The battle of castle itter was strange #shorts

[Critter]

Don't forget that they sent a tennis player who did not speak English or German on a mission to find the American relief forces and guide them to the castle, because they couldn't find it. He got lost on the way.

[Knightwolf]

Fun fact: The only Allied casualty of that battle was the German Major Josef Gangl.

Another fun fact: One of the Allied commanders during the battle was a defecting SS Captain named Kurt-Siegfried Schrader. Imagine having a shootout with your former co-workers just so you can quit your job.

[kopz]

At one point they just went "we have a castle. Why not use it as it was intended"

[darkness_weaver]

JENNY AT THE GATES! The American troops and the German army joining together at last!

This is one of my favorite moments in history. Good men, regardless of standing. The men and women of Castle Itter changed history as the french imprisoned there went on too lead france with reformd and laws into the 21st century, by the will of a man, born to be there enemy but dying a friend.

[QuartetGhost]

And eventually gave birth to one of the best sabaton songs

[dustinjones]

I love the story of castle itter. Never heard of the cowboy operation but would love it if you covered both on your podcast

[corymoon]

American: I never thought I'd die fighting side by side with a Kraut.
Hans: How about side by side with a friend?
American: Aye, I could do that.

[insoniac]

A lot of the French prisoners were also veterans of the First World War. So part way through the fighting they grab weapons and join the the defense.

[Iamwtfboi]

Don't forget HOW they got the relief force, tennis player got sent out and he ran into an MG crew. He then just acted like a poor Austrian peasant scouring for food and peeing a tree, waved then left, he then came across a bunch of M10s and gave them the letter. Unfortunately the sherman used to block the doorway was destroyed during the battle

[Destructinator]

For those that are too lazy to look up operation cowboy (the operation he mentioned briefly). Here is a quick summary. It was fought in the Czechslovokian village of Hostau. This battle also took place during the last bit of the European theater. These 2 battles are the only known ones in WW2 where the Germans and Americans were on the same side. It honestly makes sense why they fought side by side since this is nearing the end of the war, the die hard Nazis, the SS, did not want to surrender while the more cool-headed Wehrmacht knew of the impending loss and wished to surrender or end the war quicker. So the Wehrmacht and the Americans (specifically the XII Corps of the American Third Army which was commanded by General Patton) worked together.

Basically, this farm area had Soviets coming from the East and Americans from the west, the Germans knew that surrendering to the Soviets would be worse so they sided with the Americans.

Similar to the rush for Berlin from both the west and the east, there was also a rush like that for Prague. In Operation Cowboy, the Americans got to the farm right before the Soviets did, T-34s were actually in sight but they wanted to avoid a confrontation so they let the Americans and Germans win that farm.

[Panzerless_SG]

The Last Battle is my second favorite Sabaton song, Resist and bite being my favorite

[logandh]

Yep, a French tennis star ran from the castle, encountered American troops, put on an American uniform and traveled back to the castle with them to help free his fellow prisoners. Truth is stranger than fiction

[nicholasavasthi]

“And it’s the end of the line of the final journey, enemies leaving the past.
And it’s American troops and the German army joining together at last!”

[The_Boomer_]

Always love hearing about this oddity in history. Keep up the good work stakuyi!

[SmashingCapital]

Can you talk about the operation you mentioned?

[thermite]

No one posted the Sabaton lyrics here yet so i’ll do it: (edit: to anyone wondering song name is The Last Battle)

5th of May, V day's just around the corner
1945 the Führer's reign's at its end
Jenny at the gates, as the SS open fire
There's no time to waste, the final battle's begun

After the downfall, a castle besieged
Facing the Nazis awaiting relief
Gangl and Lee and their men set the prisoners free

And it's the end of the line of the final journey
Enemies leaving the past
And it's American troops and the German army
Joining together at last

One last fight, it's the death throes of the 3rd Reich
Justice shall be done, the final battle remains
Ammo's running low, they're depleting their machine guns
Every bullet counts until surrender's announced

After the downfall, a castle relieved
Defeating the Nazis who held them besieged
Gangl and Lee and their men set the prisoners free

And it's the end of the line of the final journey
Enemies leaving the past
And it's American troops and the German army
Joining together at last

From the foot of the Alps to the shores of the sea
From the foot of the Alps to the shores of the sea
From the home of the brave, from the land of the free
From the foot of the Alps to the shores of the sea

And it's the end of the line of the final journey
Enemies leaving the past
And it's American troops and the German army
Joining together at last

[thatguy]

The battle of castle itter reads like a movie

[GrandOvertureLaughter]

And it's the end of the line, of the final journey
Enemy's leaving the past
It's the American troops
And the German army
Joining together at last!

[Double_D__]

I think one of the funniest parts about the battle is that when they realized they had a tennis player among the prisoners, they had that guy use his racket to fucking *_toss grenades._* Imagine sieging a castle and your last moment of life is watching a dude power serve a live grenade at you.

[tickticktickBOOOOM]

"Jenny at the gates, as the SS opens fire..."