They're finally rolling out the willkommen mat.

Months after barring Tom Cruise and the crew of his controversial new film, Valkyrie, from shooting at a Berlin World War II shrine, Germany's finance ministry is having a change of heart.

The Bryan Singer-directed film, which Cruise is also coproducing with partner Paula Wagner through their newly revived United Artists shingle, is based on a true story. Cruise plays Colonel Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg, a high-ranking officer in Adolf Hitler's inner circle who attempted to assassinate the Führer using a briefcase bomb in 1944.

Codenamed Operation Valkyrie, the plan nearly worked. But Hitler did manage to escape with his life and, after a swift trial, the small band of coconspirators were shot to death at what is known today as the Bendlerblock memorial, situated inside Germany's defense ministry complex in the country's capital.

Defense ministry spokesman Thomas Raabe announced Friday that after extensive talks, officials were satisfied that the filmmakers were "aware of the particular significance" of the historical site where the plotters had died.

United Artists issued a statement saying that it was "extremely grateful to the German government for allowing us to film at the Bendlerblock" and promised to "take special care to respect its dignity and keep our activities there within the guidelines laid down" by officials.

"Filming at the Bendlerblock has always been important to us symbolically, creatively and for the sake of historical authenticity," the statement continued. "As a result, we have been in constant communication with the government in an effort to dispel any concerns or misperceptions about the nature of Valkyrie."

In June, reports circulated that German officials objected to the film being shot at the memorial because of Cruise's membership in and staunch advocacy for Scientology, which the government classifies as a cult.

But two months later, the defense ministry stated that Cruise's personal beliefs were not the reason for the prohibition and it had no problem with filmmakers shooting there.

However, the final decision rested with the finance ministry, which controls the memorial and had halted all production inside the site after a German filmmaker abused the privilege.

According to Reuters, finance ministry officials agreed to reconsider Cruise's request after intense lobbying from the German film industry and journalists, citing the importance of maintaining historical accuracy and the global audience that will no doubt see Valkyrie.

Also aiding the decision was a letter from the producers that laid out the movie's opening scenes in detail and demonstrated how shooting in the original locale would help Germany improve its image abroad and tell a story that's little known outside the nation.

"It draws a line from today's democratic Germany to the memorial site where the [conspirators] were shot," a spokesman for the finance ministry told the wire service. "I believe it shows that barbarism did not prevail but that at the end of the day a democratic Germany rose again.

"Both sides are willing to reach an accord, let's just wait a little while longer, I think it will come to a good end," added the spokesman.

The controversy was largely instigated in June by the conservative parliament member Antje Blumenthal, who posted a statement on her Website claiming that Defense Minister Franz-Josef Jung had vowed that Cruise would not gain approval due to his Scientology connections.

After learning about the finance officials' about-face, Blumenthal expressed disappointment and called it an "unfortunate decision."

"I would have wished for the ministry to stick to its original decision," the politician said in a statement.

The German tabloid Bild cited a defense ministry spokesman as saying Singer and officials will tour the Bendlerblock to decide what sections are viable for filming. According to the newspaper, producers hope to shoot four scenes, among them Stauffenberg's execution.

Officials have reportedly already ruled out one thing—the appearance of Nazi flags at the memorial.

Valkyrie, which also stars Kenneth Brannagh, Bill Nighy, Terence Stam and Carice van Houton, is slated to hit theaters next June.

Meanwhile, Cruise is expected to take a brief break from shooting to attend the world premiere of his Lions for Lambs with costars Robert Redford and Meryl Streep at next month's London Film Festival. A political thriller, the Redford-directed film finds the Top Gunner starring as a U.S. senator whose decisions at home affect the fate of two seriously injured U.S. Army Rangers fighting in Afghanistan.