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Otto Skorzeny
June 12, 1908–July 6, 1975

Place of birth Vienna, Austria
Place of death Madrid, Spain
Allegiance Flag of Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
Years of service 1931–1945
Rank Obersturmbannführer
Battles/wars World War II
*Eastern Front
*Unternehmen Eiche
*Operation Panzerfaust
*Battle of the Bulge (Operation Greif)
Awards Iron Cross
Knight's Cross
Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross

Otto Skorzeny (June 12, 1908 – July 6, 1975) was a Standartenführer in the German Waffen-SS during World War II. Events 1381 - Peasants' Revolt: in England, rebels arrive at Blackheath. Year 1908 ( MCMVIII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Events 1044 - The Battle of Ménfő takes place 1189 - Richard the Lionheart is crowned King of England Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Vienna ( in Wien; see also other names) is the Capital of Austria, and is also one of the nine States of Austria. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Madrid (pronounced in English in Spanish and colloquially in Spain) is the Capital and largest city of Spain. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers Obersturmbannführer was a Paramilitary Nazi Party rank used by both the SA and the SS. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Eastern Front of World War II (die Ostfront 1941-1945, der Rußlandfeldzug 1941-1945 (Russian campaign or der Ostfeldzug 1941-1945 (Eastern Campaign The Gran Sasso raid refers to Operation Eiche ( German for 'Oak' the daring rescue of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini by German Paratroopers Operation Panzerfaust, known as Unternehmen Eisenfaust in Germany was a military operation conducted in October 1944 by the German military The Ardennes Offensive (16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945 was a major German offensive launched towards the end of World War II through the forested Ardennes Mountains Operation Greif was a special False flag operation commanded by the notorious Waffen-SS Commando Otto Skorzeny during the Battle For other meanings please see Iron Cross (disambiguation The Iron Cross ( was a Military decoration of the Kingdom of Prussia The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross ( German language: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, often simply Ritterkreuz) was a grade of the Iron Cross The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross ( German language: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, often simply Ritterkreuz) was a grade of the Iron Cross Events 1381 - Peasants' Revolt: in England, rebels arrive at Blackheath. Year 1908 ( MCMVIII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Events 1044 - The Battle of Ménfő takes place 1189 - Richard the Lionheart is crowned King of England Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Standartenführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was used in both the S Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The Waffen-SS ( German for "Armed SS" literally "Weapons SS" was the Combat arm of the Schutzstaffel ("Protective Squadron" World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including After fighting on the Eastern Front, he commanded a rescue mission that freed the disowned Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. The Eastern Front of World War II (die Ostfront 1941-1945, der Rußlandfeldzug 1941-1945 (Russian campaign or der Ostfeldzug 1941-1945 (Eastern Campaign Skorzeny was also the leader of Operation Greif, through which German soldiers were to infiltrate through enemy lines, using their opponents uniforms and customs. Operation Greif was a special False flag operation commanded by the notorious Waffen-SS Commando Otto Skorzeny during the Battle At the end of the war, Skorzeny was part of the Werwolf guerrilla movement. Werwolf ( German for " Werewolf " the spelling "Wehrwolf" is incorrect was a World War II Nazi plan for a

Although charged with breaching the 1907 Hague Convention in relation with Operation Greif, the Dachau Military Tribunal acquitted Skorzeny after the war. The Hague Conventions were international treaties negotiated at the First and Second Peace Conferences at The Hague, Netherlands in 1899 and The Dachau Trials were proceedings against minor war criminals found in the United States sectors of occupation in Germany and Austria and those accused of committing war crimes against Skorzeny fled from his holding prison in 1948, first to France, and then to Franco's Spain. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco y Bahamonde (born December 4, 1892 in Ferrol, died November 20, 1975 in Madrid Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. A German court denazified him in 1952. Denazification (Entnazifizierung was an Allied initiative to rid German and Austrian society culture press economy judiciary and politics of any

