German Officer and American Troops Defend French Prisoners at Itter Castle Against SS Forces in May 1945

Key summary

On May 5, 1945, a group of French political prisoners held at the 700-year-old Itter Castle in Austria faced an imminent attack by hundreds of loyalist SS troops who intended to execute them. With their own guards having fled and internal resources insufficient to repel the assault, the prisoners decided to fight back. A Serbian prisoner escaped the castle and cycled through Austrian forests to seek help from American forces, encountering German soldiers instead. Lieutenant Josef Gangl, a German officer stationed nearby who had lost faith in the Nazi regime, released the escapee despite the risk of execution for aiding an enemy. Gangl gathered about 20 loyal subordinates and signaled for assistance using a white flag. Captain Jack Lee of the US Army's armored reconnaissance unit responded, bringing approximately 14 men and one tank named 'Jenny'. The combined force of roughly 35 people, including French prisoners, American troops, and German officers, successfully defended the castle against the SS assault. The battle lasted for hours, involving heavy gunfire, smoke, and burning tanks, before the SS forces withdrew or were repelled. A local 14-year-old farm boy witnessed the events from a nearby property.