otto skorzeny-the scar-faced commando

8/12/2019 Otto Skorzeny-The Scar-Faced Commando

1/8

Otto Skorzeny: The Scar-Faced Commando

Rob Vest

Few in the Third Reich cut as colorful a figure as Otto Skorzeny, Hitler's favorite coando! "t one tieconsidered #the ost dangerous an in $uro%e,# by the "llies, Skorzeny was res%onsible for rescuing &enito

ussolini fro a ountainto% resort in (taly, kidna%ing the son of Hungarian regent iklos Horthy, wreakinghavoc at the &attle of the &ulge, and %reventing Su%ree "llied )oander *wight * $isenhower froleaving his head+uarters in Versailles during )hristas week of -.. for fear of an alleged assassination %lot!"t the end of the war, Skorzeny surrendered to the "llies, but was only interned for a few years beforeanaging to esca%e!

Skorzeny's %ost/war e0%loits rivaled, and in any ways, sur%assed his acco%lishents during wartie! Hewas courted during the )old 1ar by both the "ericans and the Soviets, served as an advisor in the 2erongovernent in "rgentina, and hel%ed to relocate and %rotect several of his fellow 3azis! Skorzeny alsodevelo%ed terrorist tactics used to this day by organizations as diverse as the (R", 24O, and the Sybionese4iberation "ry! This %a%er will %rovide a brief overview of Otto Skorzeny's life before, during, and after1orld 1ar ((!

The aking of Scarface

The an who would one day be celebrated as the greatest adventurer of the Third Reich cae fro a ratherune0ce%tional background! Otto Skorzeny was born 5une 6, -78, in Vienna, "ustria! Otto's father owned asuccessful engineering fir, and the faily lived +uite cofortably until the de%ression that ravished "ustriaat the end of 1orld 1ar (! 1hen the teenaged Otto once co%lained that he'd never tasted real butter, hisfather's res%onse was %ro%hetic9 #There is no har in doing without things! (t ight even be good for you notto get used to a soft life!# :;

Otto entered the oined the "ustrian 3azi 2arty and strongly advocated union with @erany! &y -=8 hewas very active in the %arty and was a eber of both the SS and the @esta%o! Skorzeny even %layed a inorrole during the "nschluss, the @eran takeover of "ustria on arch 6, -=8! (n order to %revent abloodbath, Skorzeny was ordered by "rtur Seyss/(n+uart, "ustria's leading 3azi and its newly/a%%ointedchancellor, to interce%t several ared 3azis deterined to take the "ustrian %alace by force! Skorzeny arrived>ust in tie to %revent a shoot/out between the 3azis and "ustrian guards, and +uite likely saved the life of"ustrian 2resident 1ilhel iklas!


2/8

Skorzeny the Soldier

1orld 1ar (( broke out in Se%teber of -=-! Skorzeny volunteered for the 4uftwaffe, but at A',.# and thirty/one years of age, was considered too tall and too old for flight training! (nstead, Skorzeny's su%eriors assignedhi to train as a counications e0%ert, an assignent he hated! Five onths later, Skorzeny transferred tothe 1affen SS, the ilitary ar of the SS, where he ho%ed to becoe an officer! He was classified as anofficer/cadet, and would be coissioned if he %roved hiself!

Skorzeny was %ut in charge of kee%ing his division's :*ivision Reich; tanks and other e+ui%ent o%erational!He was successful, but his unorthodo0 ethods often got hi into trouble! Skorzeny was not above stealinge+ui%ent fro other divisions, and once even took tires fro a de%ot at gun%oint! His chances for acoission were tabled indefinitely when he shot down a %ortrait of 2rince &ernhard of the 3etherlands:who had denounced Hitler; fro the wall of a *utch cafB after the owner refused to reove it!

Skorzeny's fortunes turned in "%ril -. when his regient was sent to ?ugoslavia to +uell a revolt! Therebellion was engineered by ?ugoslav ilitary officers who overthrew the governent of 2rince/Regent 2aulon arch 6A/6C because they felt their ruler was getting too close to Hitler! Three days after the invasion,Skorzeny and his en anaged to ca%ture fifty/four ?ugoslav soldiers and three officers! Skorzeny archedhis %risoners to his regient's head+uarters and was coissioned on the s%ot!