Contents

Before the war

Skorzeny in his childhood
Skorzeny in his childhood

Otto Skorzeny was born in Vienna into a middle-class Austrian family which had a long history of military service. Vienna ( in Wien; see also other names) is the Capital of Austria, and is also one of the nine States of Austria. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich In addition to his native German, he spoke excellent French and English. [1] In his teens, Otto once complained to his father of the austere lifestyle that his family was suffering from by mentioning how he had never tasted real butter in his life due to the depression that plagued Austria from the end of the first World War. To this complaint his father prophetically replied, "There is no harm in doing without things. It might even be good for you not to get used to a soft life. " Thus his underprivileged upbringing helped to make him what he became--a feared commando[1]. He was a noted fencer as a student in Vienna in the 1920s. Academic fencing or Mensur is the traditional kind of Fencing practiced by some student corporations ( Studentenverbindungen ' in Vienna ( in Wien; see also other names) is the Capital of Austria, and is also one of the nine States of Austria. He engaged in thirteen personal duels. The tenth resulted in a wound that left a dramatic scar known in academic fencing as a schmiss (German for "smite") on his cheek. Academic fencing or Mensur is the traditional kind of Fencing practiced by some student corporations ( Studentenverbindungen ' in

He joined the Austrian Nazi Party in 1931 and soon he joined the Nazi SA. Austrian National Socialism was a Pan-Germanic movement that was formed at the beginning of the 20th century Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German The, abbreviated SA, ( German for "Assault detachment" or "Assault section" usually translated as " stormtroop(ers A charismatic figure, Skorzeny played a minor role in the Anschluss on March 12, 1938, when he saved the Austrian President Wilhelm Miklas from being shot by Nazi roughnecks. The word charisma (origin from the Greek word χάρισμα (kharisma, "gift" or "divine favor" from kharizesthai, "to favor" The ( German: "link-up" also known as the, was the 1938 Annexation of Austria into Greater Germany by the Nazi Events 538 - Witiges, king of the Ostrogoths ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Wilhelm Miklas (born October 15, 1872 March 20, 1956) was an Austrian politician who served as the third President of Austria Roughneck (or ruffneck) is a Slang term for an unskilled or slightly skilled labourer in a number of Industries.

The Eastern Front

After the 1939 invasion of Poland, Skorzeny, then working as a civil engineer, volunteered for service in the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) but was turned down because he was over the age of 30. The Invasion of Poland (1939 precipitated World War II. It was carried out by Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small German-allied A civil engineer is a person who practices Civil engineering, one of the many engineering professions ( German 'luftvafe is a generic German term for an Air force. Failing that, he turned to the Waffen-SS. The Waffen-SS ( German for "Armed SS" literally "Weapons SS" was the Combat arm of the Schutzstaffel ("Protective Squadron" On February 21, 1940, Skorzeny went off to war with the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler and fought with distinction in the campaigns against the Soviet Union in 1941 and 1942 before being wounded and returning to Germany in December of 1942, a winner of the Iron Cross for bravery under fire. Events 362 - Athanasius returns to Alexandria. 1245 - Thomas, the first known Bishop of Finland Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler ( SS-LAH) founded in September 1933 was Adolf Hitler 's personal Bodyguard Regiment. The Eastern Front of World War II (die Ostfront 1941-1945, der Rußlandfeldzug 1941-1945 (Russian campaign or der Ostfeldzug 1941-1945 (Eastern Campaign For other meanings please see Iron Cross (disambiguation The Iron Cross ( was a Military decoration of the Kingdom of Prussia Gallantry redirects here Or see Gallant for other meanings Courage, also known as bravery, will, intrepidity

