World War II’s Strangest Battle

[ric 1]

When Americans and Germans Fought Together

Days after Hitler’s suicide a group of American soldiers, French prisoners, and, yes, German soldiers defended an Austrian castle against an SS division—the only time Germans and Allies fought together in World War II. Andrew Roberts on a story so wild that it has to be made into a movie.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/05/12/world-war-ii-s-strangest-battle-when-americans-and-germans-fought-together.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thedailybeast%2Farticles+%28The+Daily+Beast+-+Latest+Articles%29

[MissionCreep 12]

No doubt the movie will be "based on actual events".

[JdB 151]

No doubt the movie will be "based on actual events".

The SS troops will be Zombie SS troops, the Americans will be a politically correct proportionate gender and racial mix and there will be a love triangle between one of the SS zombies, an American average Joe and one of the French female prisoners. "The real story" :D

[Mattar_Tharkari 10]

Amazing, just when you think you have heard it all, 67 years later new things keep emerging. I hope it will be noted that many people in Germany did not agree with what happened during WW2, many paid with their lives for their views. This is another good example.

Edited May 12, 2013 by Mattar_Tharkari

[Beagle 684]

I don't belive the whole story...sounds a lot too much made up...and just in case it happened those Wehrmacht troops were austrians for sure, not germans and maybe not even regular Wehrmacht but some drafted 3rd line units.

[NoRailgunner 0]

Just read about Itters Castle: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itter_Castle guess this "new story" is just to create some sort of a hype so people go to watch this new WW2 movie. Average Joe and Jill don't know much about history just what they see in TV and movies.... Less education = more profit! ;)

[oxmox 73]

Just read about Itters Castle: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itter_Castle guess this "new story" is just to create some sort of a hype so people go to watch this new WW2 movie. Average Joe and Jill don't know much about history just what they see in TV and movies.... Less education = more profit! ;)

Well, i was googling a bit about the Castle Itter and found a readable history book who describes this case - . The small story has content for a typical "Hollywood" production. But they were for sure not the only resistance groups.

* it was a small satellite camp from the KZ Dachau for VIP´hostages/imprisoners i.e. high ranked politicians

* they did rebuild the castle with the help of around 30 prisoners of the KZ Flossenbuerg and Traunsteini.e. heating, bathroom, watchtowers

* 19 prison cells were build for VIP´s and the first prisoners arrived in May 1943.

* the guard detail were around 15 SS members, they were told to show military attention with the Hitler salute and to treat the VIP´s friendly, they got an overall better treatment.

* according to a list from KZ Dachau, in March 1945, the Castle Itter did hold 9 prisoners. 2 men and 7 woman.

* the Castle did hold aswell regulary KZ prisoner and they had a plan: Jailbreak ! But the VIP´s were not interested.

* they did smuggle a sleep inducing drug into the Castle and guards should be numbed. Marching orders should be faked, instead of 20 Jews who would probably be killed at their marching destination, the prisoners of the Castle would walk 165km to flee to Switzerland. But some of the VIP´s insisted to give up the plan.

* on April 26th 1945, the camp commander arrived and was found dead in his room the next day, he did commit suicide.

* uncertainty did grow and the prisoners feared to get killed before allies arrived.

* the groundskeeper, one of the regular prisoners, did flee and informed US troops about the Castle.

* on May 4th 1945, 4 days before the capitulation, units of the 12th tank division reached Kufstein. There were still small units, part of the 1st Army and mainly SS units who did offer resistance.

* the happy end of the captivity did occure when Major Gangl did offer capitulation of bigger units and the release of 14 prominent french prisoners. He probably got KIA on May 5th 1945 on the part of the liberator.

* One US Lt. with 7 tanks did arrive at the Castle and only a small SS unit did offer resistance but they could not stop the liberation of the camp. The guards of the camp did flee already before.

There is unfortunately not much in this book about the germans who fought against SS units, just the hint with the Major KIA. In some sentences it is said, that small local Tirol resistance groups did got one US tank, he got destroyed by the KG Buchner and the Major Gangl did join this resistance group. The Tirol resistance group was an austrian resistance group. Between 1944 and 1945 more and more smaller units formed the Tirol resistance group. They did cooperate with other resistance organisations/groups i.e. the most famous one "O5" and the Major Carl Szokoll group who was a member of the famous 20th July plot. The first military resistance of the austrian resistance groups did start on May 2nd 1945, they occupied barracks, radio stations, police stations. On May 3rd ´45 they did free the town Insbruck before the arrival of US troops.

Sorry for misspells and grammar, didnt correct it.

Edited May 13, 2013 by oxmox

[Tonci87 163]

Well not everyone agree with the nazis, especially in the occupied states (it can be argued that austria wasn´t really occupied) SS Troops were hated outside Germany

[kernriver 4]

This is something similar.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villefranche-de-Rouergue_uprising#Formation.2C_training_and_mutiny

[rangerpl 13]

Well not everyone agree with the nazis, especially in the occupied states (it can be argued that austria wasn´t really occupied) SS Troops were hated outside Germany

That's why Dutchmen, Frenchmen, Norwegians, Latvians, Estonians and Ukrainians volunteered to join SS units, right?

[ProfTournesol 956]

That's why Dutchmen, Frenchmen, Norwegians, Latvians, Estonians and Ukrainians volunteered to join SS units, right?

Lot's of them weren't volunteers at all.

[oxmox 73]

Lot's of them weren't volunteers at all.

I wonder about the combat strength of such units.

Edited May 15, 2013 by oxmox

[scrim 1]

Yeah, they weren't drafted, they were volonteers allright.

[ProfTournesol 956]

Yeah, they weren't drafted, they were volonteers allright.

To make it clear, if i take the example i know the best, lot's of French young men from Alsace-Moselle (around 130 000 considered as "Volksdeutschen" by the Nazis) were forced recruited in the WSS and sent to the East front. On the other end, less than 5000 French did volunteer in the WSS Charlemagne.