The fuhrer, in fact, awarded skorzeny the army s most prestigious medal, the knights cross of the iron cross, for leading the rescue operation that plucked his friend benito. And yet not only is otto skorzeny himself only a tangential part of a book entitled the skorzeny papers, but the evidence for the plot to kill jfk is awkwardly squeezed into the last two pages of a 346page work, with a final revelation that made me both angry for investing hours of my life reading the tome, and confused as to how an. In late 1943 ss commando otto skorzeny, known as the most dangerous man in europe, was tasked by hitler with a daunting mission. Otto skorzeny 12 june 1908 5 july 1975 was an austrianborn ssobersturmbannfuhrer lieutenant colonel in the waffenss. Otto skorzeny 12 june 1908 5 july 1975 was an austrian ss obersturmbannfuhrer lieutenant colonel in the german waffen ss during world war ii. On the eve of world war ii, skorzeny was working as a civil engineer. 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.
Years after the war, skorzeny became an agent for the israeli mossad and assassinated an exnazi rocket scientist. Skorzeny, otto 1997, skorzenys special missions, greenhill books, isbn 1853672912. Moreover, the most astounding revelation is the mossad agent who fired the fatal gunshots. Skorzeny, otto, born 12061908 in vienna, austria, into a middleclass austrian family which had a long history of military service. Colonel otto skorzeny married three wives throughout his lifetime. Otto skorzeny 12 june 1908 5 july 1975 was an austrian ss standartenfuhrer colonel in the german waffenss during world war ii. A notorious former ss officer known as hitlers commando reportedly worked as an assassin for israeli intelligence.
Following the german invasion of poland in 1939, he joined the ss and was assigned to. Throughout my reading on world war ii i have yet to encounter the name of ss obersturmbannfuhrer otto skorzeny, either that or he was mentioned in a passing paragraph. During the war, he was involved in several operations, including the removal from power of hungarian regent miklos horthy and the rescue mission that freed benito mussolini from captivity. Whenever the nazi dictator had a special mission, skorzeny usually got the brief. In order to be effective they needed someone to broadcast to germans what was happening, and why, to win them over to the idea of armistice. But what i appreciated even more was the voice of the author, sometimes. The story concerns ss colonel otto skorzeny, often dubbed hitlers favorite commando. Skorzeny led operation greif, in which german soldiers infiltrated allied lines by using their opponents uniforms, equipment, language and customs. His first wifes name was margareta gretl schreiber, who got married twice again after she divorced otto skorzeny and as at the last report is still very much alive at ripe of age 97 and still resides in vienna, austria. Up next german colonel otto skorzeny interrogated by a us army captain in. The remarkable story of ss lieutenant colonel otto skorzeny, one of hitlers favorites, best known for rescuing mussolini from an impenetrable mountain prison, the book tells of other more significant military and political exploits. Eisenhower retaliated by ordering an allout manhunt for skorzeny, with wanted posters. 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.
Skorzeny was also the leader of operation greif, in which german. The daring missions of otto skorzeny and the nazi special. Skorzeny was one of hitlers goto men on dangerous and difficult assignments. Inside the ss, he later joined the newly created german comandos, the friendenthale jagerverband. Discover book depositorys huge selection of otto skorzeny books online. My commando operations is the memoirs of otto skorzeny, the legendary officer of the waffenss. In 1947, he was prosecuted for war crimes since his methods violated many conventions of war. See all books authored by otto skorzeny, including my commando operations.
The bold plan, codenamed unternehmen weitsprung operation long jump, might even have succeeded but for the efforts of allied intelligence services. Otto skorzeny, one of the mossads most valuable assets, was a former lieutenant colonel in nazi germanys waffenss and one of adolf hitlers favorites. Nikola tesla was one of the greatest and most gifted men ever to have walked this earth. Otto skorzeny turned out to be one of the mossads most valuable agents. Ltcol otto skorzeny, once described by british and american. He then joined hitlers bodyguard regiment, the leibstandarte adolf hitler as an officercadet. Skorzeny was also the leader of operation greif, in which german soldiers were.