Operations

The liberation of Mussolini

After Skorzeny had recovered from his wounds, Ernst Kaltenbrunner recommended him as a possible leader of "commando" forces which German dictator Adolf Hitler wanted to create. Ernst Kaltenbrunner (4 October 1903 &ndash 16 October 1946 was a senior Nazi official during World War II. In Military science, the term commando can refer to an individual a Military unit, or a raiding style of military operation. Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately In July 1943, he was personally selected by Hitler from among six German Air Force (Luftwaffe) and German Army (Wehrmacht Heer) special agents to lead the operation to rescue Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, who had been overthrown and imprisoned by the Italian government. ( German 'luftvafe is a generic German term for an Air force. The Heer was the land forces component of the German armed forces ( Wehrmacht) from 1935 to 1945, which also included the Navy ( [2]

Almost two months of cat-and-mouse followed as the Italians moved Mussolini from place to place in order to frustrate any would-be rescuers. Information on Mussolini's location and its topographical features were finally found by Herbert Kappler and air reconnaissance by Skorzeny himself. Herbert Kappler (b 23 September 1907, Stuttgart &ndash d 9 February 1978, Soltau) an Obersturmbannführer On September 12, Skorzeny took part in "Operation Oak" (Unternehmen Eiche), a daring glider-based assault on the Campo Imperatore Hotel at Gran Sasso. Events 1213 - Albigensian Crusade: Simon de Montfort 5th Earl of Leicester, defeats Peter II of Aragon at the The Gran Sasso raid refers to Operation Eiche ( German for 'Oak' the daring rescue of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini by German Paratroopers Terminology A "glider" is an unpowered Aircraft. The most common types of glider are today used for sporting purposes Gran Sasso d'Italia is a mountain located in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. Mussolini was rescued without firing a single bullet. Skorzeny escorted Mussolini to Rome and later to Berlin. Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. The exploit earned Skorzeny fame, promotion to Major and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Major is a Military rank the use of which varies according to country The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross ( German language: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, often simply Ritterkreuz) was a grade of the Iron Cross

Mussolini created a new Fascist regime in northern Italy, the Italian Social Republic (Repubblica Sociale Italiana). Fascism is a totalitarian nationalist and corporatist ideology The Italian Social Republic ( Italian: Repubblica Sociale Italiana or RSI) was a Puppet state of Nazi Germany led by the "Duce of the

Operation Long Jump

Operation "Long Jump", the failed plot to assassinate the "Big Three" (Stalin, Churchill, and Roosevelt) [3] was masterminded on Hitler's orders and headed by Ernst Kaltenbrunner. Otto Skorzeny, as the saboteur, who always seemed to have luck on his side, was chosen by Kaltenbrunner to spearhead the mission. However, the plot was foiled.

The first tip-off about the planned attempt came from Soviet intelligence agent Nikolai Kuznetsov, under the alias of Wermacht Oberleutnant Paul Siebert, from Nazi-occupied Ukraine. Kuznetsov, a legendary Soviet spy, got an SS man named Ulrich von Ortel to tell him about the operation.

In the autumn of 1943, fate thrust 19-year-old Gevork Vartanian into the centre of the operation. Gevork Vartanian (born 1924 in Rostov-on-Don, was an intelligence agent and the son of a Soviet intelligence agent who worked in Iran under the cover of a wealthy merchant Vartanian was an intelligence agent and the son of a Soviet intelligence agent who worked in Iran under the cover of a wealthy merchant. He received his first assignment and the cover name Amir from the resident back in 1940. He was to form a group of like-minded people. All seven were of about the same age – Armenians, a Lezghin and an Assyrian – and they communicated in Russian and Farsi. Under these conditions, Vartanian managed to thwart the Nazi plot. Vartanian was awarded with the Hero of the Soviet Union medal.

