The US Army & German Wehrmacht VS Waffen SS - Battle for Castle Itter 1945
TLDROn May 5th, 1945, in a unique event during World War II, American and German forces joined together to defend Castle Itter in the Austrian Alps against a Waffen-SS division. The castle, converted into a prison, held French VIPs including former Prime Ministers Paul Reynaud and Édouard Daladier. With the German guards fled, the prisoners armed themselves, but faced imminent threat from the SS. U.S. Army Captain John C. "Jack" Lee, Jr. and German Major Josef "Sepp" Gangl, alongside French prisoners and a defected SS officer, formed a joint defense. Despite initial failed rescue attempts and low ammunition, they managed to hold off the SS until American reinforcements arrived, marking a rare instance of American and German cooperation in the war.
Takeaways
- 📅 On May 5th, 1945, an unusual alliance was formed between the U.S. Army and German Wehrmacht against the German SS in the Austrian Alps.
- 🤝 U.S. Army Captain John C. 'Jack' Lee, Jr. and German Major Josef 'Sepp' Gangl led a combined force that included French prisoners of war and a defected Waffen SS Officer.
- 🏴 Major Gangl surrendered to Captain Lee with a white flag, proposing a mission to rescue prisoners from Itter Castle.
- 🇸🇰 The initial attempt for help was by Yugoslav political prisoner Zvonimir Čučković, but it was unsuccessful due to heavy shelling and territorial encroachment.
- 🏰 The objective was to rescue high-profile French VIPs, including ex-Prime Ministers, from Schloss Itter, a converted prison.
- 🔫 The prisoners at Itter Castle had armed themselves after the German guards fled, anticipating a recapture attempt by the SS.
- 🚀 Lee and Gangl's forces set up defensive positions and strategized to protect the castle from the impending SS force.
- 🌙 An SS reconnaissance force tested the defenders' strength with an evening attack, leading to the destruction of a Sherman tank.
- 🔥 The Waffen-SS launched a main attack on the castle, resulting in casualties among the defenders, including Major Gangl.
- 🎾 Tennis star Jean Borotra volunteered to find and guide reinforcements, running past SS strong points and ambushes.
- ⏰ At 4:00 P.M., American reinforcements arrived, swiftly defeating the Waffen-SS and marking a unique instance of American and German forces fighting together.
- 🌟 This battle is considered the only one in history where Americans and Germans fought side by side as allies.
Q & A
On which date did the Battle for Castle Itter take place?
-The Battle for Castle Itter took place on May 5th, 1945.
Who were the main opposing forces in the Battle for Castle Itter?
-The main opposing forces were the U.S. Army and German Wehrmacht against the German SS.
What was the mission presented by Major Josef Gangl to Captain John C. 'Jack' Lee, Jr.?
-The mission presented by Major Josef Gangl to Captain John C. 'Jack' Lee, Jr. was to rescue prisoners from Itter Castle.
Why did the initial rescue attempt by the American 103rd Infantry Division fail?
-The initial rescue attempt failed due to heavy shelling and because it was recalled to avoid encroaching into the territory of the U.S. 36th Division.
What was special about the prisoners held at Schloss Itter?
-The prisoners at Schloss Itter were high-profile French VIPs, including ex-Prime Ministers Paul Reynaud and Édouard Daladier, a tennis star, and former military figures.
How did the prisoners at Itter Castle arm themselves?
-The prisoners armed themselves by breaking into the castle's weapons room after the German guards had fled.
What was the role of the Sherman tank during the battle?
-The Sherman tank was ordered by Captain Lee to park at the front gate to cover the road and provide machine gun fire.
How did the Waffen-SS manage to breach the castle's defenses?
-The Waffen-SS used an 88 anti-tank gun to destroy part of the castle and blew up the Sherman tank, which was a key defensive position.
Who was the tennis star that played a significant role in the battle?
-Jean Borotra, the tennis star, offered to vault the castle wall and guide the reinforcements to the castle.