&ut fortune would again turn her back on Otto! (n 5une of -., *ivision Reich %artici%ated in the invasion ofthe Soviet


3/8

characterized O%eration Francois as #a failure,# :.; due ainly to inade+uate reinforceents and su%%liesneeded for the ission!

Though 5agdverbande E76 had gotten off to a shaky start, greater things lay in store! 1hile his coandoswere i%leenting O%eration Francois in (ran, Skorzeny was ordered to a%%ear before the Fuhrer hiself!

The Rescue of (l *uce

Skorzeny a%%eared before "dolf Hitler on 5uly 6A, -.=! The Fuhrer had a s%ecial ission for the scar/facedcoando9 a day earlier, (talian dictator &enito ussolini had been forced to resign and arrested by his own%eo%le! Skorzeny's new ission would be to find ussolini and rescue hi before the new (talian governentsurrendered and offered u% ussolini to the "llies!

The following day, Skorzeny was in (taly, where he and his en s%ent over a onth trying to locate their+uarry! On Se%teber 8, Skorzeny learned that ussolini was being held %risoner in a resort hotel sittingsoe A777 feet ato% the @ran Sasso, the highest %eak of the "%%enine ountain range, soe eighty ilesnortheast of Roe!

"fter reconnoitering @ran Sasso by %lane, Skorzeny realized that assaulting the %eak by glider was his best

o%tion! The 4uftwaffe e0%erts consulted by Skorzeny warned that such a feat was #technically i%ossible,#:E; due to the high altitude and bad landing conditions, but Skorzeny ignored their advice!

On Se%teber 6, -.=, Skorzeny kidna%ed (talian general Ferdinando Soleti in Roe! The coando leaderfeared that ussolini would be killed by his ca%tors should the (talian guards delay Skorzeny's en for toolong! The big "ustrian ho%ed Soleti's %resence would ensure that the guards coo%erated! That afternoon, thetwelve gliders left for @ran Sasso, with Skorzeny's the first to reach its destination!

"fter a rough landing, Skorzeny, followed by his en and Soleti, rushed into the hotel! They first entered theradio roo, where Skorzeny sashed the radio with the butt of his %istol! Soon they were confronted byseveral ared guards! Seeing Soleti aong the invaders, the guard ca%tain ordered his en to hold their fire!

1ithin inutes, Skorzeny had located ussolini! #*uce, the Fuhrer has sent e to set you free,# :A; he said!#( knew y friend "dolf Hitler would not abandon e,# re%lied ussolini, ebracing Skorzeny! :C; " salls%otter %lane was called in and the fascist dictator was evacuated fro the ountain! Skorzeny had %ulled offthe i%ossible/without firing a shot!

The success of the @ran Sasso raid earned the scar/faced "ustrian the eternal gratitude his Fuhrer, who%honed Skorzeny early the ne0t orning9 #?ou have %erfored a ilitary feat which will becoe %art ofhistory! ?ou have given e back y friend ussolini!# :8;

For his rescue of ussolini, Skorzeny was awarded the %restigious Dnight's )ross and %rooted to a>or!2ractically overnight, Skorzeny's re%utation reached near/legendary %ro%ortions, and any regarded hi as a

national hero! The o%eration also brought Skorzeny to the attention of the "llies! 1inston )hurchill hiselfdescribed the ission as #one of great daring!# :-;

O%eration ickey ouse

Skorzeny's ne0t a>or success would take %lace in Hungary on October E, -..!


4/8

The elder Horthy, des%ite the kidna%ing of his son, refused to coo%erate! Two days after the kidna%ing,Skorzeny stored the citadel where the regent resided! Skorzeny had a tank, twenty/five en, and a truck!The citadel was guarded by an entire %arachute battalion! 1ithin one hour, the Hungarians had surrendered,with a total of seven lives lost!

O%eration @reif

Skorzeny's last ission of note cae during the last @eran offensive on the western front! Occurring on the

borders of @erany and 4u0eburg, the &attle of the &ulge was the Third Reich's last gas%, lasting fro*eceber A, -.. to 5an 6E, -.E! Skorzeny would %lay a s%ecial role in this offensive!