Operation Rösselsprung

On May 25, 1944, he was assigned to Operation Rösselsprung, a commando operation aimed at capturing Yugoslav Partisan leader Tito at his headquarters near Drvar. Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Raid on Drvar ( Croatian, Serbian: Desant na Drvar) codenamed Operation Rösselsprung ( German for " knight The Yugoslav Partisans, or simply the Partisans, ( Serbo-Croatian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Slovene: Partizani Drvar ( Cyrillic: Дрвар is a town and municipality in western Bosnia and Herzegovina, located on the road between Bosansko Hitler knew that Tito was getting allied support and was aware that either British or American troops might land in Dalmatia with support of the communist NOVJ, the Partisan People's Liberation Army Of Yugoslavia. Communism is a Socioeconomic structure that promotes the establishment of an egalitarian, classless, stateless Society based Hence, killing or capturing Tito would not only have hindered this scenario, but also given a badly needed morale boost to the Axis forces in the Balkans. Skorzeny was involved in the planning of Rösselsprung and was supposed to command it but argued against it after visiting Zagreb and becoming aware that the operation was compromised due to the incompetence of German partners in NDH or the Independent State of Croatia. Zagreb (ˈzɑːgrɛb is the Capital and the largest city of Croatia. The Operation was attempted, and was a complete disaster. The first wave of paratroopers, following heavy bombardment by the Luftwaffe, jumped between Tito's hideout in a cave and the town of Drvar. Drvar ( Cyrillic: Дрвар is a town and municipality in western Bosnia and Herzegovina, located on the road between Bosansko They landed on open ground and many were gunned down by members of the partisan HQ Escort Battalion, a company numbering less than 100 soldiers. The second wave of paratroopers missed their target and landed several miles out of town. Tito was long gone when the paratroopers reached the cave. At the cave's exit was a path leading to a railroad where Tito boarded a train that took him to safety in the town of Jajce. Jajce is a town and municipality located in the central part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the meantime, the Partisan 1st Brigade, from the 6th Partisan Division Lika, arrived after a 12 mile forced march and attacked the Waffen-SS paras, inflicting heavy casualties.

The July 20 1944 plot against Hitler

On July 20, 1944, Skorzeny was in Berlin when an attempt on Hitler's life was made, with German officials trying to seize control of Germany's main decision centers before Hitler recovered from his injuries. Events 1304 - Wars of Scottish Independence: Fall of Stirling Castle - King Edward I of England takes the last rebel stronghold Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. Skorzeny helped put down the rebellion in Berlin, spending 36 hours in charge of the German army's central command center before being relieved.

Hungary and Operation Panzerfaust

In October 1944, Hitler sent Skorzeny to Hungary when he received word that Hungary's Regent, Admiral Miklós Horthy, was secretly negotiating with the Red Army. Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic Miklós Horthy de Nagybánya ( Vitéz nagybányai Horthy Miklós vitez nɒɟbaɲɒi horti mikloʃ German Nikolaus von Horthy und Nagybánya The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya The surrender of Hungary would have cut off a million German troops fighting in the Balkan peninsula. Skorzeny, in another daring "snatch" codenamed Operation Panzerfaust (also known as Operation Eisenfaust in Germany), kidnapped Horthy's son Miklós Horthy, Jr. and forced his father to abdicate as Prime Minister. Operation Panzerfaust, known as Unternehmen Eisenfaust in Germany was a military operation conducted in October 1944 by the German military Miklós Horthy de Nagybánya II (in Hungarian, Horthy Miklós February 14[[ 907]] &ndash March 28[[ 993]] was the younger son of Hungarian This article is about the government position For other uses see Prime Minister (disambiguation. A pro-German, pro-Nazi government under Prime Minister Ferenc Szálasi was then installed in Hungary. This article is about the government position For other uses see Prime Minister (disambiguation. Ferenc Szálasi (salaʃi fɛrɛnts (6 January 1897 – 12 March 1946 was the leader of the National Socialist Arrow Cross Party - Hungarist Movement the "Leader In April 1945, even after the German and Hungarian forces were driven out of Budapest and Hungary, Szálasi and his Arrow Cross Party-based forces continued to fight in Austria and Slovakia. Budapest ( also /ˈbʊ-/) is the capital city of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary it serves as the country's principal Political, Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic The Arrow Cross Party ( Hungarian: Nyilaskeresztes Párt – Hungarista Mozgalom, literally "Arrow Cross Party-Hungarist Movement" was a Far-right Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Slovakia (long form Slovak Republic; Slovak:, long form, is a Landlocked country in Central Europe with a population of over five million