Otto skorzeny only rose to the rank of colonel in the ss, yet is one of the best known and colorful figures of the third reich, in large part because of the faith hitler had in the tall austrian engineer. Here is photographic proof george bush, prescott bush, s. Otto skorzeny was an austrianborn ssobersturmbannfuhrer in the waffenss 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. Colonel in hitlers ss who was once called the most dangerous man in europe by allied intelligence. George bush and family are not what they appear to be. The novel vividly portrays skorzenys legendary malice, his imposing physical stature, and, above all, the seemingly impenetrable force of his psyche. Otto skorzeny 19081944 was a colonel in the german ss. For this he was charged at the dachau military tribunal with. Prior to reading the book i did not know of otto skorzeny. After fighting on the eastern front, he was chosen as the field commander to carry out the rescue mission that freed the. 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. Lieutenant colonel otto skorzeny, the rescuer of benito. In addition to his native german, he spoke excellent french.
The memoirs of hitlers most daring commando zenith military classics by skorzeny, otto and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Otto skorzeny arrested ss lieutenant colonel otto skorzeny, rescuer of benito mussolini, is shown in his cell in the witness wing of the jail adjoining the nurnberg plalace of justice where major nazi war criminals are being tried. Colonel otto skorzeny killed murdered nikola tesla. This earned him the honor of being one of hitlers favorite and most trusted officers. Born into an austrian family with a long record of military service, skorzeny was educated as a civil engineer. The strange case of a nazi who became an israeli hitman.
After two months of a cat and mouse game skorzeny struck. How did otto skorzeny rescue mussolini from allied captivity. Otto skorzeny was a good article, but it was removed from the list as it no longer met the good article criteria at the time. When italy fell mussolini was captured by italian partisans and held at a hotel in the mountians with a massive number of guards i dont know the number please inform me. 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. There are suggestions below for improving the article. Ssstandartenfuhrer colonel in the german waffenss during world war ii. Skorzeny, adolf hitlers favoured paratrooper, a member of the waffen ss. Otto skorzeny books list of books by author otto skorzeny. Otto skorzeny was a german officer in the civil branch of the ss, the schutzstaffel. It was skorzeny who in 1943 led a daring raid to rescue the imprisoned benito mussolini from a hotel perched atop a mountain. The daring missions of otto skorzeny and the nazi special forces. 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. Nikola tesla killed murdered by george bush prescott bush.
Soho crime author stuart neville included the nazi war criminal, ss lieutenant colonel otto skorzeny, as a character in his novel ratlines. Otto skorzeny 12 june 1908 5 july 1975 was an austrianborn ss obersturmbannfuhrer lieutenant colonel in the waffenss. Skorzeny is most wellknown for his daring rescue of benito mussolini in 1943. The devils disciple by stuart smith is a biography of hitlers favorite commando, a man who became a legend in his lifetime, but almost forgotten these days. He was also a former lieutenant colonel in the nazis waffenss, one of hitlers favorite among their commando leaders. Otto skorzeny died after a five year battle with spinal cancer. Ss lieutenant colonel otto skorzeny was an extraordinary military man who specialized in guerrilla warfare and commandostyle raids during world war ii.
This book is a repackaging of german ss officer otto skorzenys original. The memoirs of the most dangerous man in europe, and more on. Ssobersturmbannfuhrer otto skorzeny became a legend in his own time. About 18 months ago the distinguished american historian and scientist, noam chomsky, directed my attention through emails to otto skorzenys my commando operations, a book on which the below article is largely based upon and, a little later, chomsky specifically pointed this author towards the material featured in chapter 12 of skorzenys. Otto skorzeny goodreads meet your next favorite book. Otto skorzeny author of skorzenys special missions goodreads. Otto skorzeny 12 june 1908 5 july 1975 was an austrian ssstandartenfuhrer colonel in the german waffenss during world war ii. After the war skorzeny was imprisoned as a pow by the americans, and awaited his trial. The memoirs of hitlers most daring commando, and skorzenys special missions. At the end of the war, skorzeny was involved with the werwolf guerrilla movement and the odessa network where he would serve as spanish coordinator.
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