One of the sensational figures of the Second World War is Otto Skorzeny. "The man with the scar," so he was called differently. By nationality, Otto is a Pole. He is known in the world as the most professional intelligence officer for whom there were no borders and borders. This man had no conscience. He worked for Hitler. After the defeat of Germany, he sided with the Americans. He preferred work for those who pay more. An interesting and eventful life that is full of unrevealed secrets. Biography of Otto Skorzeny will be told in the article.
Youth Skorzeny
Otto Skorzeny (years of life 1908-1975) he was born in Vienna. His father was a simple engineer. His growth was, by many standards, huge and amounted to 196 cm. As a student, Otto often performed in fights (“musketeers duels”). They passed as in the old days, on swords. In one of these fights, he got his mark on his face. In college, he met a man who introduced him to the NSDAP
In 1934, as part of the 89th standard, Skorzeny took part in the coup. As a result, it earns the glory of an unrivaled leader.
1938 - the widespread defeat of the Jews. Throughout Germany, the so-called "Crystal Night". Here, Otto also shows his best side. He takes away Jewish enterprises and gives them the father-in-law. And to himself, he took the villa of one of the vanquished.
Start of war
When the war began, Skorzeny enlisted as an engineer. But this did not suit him, and he joined the army. But the hostilities did not find. At first he sat in the spare, then he worked simply as a driver. In general, his military career did not work out from the very beginning.
In 1941, he managed to take part in the hostilities, but he became seriously ill and was sent for treatment to his hometown. Immediately after his departure, decisive action began on the part of the Soviet Union. Fate itself saved his life, not allowing him to die on the battlefield, for more important matters in his difficult life. After treatment, he was left in a simple position in Berlin.
Skorzeny was eager for battle. He tried to learn tankman courses. But here, he didn’t succeed. Since 1943, he became a saboteur, working for special forces. It was this work that made him famous throughout the world.
Special operations carried out by a saboteur
- The operation, which was called "Oak", or "Aikhe", is the most famous. For its implementation, candidates were selected with particular care by Hitler himself. Skorzeny's concern was not only to find out where Mussolini was being held, but also to be able to rescue him and deliver him to Hitler. No matter how the Italians were confused, the location was found. The pictures taken on the spot showed that it would be very difficult to get there, the hotel was surrounded by rocks. It was decided to go in small groups. They reached the place on gliders, two of which crashed. Otto himself personally controlled the glider and the entire operation. During its implementation, 40% of the group died. This despite the fact that the operation took place almost without a single shot. Mussolini decided to deliver to Hitler in a two-seater airplane. The pilot was categorically against, but Skorzeny flew with them anyway. With great difficulty, the aircraft was able to lift into the air. The operation completed successfully. Mussolini was delivered to his destination.
- "Long jump" - an operation that ended in failure. Otto was supposed to kill or steal Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill. Thanks to Russian intelligence, he did not succeed.
- Attack on Hitler. Otto Skorzeny suppressed the rebellion, brutally exterminating everyone who dared to speak out against the Fuhrer. This successful operation was marked by another award in the treasury of the saboteur.
- Fights for Pomerania. For this operation, Hitler awarded him a special order, a knight's cross with oak leaves.
The operations that Skorzeny conducted mostly ended in failure. But for those whose fulfillment was particularly brilliant, he was marked by special orders personally from Hitler. He has received numerous awards for his espionage affairs and sabotage.
Skorzeny's most unsuccessful operation
One of the most failed operations in Otto Skorzeny’s biography is to help a non-existent partisan unit. The Soviet intelligence officer, whom the Germans thought was his own, gave information that a detachment of about 2,000 was stuck. They managed to survive, and they ask for help. He led the detachment Sherhorn, who at that time was a recruited agent of the USSR. Otto decided to check the accuracy of the information. He sent there 8 paratroopers from among the best and devotees. They were immediately captured by the Soviet Union. Skorzeny received an answer from them. A report came from the usual signal, and then a special one, which said that they were doing well and were not captured. Skorzeny began to actively help the detachment cut off from the allies. After 8 months, 22 scouts from Germany, radio stations, food, weapons and about 2 million rubles were sent there. Otto did not understand that he was cruelly deceived.
