Skorzeny, otto, born 12061908 in vienna, austria, into a middleclass austrian family which had a long history of military service. He mounted numerous operations with varying degrees of success that involved either the rescue, kidnapping, assassination, or defense of numerous wartime leaders in europe as a result, he became hitlers favorite commando and dubbed the. Otto skorzeny,who in now madrid, is involved at present in a bitter controversy with tenerilhersudorrr, the former german military attache in madrid, and now a close collaborator of the alto estado mayor and the american military authorities. Discover book depositorys huge selection of ottoskorzeny books online. Skorzeny led operation greif, in which german soldiers. Bundesarchiv, bild 101iiialber18325 alber, kurt ccbysa 3. Germanys commando extraordinaire, world war two, february 1999. Hitlers geheime ardennencommando uitgeverij lannoo. Otto skorzeny conducted the rescue of benito mussolini in 1943 and later played a key role in the battle of the bulge. From a little research i found his memoirs had been originally written in german. Otto skorzeny, born 1908, viennadied july 5, 1975, madrid, nazi ss officer, who gained fame in 1943 for his daring rescue of benito mussolini from confinement at campo imperatore in the abruzzi mountains where he had been imprisoned by marshal pietro badoglio skorzeny joined the nazi party in 1933 and became a colonel in the waffen ss during world war ii.
After the war skorzeny was imprisoned as a pow by the americans, and awaited his trial. Hitler was his biggest fan so how did ss officer otto. Deathbed confessions, photos support claims that germanborn george h. Charles messenger is a renowned historian who previously served twentyone years with the british royal tank regiment. His daring rescue of mussolini from gran sasso made him world famous and his subsequent missions during the ardennes offensive and in hungary during operation panzerfaust gave him the the title among the allies of the most dangerous man in europe his. Also in 1972, otto skorzeny met various south african generals. During the war, he wis involved in a string o operations, includin the rescue mission that freed the deponed italian dictator benito mussolini frae captivity.
Obviously, then, otto skorzeny is not the type to indulge in mlfrevelattooa, to explore his own like so many soldiers, skoreeny was disgusted or other peoples characters. Vive peligrosamente by otto skorzeny, 9788470020278, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Deathbed confessions, photos support claims that german. Following the german invasion of poland in 1939, he joined the ss and was assigned to hitler s elite bodyguard. Full text of otto skorzeny my commando operations see other formats. Haaretz otto skorzeny, one of the mossads most valuable assets, was a former lieutenant colonel in nazi germanys waffenss and one of adolf hitlers favorites. Heinz krug had been at his office, and he never came home. Operation greif and the trial of the most dangerous man in europe. Otto skorzeny and operation oak to find and rescue mussolini.
The following 22 files are in this category, out of 22 total. Hitler was his biggest fan so how did ss officer otto skorzeny end up working for mossad. Skorzeny was one of hitlers goto men on dangerous and difficult assignments. An engineer by profession, he tried to volunteer for the luftwaffe german air force, in the year 1939 but was declined entry due to his age 31 at the time and unusual height 6. Skorzeny was also the leader of operation greif, in which german soldiers were. Otto skorzeny was a legendary waffen ss commander of world war ii.
You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that. This paper will provide a brief overview of otto skorzenys life before, during, and after world war ii. During the war he was hitlers favourite bodyguard, a. Zenith press has produced an excellent new edition of the book.
Otto skorzeny my commando operationsthe memoirs of hitlers most dangerous commandofair use statement. There are suggestions below for improving the article. Otto skorzeny was a noted german commando leader during world war ii. After fighting on the eastern front, he was chosen as the field commander to carry out the rescue mission that freed the deposed italian dictator benito mussolini from captivity. It was skorzeny who in 1943 led a daring raid to rescue the imprisoned benito mussolini from a hotel perched atop a mountain. Otto skorzeny was born on june 12, 1908 in vienna, austriahungary. Vive peligrosamente spanish edition otto skorzeny on. The rescue of benito mussolini, the kidnapping of the son of miklos horthy a sitting head of state, and the infiltration of the american camp during. Bundesarchiv bild 101i6808283a30a, budapest, otto skorzeny, adrian v. There are no pretrial investigatory record series or posttrial documents. Skorzeny was born in vienna, austria, on june 12, 1908.
