The Strangest Battle of WW2 - Battle of Castle Itter

In a twist that sounds like fiction, World War II's closing days saw German and American soldiers unite for a battle like no other.Show more

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Castle Itter in Austria was not your typical fairy-tale castle. Built in the Austrian Alps, this fortress acted as a prison for mainly French VIPs during World War II.

It was a cozy little spot for high-profile prisoners such as former Prime Ministers Paul Reynaud, Édouard Daladier, and a celebrity appearance by Charles de Gaulle's sister, Marie-Agnès Cailliau.

In 1945 the war was coming to its close in Europe and things at Castle Itter were getting spicy. Initially, the SS were running the show, but as they abandoned the castle around the 2nd of May.

In one of the most fortunate management changes in history, the Wehrmacht stepped in on the 4th.

The guards and the guarded had to face a new reality however: with the war ending, who's friend and who's foe? The lines got blurrier than a Monet painting.

This of course sets the stage for the coming events, but does not quite cover their truly bizarre nature.

It's like one of those awkward dinner parties, but with the fate of some of France's VIPs hanging in the balance and the SS potentially crashing the party.

Stay tuned, because this is just the beginning of the castle's odd role in the final act of the war.

In a twist that sounds like fiction, World War II's closing days saw German and American soldiers unite for a battle like no other.

_______

Castle Itter in Austria was not your typical fairy-tale castle. Built in the Austrian Alps, this fortress acted as a prison for mainly French VIPs during World War II.

It was a cozy little spot for high-profile prisoners such as former Prime Ministers Paul Reynaud, Édouard Daladier, and a celebrity appearance by Charles de Gaulle's sister, Marie-Agnès Cailliau.

In 1945 the war was coming to its close in Europe and things at Castle Itter were getting spicy. Initially, the SS were running the show, but as they abandoned the castle around the 2nd of May.

In one of the most fortunate management changes in history, the Wehrmacht stepped in on the 4th.

The guards and the guarded had to face a new reality however: with the war ending, who's friend and who's foe? The lines got blurrier than a Monet painting.

This of course sets the stage for the coming events, but does not quite cover their truly bizarre nature.

It's like one of those awkward dinner parties, but with the fate of some of France's VIPs hanging in the balance and the SS potentially crashing the party.

Stay tuned, because this is just the beginning of the castle's odd role in the final act of the war.

In a twist that sounds like fiction, World War II's closing days saw German and American soldiers unite for a battle like no other.

_______

Castle Itter in Austria was not your typical fairy-tale castle. Built in the Austrian Alps, this fortress acted as a prison for mainly French VIPs during World War II.

It was a cozy little spot for high-profile prisoners such as former Prime Ministers Paul Reynaud, Édouard Daladier, and a celebrity appearance by Charles de Gaulle's sister, Marie-Agnès Cailliau.

In 1945 the war was coming to its close in Europe and things at Castle Itter were getting spicy. Initially, the SS were running the show, but as they abandoned the castle around the 2nd of May.

In one of the most fortunate management changes in history, the Wehrmacht stepped in on the 4th.

The guards and the guarded had to face a new reality however: with the war ending, who's friend and who's foe? The lines got blurrier than a Monet painting.

This of course sets the stage for the coming events, but does not quite cover their truly bizarre nature.

It's like one of those awkward dinner parties, but with the fate of some of France's VIPs hanging in the balance and the SS potentially crashing the party.

Stay tuned, because this is just the beginning of the castle's odd role in the final act of the war.