movement encouraged youth to reject their middle-class upbringings that overemphasized materialism. The movement emphasized the importance of the individual and emboldened them to pursue his or her own interests rather than follow traditional class expectations.

Many members of the German youth groups were sent to war in 1913. Following great losses during the war, they found themselves fascinated with Volkish ideology, or the idea of reunification of the German people that transcended class distinctions. While this preoccupation with the Volk made for an easy transition for some into Nazi ideology, for others such as von Moltke, their roots in a movement that questioned the status quo led them to resist what a regime that undermined the freedom that they sought through their youth organizations. 

Lowenberger Arbeitsgemeinschaften (Lowenberger Working Groups)

An extension of the German Youth Movement, the Lowenberger Arbeitsgemeinschaften was an organization of college professors, youth movement leaders, unemployed workers, students, and farmers who came together to work in work camps and discuss social and political issues and solve the problems Silesia faced (i.e. high unemployment) in the aftermath of WWI. Between the days of March 14^th and April 1^st 1928, approximately one-hundred people from a variety of backgrounds came together for the first Silesian work camp. In the mornings, participants would partake in physical labor. This was followed by lecture courses, discussion groups, and leisure time. Two additional camps followed in 1929 and 1930. One participant described his time at the camps, “Representatives of the three social groups in the nation were able to achieve a common language that had proved beyond the grasp of the older generation. A group such as this, which formed a cross-section of the community, was capable of rising above class and party interests”. The camp allowed participants to cooperate with people of different upbringings and discuss how they could work together for the common good of their community. This lesson that people of differing social classes and political views could collaborate successfully would greatly influence Hermuth James von Moltke in his construction of the Kreisau Circle, who himself was an important contributor to the Lowenberger movement.   

Religious Socialism in Germany

Religious Socialism in 20^th century Germany also influenced the members of the Kreisau Circle. This movement is most notably characterized by the work of Paul Tillich, who sought to fashion socialism into an ideology that was complimentary with Christian faith. He looked to create “socialist political forms that were rooted in a religious substance”. Tillich called this socialism “theonomous”. Tillich emphasized the importance of social justice which he defined as, “the demand for a society in which it is possible for every individual and for every group to live meaningfully and purposefully, a demand for a meaningful society”. Similarly to the youth movements, religious socialism challenged conventional political divisions. The movement asked its followers not to focus on the differences between Christianity and socialism but rather see how the two could work together to create a better society. Harald Poelchau, a member of the Kreisau Circle, was a close follower of Tillich, and other members such as first name Einsiedel, first name Trotha, first name Reichwein, and Adam von Trott zu Solz also were affiliated with religious socialism.

Origins of the Kreisau Circle

The Kreisau Circle was officially formed in 1940 with the merging of the intellectual circles of Helmuth James Graf von Moltke and Peter Graf Yorck von Wartenberg. Moltke and Yorck were descendants of prominent Prussian nobility which initially caused them to enjoy the favor of the Nazi regime. Despite this special treatment, both men felt morally obliged to resist Hitler. In 1938, both men began to form separate social circles in which they discussed the problems of the Reich and their hopes for Germany’s future. Moltke’s circle, which included Einsiedel, was largely preoccupied with the sociological and economic problems that Germany would face in after the Reich fell. Yorck’s circle, which began to meet frequently at his home, focused mostly on the administrative questions of how the government should run after Hitler’s regime had ended. In January 1940, Moltke was connected to Yorck through a mutual friend. They both agreed that the Third Reich’s defeat was inevitable and that a new government would have to be prepared to take over in this event. The two valued their common desire to oppose the regime through intellectual means despite differences in political views. The circle was fashioned in November 1940, against the backdrop of Hitler’s successes in France.

Members of the Kreisau Circle

The membership of the Kreisau Circle was varied, with affiliates ranging from conservatives to socialists, religious and non-religious, and all of the above. Although Freya von Moltke, Hermuth von Moltke, Peter von Yorck and Marion von Yorck were at the center of the circle, the group was more of a network of friends than a formal organization. Freya von Moltke said that her husband and Yorck searched for, “people who objected, who were opposed to National Socialism and were trying to envisage a better Germany beyond National Socialism, which at the time seemed completely impossible”. Their differences were valued as Moltke and Yorck believed that debate would assist them to accomplish their common goal for a better Germany following “X-day”, or the day after the end of the Reich. 

Helmuth James Graf von Moltke 

The Kreisau Circle’s most notable member was Helmuth James Graf von Moltke, who was considered to be the leader of the organization. Moltke was born on March 11, 1907 in Kreisau, Silesia to one of Prussia’s best known military families. The Moltke household encouraged discussion and debate. For example, although both of Moltke’s parents were Christian Scientists, he became an Evangelical Christian at the age of 14. He attended university from 1925-1929 and studied law and political science. During this time, he became an important leader of the Lowenberger Arbeitsgemeinschaften. He also found himself drawn to the Schwarzwald Circle in 1929, which was an intellectual discussion group led by Eugenie Schwarzwald, where he met his future wife, Freya Deichmann. Later that year, Helmuth was forced to return home from school to Kreisau to manage his family’s estate. He married Freya on October 18^th 1931. By 1932, the Kreisau Estate had been stabilized allowing Helmuth to resume his career in law in Berlin. He eventually opened his own private firm along with his colleague Karl von Lewinski to practice international law. In this occupation, Moltke assisted Jewish emigres to escape the Nazi regime despite the obvious threat that this presented to his own safety. From 1935 to 1938, he spent time in England in hopes of joining the British Bar. Although these plans were halted by the declaration of war in September 1939, it was during this time that Moltke gained many of his connections outside of Germany. He returned to Berlin and was drafted into the Abwehr, where he attempted to ensure adherence to international law. During this time, Moltke kept in contact with his friends from the Silesian work camps, such as Horst von Einsendel. They largely discussed sociological and economic consequences of the Third Reich. In January 1940, Moltke meets Peter Graf Yorck von Wartenburg. By November 1940, the circles of Moltke and Yorck had merged to create the Kreisau Circle.  

