▁April ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁that ▁" if ▁a ▁mut iny ▁were ▁to ▁break ▁out ▁today ▁somewhere ▁in ▁the ▁country ", ▁it ▁would ▁meet ▁with ▁an ▁immediate ▁response ▁(" S of ort ma ß nahmen "). ▁▁ ▁Direct ly ▁following ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁civil ▁arrest ▁or ▁similar ▁dist urban ces , ▁all ▁" leading ▁men ▁from ▁the ▁[ left - wing ] ▁opposition , ▁and ▁indeed ▁also ▁those ▁from ▁the ▁Catholic ▁political ▁tradition ▁would ▁be ▁arrested , ▁removed ▁from ▁their ▁homes ▁and ▁sent ▁for ▁execution . ▁▁ ▁Additionally ▁all ▁concentration ▁camp ▁in m ates ▁would ▁be ▁shot ▁along ▁with ▁all ▁crim inals , ▁whether ▁they ▁were ▁in ▁state ▁det ention ▁or ▁at ▁liberty ▁at ▁the ▁time . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 4 ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁Heinrich ▁Him ml er ▁received ▁the ▁mand ate ▁to ▁have ▁former ▁Social ▁Democratic ▁( SP D ) ▁and ▁Commun ist ▁Party ▁( K PD ) ▁officials ▁det ained . ▁▁ ▁The ▁mass ▁arrest , ▁which ▁was ▁estimated ▁to ▁cover ▁more ▁than ▁ 5 , 0 0 0 ▁former ▁polit icians , ▁should ▁take ▁no ▁account ▁of ▁whether ▁or ▁not ▁those ▁det ained ▁were ▁still ▁engaged ▁in ▁opposition ▁activity , ▁and ▁was ▁not ▁connected ▁with ▁the ▁search ▁under way ▁for ▁the ▁July ▁assass ination ▁plot ters . ▁▁ ▁On ▁Th urs day ▁ 1 7 ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁all ▁leading ▁Gest ap o ▁officers ▁in ▁the ▁country ▁received ▁a ▁secret ▁te lex ▁from ▁Department ▁ 4 ▁of ▁the ▁Reich ▁Main ▁Security