Operation Greif and Eisenhower

On October 21, Hitler, inspired by an American subterfuge which had put three captured German tanks flying German colours to devastating use at Aachen, summoned Skorzeny to Berlin and assigned him to lead a panzer brigade. Events 1512 - Martin Luther joins the theological faculty of the University of Wittenberg. The Battle of Aachen was a Battle in Aachen, Germany, that took place in October 1944 in World War II. A panzer, pronunced, is a German Tank, especially in the context of World War II. As planned by Skorzeny in Operation Greif, about two dozen German soldiers, most of them in captured American army Jeeps and disguised as American soldiers, penetrated American lines in the early hours of the Battle of the Bulge and sowed disorder and confusion behind the Allied lines. Operation Greif was a special False flag operation commanded by the notorious Waffen-SS Commando Otto Skorzeny during the Battle The Ardennes Offensive (16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945 was a major German offensive launched towards the end of World War II through the forested Ardennes Mountains A handful of his men were captured by the Americans and spread a rumour that Skorzeny was leading a raid on Paris to kill or capture General Eisenhower. Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (October 14 1890 – March 28 1969 was President of the United States from 1953 until 1961 and a five-star general The effect of this disinformation had Eisenhower confined to his headquarters for weeks and Skorzeny was labelled "the most dangerous man in Europe". Disinformation is the deliberate dissemination of false Information.

Skorzeny spent January and February 1945 commanding regular troops in the defence of the German provinces of Prussia and Pomerania as an acting major general. Prussia ( Latin: Borussia, Prutenia; Prūsija Prūsija Prusy Old Prussian: Prūsa) was most recently a historic state Fighting at Schwedt on the Oder River, he also received orders to sabotage a bridge on the Rhine at Remagen, but his frogmen failed. Schwedt (or Schwedt/Oder) (pronunciation) is a city in Brandenburg, Germany. The Oder (known in Czech and Polish as Odra) is a River in Central Europe. Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening an enemy oppressor or employer through subversion obstruction disruption and/or destruction The Rhine (Rhein Rijn Rhin Reno Rain Rhenus is one of the longest and most important Rivers in Europe at 1320 kilometres (820 mi with an average discharge Remagen is a town in Germany in Rhineland-Palatinate, in the district of Ahrweiler. A frogman is someone who is trained to dive or swim in a military capacity often in combat For his actions there, primarily in the defence of Frankfurt, Hitler awarded him one of Germany's highest military honours, the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross. Frankfurt (Oder is a City in Brandenburg, Germany, located on the Oder River on the German- Polish border directly opposite the The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross ( German language: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, often simply Ritterkreuz) was a grade of the Iron Cross

Werewolves and surrender

With German defeat inevitable, Skorzeny trained recruits for a stay-behind Nazi organisation, the Werewolves, to engage in guerrilla warfare against the Allies. In a stay-behind operation a country places secret operatives or organisations in its own territory for use in the event that the territory is overrun by an enemy Werwolf ( German for " Werewolf " the spelling "Wehrwolf" is incorrect was a World War II Nazi plan for a Guerrilla warfare is the unconventional warfare and combat with which a small group of combatants use mobile tactics (ambushes raids etc The Allies of World War II were the countries officially opposed to the Axis powers during the Second World War. However, Skorzeny quickly realized that the Werewolves were too few in number to become an effective fighting force. Instead, they were used for the Nazi "ratlines", a secret "Underground railroad" which helped Nazis escape after Germany's surrender. Ratlines were systems of escape routes for Nazis and other Fascists fleeing Europe at the end of World War II. The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and Safe houses used by 19th century Black slaves in the United States The German Instrument of Surrender was the Legal instrument by which the High Command of the German Armed Forces surrendered simultaneously to the Supreme

