Preparations
Georg Elser began systematically preparing his explosive attack on Hitler in the fall of 1938. He obtained at least 250 black powder pellets from his workplace at the Heidenheim fittings factory. He hid them in his wardrobe at home, later in a wooden suitcase with a false bottom. At the same time, he drafted plans for an explosive device and developed a mechanical detonator. He later decided to add a time fuse with two clock mechanisms. He also checked the possibility of crossing the border illegally near Constance so as to escape to Switzerland after the assassination.
From the spring of 1939, Elser focused entirely on preparing. To obtain more explosives, Elser also worked in a quarry in Königsbronn, where he managed to steal more than 100 explosive charges and over 125 detonating caps from April 1939 on. After an accident at work in May 1939, he was able to concentrate solely on his plans, testing out detonators in his parents’ orchard in July 1939.
