Few people expected that one of Hitler’s most respected SS officers would become a “knife” for Mossad (Israel’s intelligence agency) and attack German scientists.
Otto Skorzeny – Hitler ‘s best agent (photo: Grunge)
Hitler worshiper
Otto Skorzeny was born on June 12, 1908 in Vienna, Austria, into a middle-class family that had served in the Austro-Hungarian army. From a young age, Skorzeny received a military education and was known for his tenacity. On his right cheek, Skorzeny had a large scar from fencing during his student days.
Skorzeny was a fervent Hitler worshipper, while his parents were staunch opponents of the Nazi party line, according to History,
In 1934, Skorzeny joined the Austrian branch of the Nazi Party and served in the SA (Storm Division) – the paramilitary organization of the Nazi Party.
In 1939, Skorzeny joined the German Leibstandarte SS Panzer Division (SS). During World War II, the SS brutally massacred civilians, Jews, and prisoners of war, according to History.
Skorzeny’s intelligence and tenacity helped him rise quickly in the Nazi party. In 1942, Skorzeny was appointed commander of the SS commando force, with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Skorzeny meets Hitler (photo: Irish Central)
“The most dangerous man in Europe”
According to Grunge, by early 1943, the fascist regime in Italy led by dictator Benito Mussolini was in serious turmoil. In July 1943, the Italian king restored power and declared that Mussolini was stripped of all his positions.
The Italian fascist leader was imprisoned in the Campo Imperatore hotel on the top of the Gran Sasso mountain, nearly 3,000 meters high.
Unable to abandon his “close friend” Mussolini, Hitler appointed Skorzeny to command the rescue operation, codenamed Oak. This difficult mission was almost suicidal, according to Grunge.
On September 12, 1943, a group of 12 gliders led by Skorzeny secretly landed on the slopes of Gran Sasso. Within just 4 minutes, about 200 Italian soldiers surrendered to Skorzeny’s commando group in “confusion”.
German gliders secretly land on Gran Sasso mountain (photo: War History Online)
Mussolini was escorted to the German zone in Italy.
Skorzeny became one of the best SS officers after the Eiche campaign. He was personally awarded the Knight’s Cross, Germany’s highest decoration (a superior to the Iron Cross), by Hitler.
Skorzeny leaves with Mussolini by plane (photo: War History Online)
In June 1944, more than 150,000 Allied troops landed in Normandy (France). Skorzeny repeatedly led commando teams (about 200 German soldiers) dressed in American military uniforms to infiltrate, attack from the inside and steal Allied weapons. Skorzeny was nicknamed “the most dangerous man in Europe” by the enemy.
In October 1944, Hitler sent Skorzeny to Hungary after receiving news that Miklos Horthy (Governor General of Hungary) was secretly negotiating a surrender to the Soviet Union.
Operation Panzerfaust was carried out. Skorzeny kidnapped Horthy’s son and forced him to resign. A new pro-German Hungarian government was established.
The three Allied leaders, from left to right, are Josef Stalin, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston S. Churchill (photo: History)
According to National Interest, Skorzeny also commanded Operation Rosselsprung (Long Jump) to assassinate three leaders Josef Stalin (Soviet Union), Winston S. Churchill (British Prime Minister) and Franklin D. Roosevelt (US President) during a meeting in November 1943 in Tehran, Iran.
The assassination attempt failed because Soviet intelligence had been tipped off and prevented Skorzeny’s actions.
“We captured all members of the first German detachment that entered Tehran,” recalled Soviet intelligence officer Gevork Vartanyan.
On May 9, 1945, Germany signed the document of surrender to the Allies. Seven days later, Skorzeny surrendered to the US Army in Salzburg, Austria. He was suspected of participating in the genocide of Jews but was not sentenced to death by wartime tribunal.
In July 1948, Skorzeny escaped from prison and lived in seclusion in Spain, where he was granted a passport and worked as an engineer.
Mossad’s Strange Decision
After World War II, Israeli intelligence was tasked with hunting down former German officers believed to be responsible for the deaths of millions of Jews. Otto Skorzeny – a top SS officer – was targeted by Mossad.
However, instead of killing Skorzeny (as originally planned), Isser Harel, the first director of Mossad, made a bold decision: to exploit “the most dangerous man in Europe,” according to Haaretz (Israel’s third-largest newspaper).
It should be added that after World War II, the greatest danger to the young state of Israel was no longer Nazi Germany, but the Arab coalition, led by Egypt.