(n late October, Hitler %ut Skorzeny in charge of #O%eration @reif!# Skorzeny would coand the E7th2anzer &rigade, whose ission would be to ca%ture one or ore bridges on a stretch of the euse River in&elgiu, after the First 2anzer *ivision broke through the "erican defense! "dditionally, Skorzeny wouldcoand a force of coandos ade u% of $nglish/s%eaking soldiers with "erican e+ui%ent andunifors! The coandos were to sli% behind eney lines and wreak havoc while the E7th 2anzer &rigadewould secure the bridges!

O%eration @reif initially et with soe success! On *eceber C, -..,


5/8

Since "ugust of -.., Skorzeny had been e%loyed by various high/ranking 3azis and wealthy @eranindustrialists to transfer and hide large +uantities of oney, looted %ro%erty, docuents, and other assets!Soe of these were buried in the ountains of &avaria, while other stashes were shi%%ed overseas!

Finally, in ay, Skorzeny decided to give hiself u% to the "ericans! Reluctant to go into hiding, Skorzenyfelt he could %otentially be of use to the "ericans in the forthcoing )old 1ar! On ay A, -.E, OttoSkorzeny eerged fro the "ustrian woods near Salzburg and surrendered to a lieutenant of the


6/8

(n -.-, Skorzeny was known to be in "rgentina, where any of his fellow 3azis had fled to the safety of thefascist 2eron governent! Skorzeny went to "rgentina because he was concerned about the &oranntreasure/a vast aount of wealth accuulated by Hitler's right/hand an, artin &orann, who for years hadbeen ebezzling oney fro a secret 3azi fund in the Reichsbank in &erlin! This secret fund was derivedfro the currency, gold, >ewels, and other assets taken fro the victis of the death ca%s! Skorzeny hadhel%ed &orann transfer %art of this fortune before the war ended!

artin &orann had entrusted 5uan 2eron as caretaker of the 3azi fortune before the end of the war! (n -.E,

2eron arried the social/clibing te%tress $vita *uarte, and before long she had arranged to have the entireaount of the fortune de%osited in her nae in several &uenos "ires banks! The &orann treasure at the endof -.E was estiated at over 877 illion in bank de%osits, 6E77 kilogras of gold, -7 kilogras of%latinu, and .A77 carats of diaonds and other %recious stones! 1hen &orann failed to a%%ear after thewar ended, the 2erons acted as if the fortune were theirs alone!

5uan 2eron had adired Skorzeny ever since the ussolini rescue, and welcoed the big "ustrian %ersonallyu%on his arrival in "rgentina! 1ishing to develo% a good relationshi% with the "rgentine %resident, Skorzenygave no hint that he even knew the treasure e0isted! "rgentina was a %lace of great unrest at the tie, and2eron readily acce%ted Skorzeny's offer to hel% aintain order in the country! One result of Skorzeny's #hel%#was that the "rgentine %olice becae +uite versed in 3azi torture and interrogation ethods!

$vita's trust had to be won in a ore clever fashion! (n 5uly, -.-, Skorzeny received word that two navyofficers were %lanning to urder the first lady! The big coando led a %olice raid on the en's a%artent,where he found guns, ao, and details of the hit! Skorzeny rushed to the $vita's office and warned her of the%lot! She did not take the %lot seriously, but did invite Skorzeny to acco%any her on a visit to one of hercharities! On the way, Skorzeny ordered the driver to sto%! He >u%ed out of the liousine and ran into anearby building! Skorzeny eerged oents later, holding the two would/be assassins at gun%oint! (n truth,the two en had been ca%tured and %laced in the building earlier by forer SS ebers Skorzeny haddis%atched after the a%artent raid! He never told $vita that the rescue was staged, however, for he had nowgained her trust!

$vita and Skorzeny becae lovers, and by early -E7 he had reclaied roughly one/forth of the &oranntreasure, which he funneled back to O*$SS" and other 3azi grou%s! 1hen $vita died fro cancer in -E6,the reainder of the &orann treasure was inherited by 5uan 2eron! Skorzeny finally recovered the reainderof the fortune in -EE, when 2eron's governent fell! Skorzeny hel%ed 2eron esca%e "rgentina and arrangedfor hi to live in e0ile in S%ain! Skorzeny received the reainder of the &orann treasure in return!

Fascists and Fundaentalists

Skorzeny had also been s%ending tie in $gy%t! (n -E6 the country had been taken over by the )("/backed@eneral ohaed 3aguib, who was effectively a %u%%et of $gy%tian )olonel @aal "bdel 3asser!