Besides this organisation of the "ratlines," which would form the basis of the supposed ODESSA network after the war, Skorzeny had been employed since August 1944 by high-ranking Nazis and German industrialists to hide money and to loot property, documents, etc. ODESSA which stands for the German phrase O rganisation d er e hemaligen SS - A ngehörigen which in turn translates , some of which were buried in the mountains of Bavaria, and others shipped overseas. Bavaria ( German:, with an area of 70553 Km² (27241 square miles and almost 12

Skorzeny surrendered to the Allies in May 1945, feeling that he could be of use to the Americans in the forthcoming Cold War. Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the On May 16, 1945, he emerged from the Austrian woods near Salzburg and surrendered to a lieutenant of the US 30th Infantry Regiment. is the fourth-largest city in Austria and the capital of the federal state of Salzburg. He was held as a prisoner of war for more than two years before being tried as a war criminal at the Dachau Trials for violating the laws of war in the Battle of the Bulge. The Dachau Trials were proceedings against minor war criminals found in the United States sectors of occupation in Germany and Austria and those accused of committing war crimes against The law of war (also law of armed conflict, LOAC) is Law concerning acceptable practices relating to war However, Skorzeny was acquitted because although he had ordered his men to use American uniforms as a ruse, it could not be proven that he had given orders to fight in them. [4] Nevertheless he was detained until he escaped from a prison camp on July 27, 1948. Events 1214 - Battle of Bouvines: In France, Philip II of France defeats John of England. Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

After World War II

Skorzeny after World War Two
Skorzeny after World War Two

He settled in Spain under a passport issued by Francisco Franco and resumed his prewar occupation as an engineer. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco y Bahamonde (born December 4, 1892 in Ferrol, died November 20, 1975 in Madrid Like thousands of other convicted or accused war criminals, in 1952, Skorzeny was declared entnazifiziert (denazified) in absentia by a West German government arbitration board, which let him travel from Spain into Western Allied countries. Denazification (Entnazifizierung was an Allied initiative to rid German and Austrian society culture press economy judiciary and politics of any In absentia is Latin for "in the absence" In legal use it usually pertains to a defendant's right to be present in court proceedings West Germany ( Inf German: Westdeutschland or West-Deutschland) was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany ( Before the declaration, he could have been interned in Germany or Austria until he had convinced the authorities that he had seen the error of his beliefs. He spent part of his time in Ireland between 1959-1969 where he bought Martinstown House, a 200 acre farm in County Kildare. County Kildare (Contae Chill Dara is an Irish County located to the southwest of Dublin in the province of Leinster.

Protected by Franco, Otto Skorzeny was a key figure in the organisation of the secret ex-Nazi escape network ODESSA. In the context of this article the term ex-Nazi, or more correctly ex-Nazi Party member refers either to those few who were once Nazis and resigned from the ODESSA which stands for the German phrase O rganisation d er e hemaligen SS - A ngehörigen which in turn translates According to the Spanish newspaper El Mundo, he was a key figure in organizing one of ODESSA's largest bases, which was located in Spain. [5] According to El Mundo, some of his men helped Aribert Heim (aka "Doctor Death", found to be living in Spain in October 2005) escape from justice. Aribert Heim (born) is a former Austrian doctor also known as "Dr Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.

