The German government reversed direction on Friday to say it would now allow the makers of a Tom Cruise film about a failed plot to kill Hitler to use the site where the conspirators were executed.
In "Valkyrie", the Hollywood superstar plays plot leader Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg, who along with fellow plotters was put to death in the Bendlerblock in Berlin, a courtyard which today is used by the defence ministry and is a national shrine.
An original request to film there was rejected, but a defence ministry spokesman said the filmmakers had agreed to incorporate a scene showing that Germany had emerged from the horrors of the Nazi regime to become a fully democratic country.
"We think the planned scene is a nice dramatic device," the spokesman said.
"This place is a special place... resistance fighters were shot there on July 20, 1944.
"Therefore it is very important to us that in this historic place things are done with dignity," the spokesman said.
"Valkyrie" has been filming at locations in Berlin since July. It is due for release in 2008.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2007