All language subtitles for HITLERS LAST STAND - 4 - Enemy Allies (2018)

May 1945.

During the final days
of war in Europe,

an American tank commander

leads an unlikely band
of U.S. and German soldiers

to rescue French VIP's
held at an Austrian castle.

As he organizes
their defences.

Lee's strategy is to keep
the SS guessing

about the disposition
of forces inside the castle.

They don't know he's only got
25 men and three officers.

But when Waffen-SS forces
attack,

he cannot be sure where
their loyalty will stand.

On June 6th, 1944

allied forces finally
land troops in Normandy

to open the western front.

But Nazi fanatics
and diehards

continue to fight ruthlessly
for survival.

D-day was a battle.

The allies still need
to win the war.

May 4th, 1945.

Tyrol, Austria.

German army major Josef Gangl
and his driver

near the town of Kufstein.

Occupied just the day before
by American troops.

German resistance
has more or less collapsed.

But it has not yet surrendered.

German troops are withdrawing
to the alpine region,

where there is this myth
of this alpine fortress,

the last stand of the Nazis.

As they turn a corner,

they come face to face
with four U.S. Sherman tanks.

Out of the car!

Alright.
What do you want?

On the surface,
it may look like Gangl

is one of thousands
of Germans soldiers

surrendering to western allies.

But Gangl has come to Kufstein
on a mission.

It may be risky.

Days prior,

the U.S. Army began to liberate the
nearby Dachau prison camp system.

After witnessing the atrocities,

many of the soldiers
were of the opinion

that they simply
weren't in the business

of taking prisoners anymore.

But Gangl has joined
the Austrian resistance

to help defeat the Nazis
from within the Third Reich.

Gangl is taken
to Lieutenant Jack Lee,

commander of company B,
23rd Tank Battalion,

U.S. 12th Armored Division.

Months of hardfighting
gives Lee confidence,

on the edge of bravado.

In a couple of days prior,
a German colonel

wanted to surrender
a large number of his men

but wouldn't do so
to a lowly first lieutenant.

So, Lieutenant Lee,

making use of the fact that the
insignia for a First Lieutenant

is a single silver bar and
for a Captain is two silver bars,

simply took a spare bar,
put it on his collar,

and was a captain for a few minutes
to accept surrender.

In english,
Gangl delivers his message.

The German officer
explains

that he has knowledge
of important French prisoners,

held by the Nazis not far away.

From the perspective
of a U.S. Army Commander,

you're wise if you decide I'm only
going to trust my own guys.

But you also have to be
open minded enough

to realize that there may be a lot
of people who need your help,

and that you're probably going to do
yourself more harm than good

if you're shooting first
and asking questions later.

Gangl presents a letter
written by one of the V.I.P.'s.

In it, they plead for rescue.

Rumours had circulated
about an alpine fortress

holding such prisoners.

The story could be true,
or it could be a trap.

It's a tough sell
for someone like Gangl

to make the Americans
understand

that he is going to join them
in common cause

and that he's really not
a supporter of nazism.

Lee climbs into his tank to radio
his commanding officer.

He shares the intel about
the French hostages.

Lee receives permission to proceed
as he judges appropriate.

Alright, we'll see it through.
Over.

It's indicative
of how fluid the situation is

and there's not always
going to be time to check in.

The battalion
commander is telling Lee

that he needs to exercise
his judgment.

Lee decides to check out
the story himself.

He will reconnoitre
to where Gangl claims

the VIP Prisoners
are being held.

Only one of Lee's gunners and
the two Germans accompany him.

Lee decides to travel with Gangl

to determine the German
major's reliability.

And to verify his connections
with the Austrian resistance.

This situation that you have there
on the ground in Austria,

is extraordinarily complex.

German chancellor Adolf Hitler
committed suicide five days prior,

on April 30th, 1945.

The German military
is disintegrating.

Some surrender to the allies.

Others retreat, or even desert.

In my opinion,

Gangl represents a state
of the German armed forces

in may 1945.