Otto Skorzeny: children, family
He was married three times. He had one daughter who claims that she never abandoned her father and did not hide her kinship with him. Difficulties did not arise even when she openly spoke her last name. The daughter, Waltraud Riss, gave birth to two boys, Otto's grandchildren, whom he was very proud of. They say that he dreamed of a boy, and he wanted to call his unborn daughter Klaus. He had no idea that not a boy could be born. But, in general, the family of Otto Skorzeny is covered in a curtain of secrecy. Very little is known about his personal life.
Life after the end of World War II
The fate of Otto Skorzeny after the war was not the best. He was arrested and put in custody. But he did not languish in prison for long and was acquitted by the Americans. And then I went to their service. Then, using a fake passport, he left the country and began to help the same prisoners as he officially leave the country without fear of persecution. He was part of the secret ODESSA community.
Another Palladin group was founded by Otto in 1970 as a neo-fascist organization. She gathered together all who were part of secret associations of different times, and helped to hide from justice.
He spent part of his life, about 10 years, in Ireland, where he acquired a house and some land for himself.
Involvement and cooperation with Mossad
Until some time, the general public was not aware of the fact of Otto's involvement in the Mossad. But when the data was published in the newspaper, the sensation shocked everyone. In the confrontation between Israel and Egypt there was an eternal race for primacy and strength. When Egypt began to attract German experts, Israel became worried. Egypt was not allowed to be strengthened, and they began their own recruitment of former Nazis. Their goal was to seize as many people as possible, who are able to obtain the necessary secret archives of documents.
Otto Skorzeny, whose biography is not full of the most meritorious deeds, was one of such people. He was offered freedom from fear for his life. The murder of Eichmann made Otto think that he could be next. He agreed, but no one ever knew about it.
Otto Skorzeny: memoirs and other books
It is believed that Otto himself wrote his biography. But due to the fact that many issues are controversial, one might think that some achievements are simply attributed. Many of his facts do not fit with the real story. Therefore, it is worth considering whether to trust his words or not.
The memoirs written by Otto Skorzeny are a great work called "Secret Tasks of the RSHA." In the annotation to her it is written that this is a huge collection of incredible adventures that fell to the share of the officer. The course of all the secret operations of the Reich is reflected in his book. This is fascinating and very interesting in that, in fact, the person was not of high rank, but he achieved such fame, which not every ruler of the state achieves.
The book contains 20 chapters, which thoroughly and consistently describe the actions of the saboteur during the time when the operations were carried out, and his personal conclusions.
“Unknown War” is another book of The Man with a Scar by Otto Skorzeny, in which he tells how the service in the ranks of the SS resembled, revealing such details that were not known to anyone before.
“Why didn’t we take Moscow?” - reasoning from his memoirs about where and how errors were made, and why the ultimate goal of the war was not achieved. What was the reason that Moscow was not taken immediately in 1941.
The books of Otto Skorzeny have not been fully translated into Russian. Basically, the translation touched those pages on which the progress of a particular operation was described in detail.
The end of the life of the "super-diversion"
How did Otto Skorzeny die? In 1970, he found cancer cells. Then an operation was performed, as a result of which he again began to live a normal life. But in 1975, the disease began to progress with renewed vigor. It was no longer possible to save him. He died in a hospital, his body was cremated. The ashes were sent to Austria.
In the biography of Otto Skorzeny, a lot of incomprehensible ones, the memoirs that he left behind, are worthy to become the plot of an adventure film. He lived an interesting life, but, unfortunately, not the most worthy. Many today are interested in his biography and achievements. We hope that the article answered many questions regarding the personality of Otto Skorzeny.