The Real Inglorious Basterds: The Men Who Hunted Nazi Soldiers Behind Enemy Lines | Timeline
TLDRDuring World War II, Jewish refugees Fred Mayer and Hans Wynberg joined the elite U.S. OSS and trained for dangerous missions behind enemy lines. Along with Austrian deserter Franz Weber, they formed Operation Greenup to gather intelligence in Nazi-controlled Tyrol. Dodging detection, the team relayed critical intel on troop movements, arm shipments, and Hitler’s bunker. Fred posed as a wounded German officer to infiltrate facilities. Though Fred was eventually captured and tortured, the team prevailed. Greenup shortened the war in Italy, sparing Innsbruck from destruction. Despite devastating personal losses, these daring operatives found meaning striking back at the Nazis.
Takeaways
- 😡 Fred Meyer and Hans Wijnberg were Jewish refugees who fled Nazi Germany and later joined the OSS to get revenge against the Nazis
- 😨 The OSS recruited them for Operation Greenup, an extremely dangerous mission to infiltrate Nazi Germany
- 👍🏻 They built trust with locals like Mama Kushner who took great risks to help them
- 💪 Fred Mayer disguised himself as a wounded German officer to gather intelligence in Innsbruck
- 📡 Hans Wijnberg transmitted critical intelligence about trains, troops and Hitler's bunker back to headquarters
- 😱 Fred was captured and tortured by the Gestapo but did not break or give up his team
- 🙏 The villagers, including Mama Kushner, held a prayer vigil for Fred's safety after he was captured
- ⚔️ Instead of surrendering, Governor Franz Hofer wanted to fight to the bitter end from his Alpine Redoubt
- 🏳 Fred Meyer bluffed Hofer into surrendering Innsbruck as an open city
- 💪 Despite immense risks and challenges, Operation Greenup was ultimately a success that saved lives
Q & A
Who were the main characters in the story?
-The main characters were Fred Mayer, Hans Wynberg, and Franz Weber. Mayer and Wynberg were Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany who joined the OSS. Weber was an Austrian officer who deserted from the German army.
What was Operation Greenup?
-Operation Greenup was a secret OSS mission in 1945 to gather intelligence on Nazi activity in the Austrian region of Tyrol. The goal was to monitor rail traffic and investigate rumors of an Alpine fortress where Nazis would make their last stand.
How did the team infiltrate Tyrol?
-The team parachuted onto a glacier in the Alps in the middle of winter. They then made their way on foot and by sled to Oberperfuss, Franz's hometown, where they connected with his family for support.
What risks did the local population take?
-Locals like Franz's fiancée Anni and Mama Kushner took huge risks sheltering and assisting the team. If caught, they likely would have been executed for treason.
How did Fred Mayer gather intelligence in Innsbruck?
-Posing as a wounded German officer on leave, Fred was able to move freely and gather intel by talking to officers and civilians. Franz's sisters provided him with forged paperwork and a nurse's uniform.
What key pieces of intelligence did the team collect?
-They reported on border activity, training exercises, troop movements, rail traffic, arm shipments, and even the location of Hitler's bunker in Berlin.
How did Fred infiltrate the underground jet factory?
-Pretending to be an electrician named Frederique Mayer, he got paperwork to work inside the top secret plant and reported that production had stalled.
How did the team get the intelligence back to headquarters?
-Hans set up a radio in the attic of a farmhouse and tapped out Morse code messages that were bounced off the Alps. Couriers also carried notes between Innsbruck and Oberperfuss.
What happened when Fred was captured by the Gestapo?
-He was tortured for info about his team but didn't break. A Nazi party official named Dr. Priems intervened to spare Fred's life, hoping to use him.
How did the mission conclude?
-After the Nazis surrendered Innsbruck, Fred drove there and accepted the formal surrender of Tyrol province on behalf of the Allies.
Outlines
🎬 Intro to the War Story
Opening paragraph introduces the true story behind a group of Jewish American refugees who volunteered to go behind enemy lines during WW2 to get vengeance on the Nazis by killing them. They were motivated by hatred of Nazis and love of America.
👪 Backstories of the Jewish Refugees
Second paragraph provides backstories of the key Jewish refugees - Fred Mayer and Hans Wynberg - who fled Nazi Germany as teenagers. It highlights their motivation to strike back at the Nazis due to personal losses.
🤝 Building the Elite Commando Team
Third paragraph focuses on how Fred and Hans were identified by the US Army for their special skills and desire for high-risk missions. They bonded during intense commando training with OSS to prepare for operations behind enemy lines.
😤 Frustration Waiting for a Mission
Fred and Hans got stuck waiting in North Africa without seeing action, leading to frustration. They requested a transfer to intelligence headquarters in Italy, the staging ground for covert European operations.
👣 Launching Operation Greenup
Fifth paragraph covers the launch of Operation Greenup, the extremely dangerous mission that Fred, Hans and an Austrian deserter Franz Weber were assigned. Their goal was to infiltrate Tyrol region of Austria controlled by Nazi fanatic Franz Hofer.
❄️ Risky Entry into Enemy Territory
Paragraph six focuses on the perilous entry of the Greenup team into Tyrol via parachuting onto a glacier and sledding down a mountain into Franz's village. His fiance Anni and her mother provided them shelter and assistance.
🕵️ Intel Gathering and Sabotage
Next section highlights Fred's information gathering exploits while undercover as a German officer in Innsbruck. He sent intel on Hitler's bunker construction, munitions trains, jet factories and more back via a clever courier system.
🚨 Fred's Capture and Torture
Fred was captured by the Gestapo while hiding in Eva's apartment. He was brutally tortured for info on his team but refused to break. The prayer vigil organized for Fred by villagers showed rare humanity.
🤝 Deal with Hofer and Allied Victory
In an extraordinary turn of events, Fred meets with Hofer and convinces him to surrender Innsbruck peacefully. Fred takes Hofer under arrest, ensuring the Allied capture of Tyrol without destruction.
😌 Reflections on Operation Greenup
The last paragraph contains reflections from Hans' daughter, Fred and Hans on Operation Greenup. They express pride, share lessons learned, and remark feeling lucky overall despite devastating losses during the war.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Nazi Germany
💡Operation Greenup
💡Brenner Pass
💡Tyrol
💡Franz Hofer
💡OSS
💡Fred Mayer
💡Hans Wijnberg
💡Franz Weber
💡Alpine Redoubt
Highlights
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