Era considerado pelos aliados como o homem mais perigoso da europa. The bold plan, codenamed unternehmen weitsprung operation long jump, might even have succeeded but for the efforts of allied intelligence services. In his teens, otto once complained to his father of the austere lifestyle that his family was suffering from, by mentioning he had never tasted real butter in his life, because of the depression that. Vive peligrosamente castilian hardcover january 1, 1971 by skorzeny otto author 4. Otto skorzeny 19081975 was one of the first members of the austrian nazi party in 1935 and a leading member of the vienna gymnastic. Every spring in the run up to victory day, television starts to show feature films devoted to the great patriotic war. On september 11, 1962, a german scientist vanished. This is a guy who in the space of just a few short years either participated in or ran some of the most audacious covert military actions known to man. The memoirs of hitlers most daring commando by otto skorzeny. Otto skorzeny was one of the most successful and audacious commanders of special operations forces in world war ii. After the war, otto skorzeny worked with odessa and as a security consultant. German memoirs explain what caused the defeat of the wehrmacht in the war. In late 1943 ss commando otto skorzeny, known as the most dangerous man in europe, was tasked by hitler with a daunting mission.
Skorzeny geeft gunther, zijn beste man, nog een speciale opdracht mee. Heres a strange story that many people found and shared, and it may be a symbol of even deeper patterns. Skorzenys brigade was relieved by other troops on 28th december and was subsequently disbanded. In one of these he received a cut to the face that left him with a permanent scar. Otto skorzeny made headlines when he led a group of welltrained german commandos in operation eiche operation oak to rescue benito mussolini in 1943 from a prison in italy. Books and papers written about him prior to the 20 release of records pursuant to the nazi war.
Ws book is the by the red tape and interference of top brass proud record of me tary immanent. Publico sus memorias en dos tomos titulados vive peligrosamente y. Otto skorzeny, the former ss colonel who rescued mussolini, planned. This piece of literature is provided under conditions of. Otto skorzeny, the former ss colonel who rescued mussolini, planned to kidnap fidel castro and take him to an undisclosed place, according to a feature article.
After fighting on the eastern front, he became known to the world in september 1943, when boastful german radio broadcasts hailed the previously unknown skorzeny as the most dangerous man in europe for his key role in the successful and daring airborne. Otto skorzeny the most dangerous man in europe otto skorzeny in 1943, days after the mussolini rescue raid otto skorzeny, hitlers commando leader in world war 2, became known to the world in september 1943, when german radio broadcasts hailed the previously unknown skorzeny as the most dangerous man in europe for his key role in the daring airborne raid to rescue the ousted. How otto skorzeny went from hitlers favorite commando to. Otto skorzeny was one of germanys finest commandos. The story concerns ss colonel otto skorzeny, often dubbed hitlers favorite commando. Skorzenys men were expected to pose as americans, they needed not only to look the part, but had to be able to explain themselves if approached by other u. The most dangerous man in europe otto skorzeny, hitlers commando leader in world war 2, became known to the world in september 1943, when german radio broadcasts hailed the previously unknown skorzeny as the most dangerous man in europe for his key role in the daring airborne raid to rescue the ousted italian dictator benito mussolini. Deze operatie greif wordt geleid door otto skorzeny, hitlers favoriete sscommandant. Prior to reading the book i did not know of otto skorzeny. Nikola tesla was one of the greatest and most gifted men ever to have walked this earth. How a famous former nazi officer became a hitman for israel.
After fighting on the eastern front, he accompanied the rescue mission that freed the deposed italian dictator benito mussolini from captivity. The man who would one day be celebrated as the greatest adventurer of the third reich came from a rather unexceptional background. In 1947, he was prosecuted for war crimes since his methods violated many conventions of war. In addition to his native german, he spoke excellent french.
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