Operation "Oak": how saboteur Otto Skorzeny saved Benito Mussolini
The situation in Italy in 1943 was far from being in favor of the fascist regime of Mussolini. A series of defeats on the fronts, constant bombing of cities and famine due to lack of provisions had a colossal demoralizing effect on the country's citizens and many politicians who wanted to get out of the Axis by any means and thereby end Italy's participation in World War II.
It is worth noting that this method was found and implemented on July 25, 1943. On this day, Prime Minister Benito Mussolini, by decision of the Fascist Grand Council, was removed from power and taken into custody. In turn, the leadership of Italy was transferred to King Victor Emmanuel III.
When news of what had happened reached Adolf Hitler, he became furious. The head of the Third Reich could not allow, as he put it, a “shameful” trial of the Italian prime minister.
It is worth recalling here that it was Benito Mussolini who is considered the progenitor of fascism. Consequently, his trial would cause devastating reputational damage to the entire ideology.
Naturally, Hitler could not allow such a scenario. Initially, in revenge, he planned an invasion of Italy, the arrest of the new government of this country, the kidnapping of the royal family and even the murder of the Pope.
Meanwhile, the Fuhrer's supporters still managed to dissuade him from radical measures, and it was decided to release Mussolini from custody.
Thanks to radio interceptions, Wehrmacht intelligence was able to find out that the Duce was being held in custody at a hotel in Gran Sasso in the Abruzzi mountains north of Rome.
The operation to free Mussolini, called “Oak,” was led by SS Obersturmführer Otto Skorzeny, who, thanks to a series of successful sabotage operations, earned himself a reputation as “the most dangerous man in Europe.”
On September 12, 1943, at 14.00 p.m., a group of German paratroopers under the command of Major Harald Mors cut the communication lines to the hotel and captured the cable car leading to the building. Thus, the Italian garrison guarding the Duce was cut off from the outside world.
In turn, at 14.05, Skorzeny with 72 paratroopers on heavy gliders and a light reconnaissance aircraft Fieseler Fi 156 Storch landed near Gran Sasso and began storming the building.
After the release, the former Italian prime minister was supposed to be taken out in the same Fieseler Fi 156. However, the operation almost turned into a failure due to the fact that Skorzeny insisted on personally accompanying the Duce.
The thing is that the above-mentioned plane is designed for two people. As a result, during the flight, the pilot barely managed to steer the overloaded car away from a collision with a rock.
Ultimately, Mussolini was released. But this did not bring much benefit to the fascists, who were heading towards their collapse. The Duce was installed as leader of the puppet Italian Socialist Republic, in the city of Salo on Lake Garda in northern Italy. But very few Italians supported the return of the former prime minister.
Regarding Otto Skorzeny, he surrendered to the Americans in Salzburg in 1945 and was imprisoned.
However, one of the most dangerous criminals never received the punishment he deserved. For his cooperation with American intelligence at his trial in August 1947, he was acquitted and placed in a denazification internment camp in Darmstadt. At the same time, the most famous saboteur did not stay there for long, since in July 1948, with the assistance of the Americans, he fled to the United States, where he then trained paratrooper agents.
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