Skorzeny was sent to $gy%t the following year by forer 3azi @eneral Reinhard @ehlen, who was nowworking for the )(", to act as 3aguib's ilitary advisor! Skorzeny recruited a staff ade u% of forer SSofficers to train the $gy%tian ary! "ong these die/hard 3azis were @eneral Oskar *irlewanger, the#&utcher of 1arsaw,# and "dolf $ichann, the an who engineered the Final Solution!

any other 3azis >oined Skorzeny in $gy%t, attracted to the 3aguibG3asser governent's tolerance forfascis and their shared hatred for the newly created state of (srael! The 3azis further fueled "rabantiseitis with translated co%ies of ein Da%f and The 2rotocols of the $lders of ion!

(n addition to training the ary, Skorzeny also trained "rab volunteers in coando tactics for %ossible useagainst &ritish troo%s stationed in the Suez )anal zone! Several 2alestinian refugees also received coando


7/8

training, and Skorzeny %lanned their initial strikes into (srael via the @aza Stri% in -E=/-E.! One of these2alestinians was a young ?asser "rafat, who fored a long/lasting friendshi% with the 3azi coando!

Skorzeny and the 3azi Hunters

ustice! *elays of tenyears were not uncoon, due to bribes doled out to >udges and %rosecutors! He was also very good at hidinghis fellow 3azis! 1hen "dolf $ichan was ca%tured by (sraeli agents in &uenos "ires in -A7, Skorzeny sentword to other 3azis in the city to seek safer locations iediately! One of these was 5osef engele,"uschwitz's #"ngel of *eath,# who was res%onsible for sending tens of thousands to their deaths in the gas

chabers, and thanks to Skorzeny and O*$SS", never %aid for his cries!

2rotecting his fellow 3azis also involved killing any who atte%ted to s+ueal! (n -AE Hubert )urkers, the#onster of Riga# who hel%ed assacre =6,777 4atvian 5ews in -., offered to reveal engele's location to5ewish agents for E7,777 and a guarantee of his own safety! " few days later )urkers' body was found inontevideo,


8/8

$ndnotes

! @lenn & (nfield, Skorzeny9 Hitler's )oando :3ew ?ork9 St artin's 2ress, -8;, !

6! *ueling societies were %o%ular in universities throughout the @eran/s%eaking world u% until the -=7s,when they were banned by the 3azis! Revived after 1orld 1ar ((, dueling societies e0ist to this day in@eran and "ustrian universities!

=! )harles 1hiting, Skorzeny :3ew ?ork9 &allantine &ooks, -C6;, C!

.! Otto Skorzeny, Skorzeny's Secret issions :3ew ?ork9 $2 *utton and )o%any, (nc, -E7;, A!

E! (bid, 8E!

A! (nfield, .=!

C! (bid!

8! 5ohn Toland, "dolf Hitler :3ew ?ork9 &allatine &ooks, -CA;, 7==!

-! 1hiting, A.!

7! (nfield, C8!

! artin " 4ee, The &east Reawakens :3ew ?ork9 Routledge, 6777;, ==!

6! Organisation der $healigen SS/"ngehorigen, or Organization of Forer SS ebers!

=! (nfield, E!

.! @erany's list of wanted war criinals contains over -7,777 naes, with only a sall fraction of thehave ever faced >ustice!

&ibliogra%hy

$ncyclo%aedia &ritannica Online! Jhtt%9GGwww!search!eb!coGK L"ccessed October E, 6776M!

(nfield, @lenn &! Skorzeny9 Hitler's )oando! 3ew ?ork 9 St! artin's 2ress, -8!

4ee, artin "! The &east Reawakens! 3ew ?ork9 Routledge, 6777!

Skorzeny, Otto! Skorzey's S%ecial issions! 4ondon9 R Hale, -EC!

Toland, 5ohn! "dolf Hitler! 3ew ?ork9 &allantine &ooks, -CA!

/ / / ! #4iving History!# The 5ournal of Historical Review! Vol , no :s%ring --;9 E/6.! "vailable onlineJhtt%9GGwww!ihr!orgG>hrGvGv%//ENToland!htlK1hiting, )harles! Skorzeny! 3ew ?ork9 &allantine &ooks, -C6!

otto skorzeny-the scar-faced commando

Documents