What was the outcome of the battle when the American reinforcements arrived?
-The arrival of the American reinforcements with tanks quickly defeated the Waffen-SS force and resulted in taking many prisoners.
Why is the Battle for Castle Itter considered historically significant?
-It is considered historically significant because it is believed to be the only battle where Americans and Germans fought together as allies.
What was the role of the Austrian resistance in the events leading to the battle?
-The Austrian resistance played a crucial role in relaying the need for help to Major Josef Gangl, who then coordinated with the American forces to plan the rescue mission.
Outlines
🏰 The Unlikely Alliance: Battle for Castle Itter
On May 5th, 1945, in the Austrian Alps, an unusual alliance formed between the U.S. Army, led by Captain John C. 'Jack' Lee, Jr., and German Wehrmacht soldiers under Major Josef 'Sepp' Gangl, who was against the Nazis. They joined forces with French prisoners of war and a defected Waffen SS Officer to rescue high-profile French VIPs held in Itter Castle, which had been converted into a prison. The mission was initiated after Gangl's surrender and a failed attempt by Yugoslav prisoner Zvonimir Čučković to secure help from the American 103rd Infantry Division. The castle was under threat from a German Waffen-SS division intending to recapture it and execute the prisoners. Despite initial skepticism from the French VIPs, the American and German forces, along with the armed prisoners, defended the castle against the SS. The defenders faced a dire situation with low ammunition until Major John Kramers sent a relief force that ultimately defeated the Waffen-SS. This battle is notable as it was the only instance where Americans and Germans fought side by side during World War II.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Castle Itter
💡U.S. Army Captain John C. 'Jack' Lee, Jr.
💡German Wehrmacht
💡German SS
💡French VIPs
💡Wehrmacht Major Josef 'Sepp' Gangl
💡Austrian Resistance
💡Waffen SS Officer Defector
💡88 Anti-Tank Gun
💡Sherman Tank
💡Jean Borotra
💡American Reinforcements
Highlights
On May 5th, 1945, an unusual alliance formed between the U.S. Army and German Wehrmacht against the German SS in the Austrian Alps.
American soldiers were led by Captain John C. 'Jack' Lee, Jr., and Wehrmacht soldiers by Major Josef 'Sepp' Gangl, both of whom were opposed to the Nazis.
French prisoners of war and a defected Waffen SS Officer joined the forces at Castle Itter.
Major Josef Gangl surrendered to Captain Lee with a white flag, initiating a mission to rescue prisoners from Itter Castle.
An initial rescue attempt by the American 103rd Infantry Division was recalled due to heavy shelling and territorial encroachment.
The castle, Schloss Itter, held high-profile French VIPs including ex-Prime Ministers Paul Reynaud and Édouard Daladier.
French prisoners armed themselves after the German guards fled, preparing to defend against a potential Waffen-SS recapture attempt.
The American and German forces, along with French prisoners, set up defensive positions within the castle to repel the SS attack.
An 88 anti-tank gun concealed by the SS was used to destroy parts of the castle and disable a Sherman tank.
Waffen-SS forces, numbering around 150, launched a full-scale attack on the castle from the treeline and west walls.
Defenders, including French prisoners, fought from high positions within the castle, inflicting casualties on the SS forces.
Major Josef Gangl was killed by a sniper while attempting to protect French Prime Minister Reynard.
As ammunition ran low, Captain Lee sought reinforcements, which were eventually dispatched.
Tennis star Jean Borotra bravely volunteered to guide reinforcements to the castle, running past SS strong points.
American reinforcements arrived at 4:00 P.M., bringing tanks that quickly defeated the Waffen-SS force.
This battle is believed to be the only instance in which Americans and Germans fought together as allies during World War II.
The Battle for Castle Itter showcases an extraordinary moment of cooperation between former enemies in a common cause.
Transcripts
Browse More Related Video
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)
Thanks for rating: