Unlikely Alliance Forms Amidst nazi Collapse

As the third reich crumbled on May 5, 1945, pockets of fanatical SS units continued to enforce brutal orders. ⁤One such order was the liquidation of “honorary prisoners” imprisoned at Itter Castle, near Wörgl and Kufstein. This unlikely alliance between German and American ⁤soldiers arose to thwart ⁣this deadly command.

This wasn’t the first instance of Germans and americans cooperating against⁢ the SS in the war’s final days. The “Operation Cowboy,” which rescued Lipizzaner horses from Bohemia,saw similar collaboration. However, unlike ⁣the ⁢Hostau stud⁢ farm, which was under Wehrmacht control, Itter Castle was an ⁤SS-run facility, ⁤formerly a luxury ‍hotel repurposed as an outer subcamp of Dachau.

According to historian Chris Helmecke, from the Center for Military history and social Sciences of the Bundeswehr, the SS command at Itter was led by Hauptsturmführer Sebastian⁣ Wimmer. Wimmer, with approximately 15 SS soldiers and 30⁤ female inmates from Flossenbürg⁣ concentration camp, guarded a group of high-profile prisoners interned at the castle as 1943.

A Motley Crew of Captives

the “honorary prisoners” included prominent figures such as Édouard Daladier, former French Prime‍ Minister and signatory of the Munich Agreement, and his successor, Paul Reynaud. General⁣ Maxime Weygand, who⁣ surrendered to the Wehrmacht in 1940, was⁢ also among ⁤the captives, along with his predecessor Maurice Gamelin. François⁢ de‍ la Rocque,a former leader in the Vichy regime,and tennis star Jean Borotra,also a vichy government official,were also held at Itter. Adding to the mix was marie-Agnès Caillau, sister of General de⁣ Gaulle and⁢ a leader⁤ in the Free⁢ French movement.

Desperate‍ Measures for Survival

with the SS leadership at Itter, including Eduard, fleeing in the face of the advancing U.S. troops, the prisoners and their service staff feared for their lives. Rumors of a Nazi “Alpine Fortress” and merciless execution orders fueled their ⁣desperation.

One concentration camp prisoner risked his life to reach⁢ the Americans,⁣ traveling to Innsbruck after finding the nearby ⁣town ⁤of Wörgl occupied by the⁤ Waffen-SS. An⁣ American squad was dispatched, but⁣ was forced to turn back due to German resistance.

Wehrmacht Officer Seeks american‍ Aid

Simultaneously occurring, the prisoners contacted Major Josef gangl, a ⁤highly decorated Wehrmacht officer who had joined the Austrian resistance. Recognizing the imminent danger ⁣to Itter Castle, Gangl decided to surrender to the Americans and request their assistance.

Gangl met First Lieutenant John Lee of the 12th U.S.‍ Tank Division ⁤in Kufstein. Lee, after convincing his commander, accompanied Gangl with a ⁣Sherman tank and a handful ‍of⁣ GIs to⁣ itter. The castle’s location on‍ a mountain spur, with a single access road, favored the defense. Lee positioned his tank to block the road, while barbed wire and open spaces around⁢ the castle provided additional protection. The castle’s thick medieval walls ⁢offered further defense against light weaponry.

The Battle of itter Castle

Lee⁤ organized‍ a defense ⁢force ‍comprised of two ⁣dozen Wehrmacht and U.S. Army soldiers, ⁤along with prisoners who had armed ⁢themselves with weapons ⁣left behind by the‍ fleeing SS. According to Helmecke,‍ SS Haupsturmführer kurt-Siegfried Schrader, recovering from wounds at Itter, also participated in the defense.

On the morning of May⁢ 5th, over 100⁢ soldiers from ⁣the 17th‍ SS Panzer Grenadier Division “Götz von Berlichingen,” reinforced by Wehrmacht soldiers, launched an attack to⁢ carry out the order to kill⁣ the prisoners. After an initial ⁢failed attempt, ⁤a⁣ major assault commenced around noon. The Sherman tank was disabled by a tank defense cannon, and the defenders lost radio contact.

Helmecke‍ notes the surreal ⁣nature of the defense,with former French Prime Minister Reynaud fighting alongside Wehrmacht soldiers against the SS. Reynaud reportedly quipped, “Unluckily, I cannot confirm that I killed an enemy.” Major ⁣Gangl, however, was killed by a⁤ headshot.

As ammunition⁣ dwindled, Jean Borotra, disguised as a⁣ farmer, escaped the castle ⁤and reached the advancing American tanks, who then accelerated their advance.The SS attackers ceased their assault upon the arrival of the American reinforcements around 4 p.m. More than 100 SS soldiers were captured.

Legacy ⁢of the Battle

Major Gangl, the only defender who died in the “Battle of Itter,” is remembered ‍as a ⁣hero of the Austrian resistance, with a street named after him in Wörgl.However, his motivations remain⁣ a subject of debate.

The⁢ Swedish metal band Sabaton immortalized the battle in their 2016 song “The Last Battle,” singing of the unlikely ‍alliance between American and ‍German forces. Though, Helmecke ⁣cautions against romanticizing the Wehrmacht’s role, noting ⁤that⁤ Wehrmacht units also participated⁢ in the attack on the castle, while a member of the Waffen-SS was involved in the defense.