The Strangest Battle Ever?
How a small castle on a hill in an Austrian town became the setting for one the strangest battles in history.
In the final days of the European Theatre in World War II, the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division found itself battling against a unique force. One that included the United States’ 12th Armored Division, recently freed French prisoners of war, and a group of defect Wehrmacht soldiers.
In what historians deem to be one of the strangest battles in history, a small castle nestled on a hill near Itter, Austria cemented itself in legacy. The castle, Castle Itter, had been used as a prison camp by the Nazis and fell under the same administration that oversaw the concentration camp in Dachau.
A Different Kind of Nazi Prison
Unique to Castle Itter however were its prisoners. The Germans used it as a place to hold high-profile prisoners like French tennis star Jean Borotra, former prime ministers Eduoard Daladier and Paul Reynaud, and the trade union leader Leon Jouhaux.
On May 3rd, 1945, a Yugoslav handyman named Zvonimir Cuckovic feigned the obligation of an errand at the request of a German commander and left the castle to the town of Innsbruck, some forty miles away. He carried with him a letter written in English requesting Allied help and his true intention was to pass the letter to the first American he came across.
Later that evening he found his Americans in an advancing party of infantry soldiers from the US VI corps. The US soldiers, unable to take action themselves, passed his message along to another American force in the 23rd Tank Battalion of the 12th Armored Division.
Back at the castle, the German commander, who had noticed his missing handyman, feared that a call for help had happened and fled. For the prisoners, who were also awaiting news from Cuckovic, the silence forced another daring attempt.
A Second Attempt to Seek Help Proves Fruitful
This time they allowed a Czech cook to take a note into the nearest town, Worgl. Worgl, which had been in Nazi Wehrmacht control up until recently, provided the answer they needed. The cook successfully reached Austrian resistance fighters who took him to Major Josef Gangl.
Gangl, had recently defied orders to rejoin the SS and had opted instead to take up arms and lead resistance fighters. Having successfully secured Worgl with the little forces he had, Gangl knew taking the castle would require American support. He also knew Americans were near.
Knowing that the SS were still around setting up roadblocks and looking for opportunities for retribution against the town of Worgl, Gangl connected with American Captain John Lee. Lee, who was waiting in Kufstein, Austria for the 12th to be relieved by the 36th Infantry wasted no time in volunteering to lead the rescue.
A Strange Force Unites
After a small skirmish, Lee, Gangl, and a small force comprised of American soldiers and former German artillerymen arrived at the Castle Itter. The French prisoners raced to greet their rescuers. The elation quickly faded as they counted the total number of rescuers they had before them.
Meanwhile, Waffen-SS soldiers from nearby decided to attack the Castle Itter. Though Lee encouraged the French prisoners to take shelter, many of them opted to fight alongside this unique ragtag band of American and German soldiers.
As the sun rose on May 5th, the main attack began. 150 SS solders descended on the hill. Lee’s lone Sherman tank, the Besotten Jenny held the main entrance for as long as it could. Once it was taken out, the need for reinforcements became critical.
Tennis Star Turned Battle Hero
A relief force was dispatched, but with communications severed, no one was able to provide the approaching forces with the requisite information. Enter tennis star Jean Borotra. Borotra offered to scale the castle wall, run through the various SS strongpoints, and deliver the recon information himself.
Incredibly, he was successful. Borotra reached the approaching forces, quickly donned an American uniform, and jumped into line with the troops. By mid-afternoon, the reinforcements arrived and the SS force quickly surrendered. In a turn of irony, around 100 SS prisoners were taken as the former French prisoners evacuated the area and headed towards Paris.
Could it be the Strangest Battle in History
In the aftermath of the Battle of the Castle Itter there was just one casualty. Gangl, who was struck by a sniper’s bullet while attempting to move a former French Prime Minister out of harm’s way, succumbed to his wound. He is honored today as an Austrian national hero and has a street named after him in Worgl.
Though a small skirmish, the Battle of the Castle Itter was full of oddities. Americans and Germans teamed up to free French prisoners of war. Those same French prisoners of war, instead of taking cover, took up arms and fought alongside their rescuers. And the battle occurred five days after Adolf Hitler had ended his own life and just two days before the unconditional surrender of Germany was signed.