He understands the war is lost,

probably has also understood that
he has served the wrong course.

And now is time to try to avoid
even more damage

to our home country.

Even if this means to cooperate
with a former enemy.

But many still support
the cause of nazism.

Particularly
those in the Waffen-SS,

the military arm of the Nazi party.

There are a number
of Waffen-SS troops

in northern Austria
by this time.

Most of them are still determined
to fight on. They are fanatical.

When we hear fanatic
or fanatical today

we think of crazy people
who fight on stupid like.

But fanatic
is actually considered

a positive term
by the Nazis.

If they say you are fanatic Nazi,
it's meant as a compliment.

The Waffen-SS will fight
to the bitter end.

A couple of days
before the war was over

the thinking then was,
we are losing,

but when we are losing
our enemies shall not survive.

Their fatalism creates
great risk for the allies.

Whether in the next village
they will be met with open arms

or whether they will be
met with a hail of bullets.

The four men travel
to their objective: Castle Itter.

Their route will be dictated
by roadblocks.

The Nazis controlled most every
aspect of German life,

including the road net.

We have a roadblock
at the entry points of a town.

This was a way to maintain
control over populations.

To cow them into submission.

It was a way to maintain some
semblance of political control.

With Gangl and his driver's
knowledge of the area,

they bypass some roadblocks.

Other times,
on route to the town of Worgl,

Lee and Gangl encounter
Wehrmacht, German army troops

who prove loyal
to the German major.

As Gangl navigates each turn,

Lee must still wonder whether
it is an elaborate ruse.

During a stop in Worgl,

Gangl offers Lee formal surrender
of the Garrison based in the town.

They then continue to Itter village,

situated just below
the castle itself.

So, for Lee,

the next introduction
must have been jarring.

Though he's dressed
in civilian clothes

the man is introduced
as a Waffen-SS captain.

SS officers did not swear
loyalty to Germany

and its constitution and its laws.

They swore a personal loyalty
to Adolf Hitler himself.

These were the fanatics.

These were the people who ran
the concentration camps.

Lee may have trusted
the Wehrmacht officer,

only to fall into the
clutches of the SS instead.

May 4th, 1945.

In the final days
of World War Two,

an American tank commander,
believes a German officer's story

about French VIP Prisoners in
a nearby castle needing rescue.

But while on reconnaissance,

Lieutenant Jack Lee fears
he has fallen into the hand

of Waffen-SS Captain
Kurt-Siegfried Schrader.

Why should I believe you?

But German army major Josef Gangl
vouches for the SS captain.

This creates a tense moment.

Gangl recognizes him.

They've worked together
on battle group Giel.

Schrader informs Lee and Gangl
that he has assumed responsibility

for the French VIP protection.

We can only speculate

what motivates
Schrader's change in mind.

Was it a true change of mind
or was it just opportunism,

seeing the war
is lost for Germany?

They also learn from Schrader

that the SS unit that had guarded
the prisoners has fled over night.

The VIPS are safe for now, but
everyone fears what's coming next.

Lee finds himself in an
remarkable situation:

Two German officers,
one from the SS,

have turned their backs
on the Nazi cause

to assist American forces to
protect the French prisoners.

I'm going to check
this guy's story out.

Still needing to confirm Gangl
and Schrader's stories,

Lee insists they
continue to the castle.

Schloss Itter,
as it is known in German,

Sits amidst Austria's
tyrol mountains.

Positioned over a ravine,

a short bridge connects
the 13th century castle

to a nearby mountain.

Just south of the
Austrian-German border,

the tyrol region is
of legendary concern.

Mountains separated
by countless rivers,

threaded by country roads,

form natural defenses for
retreating German troops.

A recurrent fear of allied
Supreme Commander,

General Dwight D. Eisenhower,
is a final stand in the alps.

As the American forces
move south,

they are ordered to cut
off mountain passes

to prevent the formation
of a Nazi redoubt.