Peter Graf Yorck von Wartenburg

Peter Yorck von Wartenburg came from a well-known family of Prussian nobles. The family emphasized the importance of scholarship and the arts and encouraged opposition to authority when appropriate. For example, Peter’s father, Heinrich, called himself “His Majesty’s most loyal opposition”. Yorck studied law in Bonn and Breslau and during this time became critical of the failing republic. Following Kristallnacht in 1938, Yorck began to bring groups of dissenters to his home to discuss what was to be done after the fall of the Third Reich. This small circle later merged with Moltke’s to form the Kreisau Circle in November of 1940.  

Women in the Kreisau Circle

Freya von Moltke (lawyer), Marion Yorck von Wartenburg (lawyer), Margrit von Trotha (economist), Rosemarie Reichwein (physician/therapist), and Irene Yorck von Wartenburg. 

Other Protestant Members

Additional Protestant members of the circle included Horst von Einsiedel, Carl Dietrich von Trotha, Adolf Reichwein, Otto von der Gablentz, Theodor Steltzer, Adam von Trott, Hans-Bernd von Haeften, Harald Poelchau, and Eugen Gerstenmaier. 

Catholic Members

Catholic members included Hans Peters, Hans Lukaschek, Paulus van Husen, Augustin Rosch SJ, and Lothar Konig SJ. 

Socialist Members

Socialists members included Carlo Mierendorff, Theo Hauback, and Julius Leber. 

The Kreisau Circle’s Proposals for the Future

The activities of the Kreisau Circle formed around the idea that the fall of the Third Reich was in the near future. The day after this day when the new government would need to take over was referred to as “Day X”. This day would mark the beginning of a new Germany and the end of a historical era. Therefore, based on this assumption, the job of the Kreisau Circle was to prepare for this day. On April 24, 1941, the Kreisau Circle created a memorandum titled, Starting-point, Objectives and Tasks. In this text, the Circle believed that with the end of the Third Reich would also come the end of nationalism, racism, and party politics. 

Although a general consensus existed about what the circle was working towards, how they planned to execute these plans remained up for debate. According to Freya von Moltke, some of the main questions that the group sought to answer were, “How can I make democrats out of Germans who had not been able, really, to run a democracy properly?” and “How to build a new economy and whether it should be free or not free”. 

With the fall of the Reich, the members Kreisau Circle also predicted an end of the current Europe. They hoped for a restoration of Christian values that they felt had been lost and led to Hitler’s regime. With the return of Christian values, the group believed that greater acceptance and cooperation between all peoples would occur. 

The End of the Kreisau Circle

Arrests in January 1944

In the fall of 1943, Helmuth von Moltke learned from an informant that a Gestapo spy had discovered an anti-Nazi salon in Berlin and that there would be a round-up of all participants. Moltke warned an acquaintance who had been present at the salon, Otto Kiep, of the round-ups. Kiep failed to escape and was arrested in January 1944. In an interrogation, Kiep told the Gestapo that von Moltke had warned him of the arrests, and Helmuth himself was then arrested on January 19^th, 1944. This left the Kreisau Circle without one of its integral members. Freya von Moltke was also ousted from the group following Helmuth’s arrest as the members were worried she would be interrogated. During this time, Yorck struggled to maintain cohesion of the group. However, this was not the death toll of the circle as the Gestapo was not yet aware of the resistance. Prior to the attempted assassination of Adolf Hitler, Helmuth von Moltke was treated fairly in prison and allowed to correspond with his wife Freya. 

July 20^th 1944 Attempt and its Effects on the Circle

On July 20^th, 1944 a group of dissidents attempted to assassinate Hitler with a bomb and failed. Claus von Stauffenberg, cousin of Peter Yorck, was among the leading figures in this attempt to create “Day-X”. However, the bombing only injured Hitler and led to a series of apprehensions. Peter Yorck was arrested and executed on August 8^th, 1944 for his involvement. Although Moltke himself was not involved, his close association with Yorck proved fatal as he was also executed on January 23, 1945. These arrests and executions signaled the formal end of the activities of the Kreisau Circle. 

The Legacy of the Kreisau Circle

When “X-day” finally came in May 1945, none of the Kreisau Circle’s proposals for Germany’s future were implemented. Although their plans never came to fruition, the legacy of resistance established by the Kreisau Circle still remains important today. The members of Kreisau came together, despite their individual differences, to fashion a Germany which was democratic, anti-racist, and internationalist. Those at the Kreisau Circle committed treason and sacrificed their lives for their belief that the voice of opposition should be heard without persecution, and that if heard together these voices could fashion a better world. They were idealists in a totalitarian regime which threatened to extinguish any trace of resistance. 

Many of the surviving members of the circle continued to remain active after the war. For example, Marion Yorck received a judgeship in Berlin and Rosemarie Reichwein began her own physical therapy clinic. In addition, Freya von Moltke transformed the Kreisau estate into the Krzyzowa Foundation for Mutual Understanding in Europe on July 10^th, 1990. This foundation bases its work on the principals of the Kreisau Circle, and continues to look towards developing understanding between persons from different social, political, and cultural backgrounds.