He also founded the Paladin Group in 1970, a neo-fascist organisation which gathered former French members of the OAS, of the SAC, etc. The Paladin Group was a Far-right organization founded in 1970 in Spain by former SS Colonel Otto Skorzeny. This page specifically pertains to fascism after World War II The Organisation de l'armée secrète ( OAS &mdash or Organisation armée secrète, lit The SAC (Service d'Action Civique or Civic Action Service) officially created in January 1960 was a Gaullist militia founded by Jacques Foccart, , to be the spearhead of the anti-Communist struggle. Anti-communism refers to opposition to Communism. Historically the word "communism" has been used to refer to several types of communal social organization and Later, he worked as a consultant to Egyptian President Gamel Abdel Nasser and Argentine President Juan Peron. Gamal Abdel Nasser (جمال عبد الناصر Gamāl ‘Abd an-Nāṣir; - January 15 1918 September 28 1970) was the second President Juan Domingo Perón (October 8 1895 &ndash July 1 1974 was an Argentine Colonel and Politician, elected three times as President of Argentina In 1963, he was allegedly recruited by the Mossad to gather information about German scientists in the Egyptian missile program[2]. The Mossad ( HaMossad leModi'in v'leTafkidim Meyuhadim) (המוסד למודיעין ולתפקידים מיוחדים - Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations

Death

In 1970, a tumor was discovered on Skorzeny's spine. Two cancerous tumors were removed in Hamburg, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. Hamburg (English, German: ˈhambʊɐk local pronunciation Low German / Low Saxon: Hamborg) is the second-largest city in Germany Vowing to walk again, Skorzeny spent long hours with a physical therapist, and within six months was back on his feet. The years following therapy were hard for Skorzeny, as the cancer reminded him that his final days were fast approaching. Otto Skorzeny finally succumbed to the cancer on 7 July 1975 in Madrid[6], a few months before Franco himself. Events 1456 - A retrial verdict acquits Joan of Arc of heresy 25 years after her death Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Madrid (pronounced in English in Spanish and colloquially in Spain) is the Capital and largest city of Spain. He was cremated, his ashes were later brought to Vienna and interred in the Skorzeny family grave at Döblinger Friedhof.

Cultural references

References

  1. ^ Art Kramer
  2. ^ Otto Skorzeny's Memoirs: "Skorzeny's Special Missions: The Memoirs of the Most Dangerous Man in Europe" ISBN 978-1853676840
  3. ^ How ⌠The Lion And The Bear■ Were Saved - Russia Beyond the Headlines
  4. ^ Law Reports of Trials of War Criminals. for other uses see Memoir (disambiguation As a literary Genre, a memoir (from the French: mémoire United Nations War Crimes Commission. Vol. IX, 1949, pages 90-94. "The ten accused involved in this trial were all officers in the 150th Panzer Brigade commanded by the accused Skorzeny. They were charged with participating in the improper use of American uniforms by entering into combat disguised therewith and treacherously firing upon and killing members of the armed forces of the United States. " "All accused were acquitted of all charges"
  5. ^ (Spanish) Martinez, Félix; Nando Garcia. "A la caza del ultimo Nazi", El Mundo, 2005-10-30. El Mundo ( Spanish for "The World" full name El Mundo del Siglo Veintiuno, "The World of the 21st century" is the second largest Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 637 - Antioch surrenders to the Muslim forces under Rashidun Caliphate after the Battle of Iron bridge. Retrieved on 2006-07-06. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1044 - The Battle of Ménfő takes place 1189 - Richard the Lionheart is crowned King of England  
  6. ^ "Deutsche Biographische Enzyklopädie", Band 9 Schmidt - Theyer, K. G. Sauer, München 1998, ISBN 3-598-23169-5

Bibliography

External links

Events 293 BC - The oldest known Roman temple to Venus is founded starting the institution of Vinalia Rustica. Events 1000 - Battle of Svolder, Viking Age. 1379 - Treaty of Neuberg, splitting the Austrian Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Werwolf ( German for " Werewolf " the spelling "Wehrwolf" is incorrect was a World War II Nazi plan for a The Gran Sasso raid refers to Operation Eiche ( German for 'Oak' the daring rescue of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini by German Paratroopers
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