But as the allies press from the
north, east and south of Austria,

the squeeze may inadvertently create
the assembly of loyal Nazi troops,

Eisenhower fears.

Upon arrving at the castle

Lee encounters
an armed group

and realizes
that Gangl's story is true:

The French VIP exist
and they need help.

The prisoners include two former
French prime ministers,

two French generals,

and the sister
of Charles de Gaulle.

These are very distinguished
soldiers in some cases.

They are distinguished
political voices.

In a way,

they represent the sort of kernel
of French political nationhood.

So, there's a great value in them,
in that sense.

So-called honour prisoners
lived in relative luxury,

in hotels and castles
throughout the war.

The Nazis see them
as a kind of bargain

for future negotiations
with the enemy.

But faced day to day uncertainty,

as their survival depended
on Hitler's impulses.

With his death and German
command structure imploding

SS units in the region might
decide it is in Germany's interest

to execute the VIPS.

The fear is that the SS were fully
capable of executing anybody

that they didn't want around
to testify after the war.

Though currently unguarded and in
possession of German weapons,

the VIP are trapped
and face imminent danger.

While Lee wants to protect his
men from unnecesary risks,

in what could be
the last hours of the war,

he understands the importance
of the French VIP's,

and that they may
be critical

to the stability of free France
after the war.

Lee tells the French prisoners
that he will be back with help,

as soon as possible.

Lee and Gangl return to Kufstein
to gather reinforcements.

Alright, boys let's roll out!

Just before 1900 hours,

Lee leads seven Sherman tanks
and three squads of infantry

from Kufstein
towards Castle Itter.

They are joined by major Gangl

who adds men
to strengthen their numbers.

Jack Lee finds himself

in command of 14 American
and 10 German soldiers.

I know of no other time

when you had German soldiers
directly serving

and following the orders
of an American junior officer

in World War II.

As they proceed to Itter,

Lee must return three
of his tanks to Kuftstein,

when an old bridge gives way
and prevents further crossings.

He also leaves two tanks behind
to defend the town of Worgl.

And one to secure a bridge, they
may need as an escape route.

This leaves Lee's tank
nicknamed the Besotten Jenny,

as the only Sherman
still bound for the castle.

The Besotten Jenny
is an M4A3 Sherman tank,

operated by a crew of five.

It is armed with
a 76 millimeter main gun

capable of firing
20 rounds a minute

and fitted with a .50 caliber and
two .30 caliber machine guns.

As the rescue force
closes in on Itter village,

they encounter
a Waffen-SS roadblock,

and open fire to clear the way.

The German troops immediately
scatter without firing a shot.

They just melt off
into the woods.

Pick up the pace.

Having announced their presence
to any enemy soldiers in the area

Lee and his rescue
force hurry to Itter Castle.

A 60-foot road leads
to the castle's gatehouse.

Ok, move in.

Lee's driver puts
the tank in reverse.

there's no way to turn around
once you're at the castle gate.

And if you
were to drive up forward,

he'd have the most vulnerable
portion of the tank,

the engine compartment,
directly facing enemy fire.

Alright boys keep moving.

The tank's rearview
mirrors were broken,

so Lee uses his voice
to guide the tank up the hill.

It's an incredibly tense
manoeuvre,

because the consequences
of error are monumental.

The tank would plunge at least
25 feet into the ravine.

With the Sherman tank
safely parked,

Lee is greeted by
the French VIP's

whose joyful relief
quickly fades.

The initial reaction
to the French VIPs

to the rescue force
is disappointment.

They're like, "Boy,
is this all that's coming?"

Infused as some of them were
with their own importance

they would have assumed,

"Of course half the United States
Army is going to come after us."

And of course, this was just
a little recon element

all that they did not find
particularly impressive.

And plus, you've got Germans
in tow with weapons, still.

So, you're probably not too
wild about that either.

Lee is also met by
SS Captain Schrader.

Schrader informs Lee
that he's witnessed SS troops

moving anti-tank guns into
the woods around the castle.