In 1948, the Arab-Israeli War broke out. Israel faced an alliance of eight countries: Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Palestine. As a result, Israel won.
In June 1956, Abdel Nasser was elected President of Egypt and he vowed to punish Israel.
According to Haaretz, at that time, Israelis believed that Mr. Nasser had the same ideology as the Nazi leader Hitler . Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle (Israeli newspaper) described Nasser as having “a plan to exterminate Jews in Israel”.
Mossad is believed to have secretly recruited Skorzeny (photo: Arab New)
In the early 1960s, Israel learned that many rocket scientists who had served the Nazis were working for Egypt. Mossad immediately launched Operation Damocles to purge these figures.
At first, Mossad only threatened and warned German scientists, but to little effect. A more drastic measure was proposed: assassination.
Carrying out assassinations in Egypt and Germany was no easy task, according to Haaretz. Mossad agents needed access to their targets and needed an “inside man.” They turned to Otto Skorzeny.
According to Grunge, when Mossad agents approached Skorzeny in Spain (around 1961), he thought he was about to be killed. Previously, in May 1960, Adolf Eichmann – a lieutenant colonel in the SS – was captured by Mossad in Argentina and taken to Israel for execution (an action that violated Argentina’s sovereignty).
To Skorzeny, Mossad made another offer: Become the “blade” of the Jews.
Skorzeny agreed to inform on and help Mossad assassinate German scientists in Egypt on the condition that Israel protect his life and remove his name from the war criminals list.
Mossad essentially accepted the deal, according to Grunge.
The Death of Heinz Krug
In early 1962, Otto Skorzeny was in Israel (a no-go zone for former Nazi officers) and had a target list in hand, according to Grunge.
On September 11, 1962, Heinz Krug – a famous German scientist – suddenly and mysteriously disappeared.
According to the little information that the German police have collected, Heinz Krug left home for work in Munich (German city) and never returned. Another detail that caught the police’s attention was that before his death, Heinz frequently visited Cairo (capital of Egypt).
Krug was one of dozens of experts at Peenemunde – a secret military facility on Germany’s Baltic coast during World War II. At Peenemunde, Germany’s top minds were developing missiles with longer ranges and greater destructive power to attack Britain.
After World War II, Krug was hired by Egypt to help Cairo acquire a modern missile system in preparation for a potential war with Israel. In Munich, Krug had a company that supplied military equipment to Egypt. In Cairo, he owned a “shell company” involved in Egypt’s missile program, according to Haaretz.
After Krug went missing, HaBoker (a now-defunct Israeli newspaper) cited “intelligence sources” and released a startling piece of information: The Egyptians had come to Germany and kidnapped Krug to prevent him from working for… Israel.
In fact, HaBoker (or Israeli intelligence) is deliberately misleading German investigators, Grunge assessed.
Heinz Krug – famous German scientist (photo: Ardmediathek)
In 2016, after interviews with two former Mossad officials (who remain anonymous) and many witnesses who had access to Mossad’s secret documents, Haaretz reported that Otto Skorzeny himself (on Israel’s orders) murdered scientist Krug.
Haaretz said the threatening letters and phone calls drove Krug “to the brink of insanity.” He felt Mossad was lurking around him and his life was in danger.
At this moment, Skorzeny – Hitler’s “best” agent – appeared and declared that he would protect Krug.
According to Haaretz, on September 11, 1962, Heinz Krug left work to meet Skorzeny. The two got into a white Mercedes, headed north and left Munich.
Skorzeny said he had arranged for three trusted bodyguards to protect Krug and they were following behind in another car. In a forest, where Skorzeny deemed it “safe” to talk, Skorzeny pulled out a gun and killed Krug.
After Krug was shot dead, three “bodyguards” (actually Israeli agents) poured acid on his body. Krug’s remains were buried in a pit, covered with lime to keep sniffer dogs and wild animals from sniffing out the remains.
Mossad has never admitted any involvement in the German scientist’s death.
In November 1962, a parcel containing a bomb was sent to the Heliopolis missile factory in Egypt, where some German scientists were believed to be working. The bomb exploded, killing five Egyptian workers.
The incident is believed to have been caused by Skorzeny.
According to Haaretz, together with the actions of Mossad, Operation Damocles is considered a success. Most German scientists have left Egypt.
The Death of Skorzeny
In 1975, Skorzeny died of cancer in Madrid.
Skorzeny was a rare high-ranking SS officer who lived a peaceful life until the end of his life and even became a millionaire. No one knew where Skorzeny’s money came from when he was just a “low-ranking” engineer in Spain.