This is most likely because
of the Besotten Jenny's run in

with the Waffen-SS roadblock.

For their safety,

Lee directs the VIP's
into the castle's cellars.

The male VIP's argue that they
wish to fight in their own defence

but Lee counters that they would
not be much help to France

if they get themselves killed.

From the perspective
of these two French generals,

both very senior,
distinguished generals,

both of whom had extensive
combat experience,

now you're being asked
to take orders

from some
27-year-old American?

He ranks way below you.

You would find that
somewhat insulting.

You would've expected Lee
to defer to you

and say "General, what do you
think we ought to do now?"

That's not his mindset.

Lacking sufficient resources
to evacuate the castle,

Lee organizes
a defensive strategy

for the American and German
troops under his command.

Lee assigns responsibility
for 180 degrees.

Basically half the field of fire
to each man.

Schrader to the north
and Gangl to the south.

Lee also orders that his tank,
the Besotten Jenny,

is manned at all times.

With the defensive
positions set,

Lee instructs them
to sleep in shifts

and tries to get
some rest himself.

At 0400 hours on may 5th,

Lee is awoken
by the sound of gunfire.

Castle Itter is under attack.

May 5th, 1945.

Lieutenant Jack Lee
commands a small group

of American
and German soldiers

trying to protect French VIP's
held as hostages at Castle Itter.

Woken by the sound of gunfire
from the castle's gatehouse

Lee rushes out.

As a machine gun from a nearby
ridge targets the castle,

the crew member stationed
in Lee's tank,

the Besotten Jenny,
returns fire.

The attack comes
from the Waffen-SS,

Fire!

Nazi loyalists determined to retake
the castle and the prisoners.

When the firefight subsides

Lee's man reports he saw four
Germans inside the razor wire

which rings the castle,
with ropes and climbing gear.

Under fire,
the advancing SS troops

retreated into
the surrounding woods.

Lee debriefs
with Major Josef Gangl

and Captain Kurt-Siegfried Schrader
about the exchange.

At the sound of another
machine gun burst,

the officers race down.

The trio encounter one of major
Gangl's men under heavy fire.

Lee and Gangl pull
the soldier to safety

while Besotten Jenny's
.50 caliber machine gun

opens up again in retaliation.

Gangl translates
his soldier's account for Lee.

More Waffen-SS soldiers had
gotten past the razor wire

and approached the castle.

The soldier
opened fire on them

and in turn was shot at
in retaliation.

They retreated again
into the forest.

I got a .50 Cal in that section.
No one's getting down there.

With the Sherman tank
guarding access to the castle,

a frontal attack is futile,

so the SS troops need
to find another way in.

What they do is probe
the castle in small groups

and trying to find
weak spots,

and perhaps also trying to find out
the number of the defenders.

HQ.

HQ, this is Lee.

This is Lee. Over.

The situation is dire.

Lieutenant Lee is on his own.
He has no radio communication.

He has no way of knowing
if a rescue force is coming.

At this point, Lee's strategy
is to keep the SS guessing

about the disposition
of forces inside the castle.

They don't know he's only got
25 men and three officers.

But a short time later,

another round of gunfire
alerts Lee to a new problem.

One of major Gangl's men
has fled the castle.

The soldier secretly lowered
himself down the castle wall,

then ran into the
trees of the gorge.

You said I could trust
your men, Gangl.

The soldier's escape
is a grave threat

to everyone
left inside Castle Itter.

Up until now,

the SS have no idea
of who is defending the castle.

This man would likely tell the SS
anything they wanted to know.

You know what's going to happen?
They're gonna...

He can give away how many
people are defending this castle,

and where exactly are
their defense positions.

The escape is not just
about one soldier.

It undermines the americans' faith
in the other Germans as well.

Lee's men observe that the other
Germans did not fire on him.

Now at this point,
he doesn't know.

Is that simply because they didn't
want to kill a fellow German,

or is there something bigger
afoot?

This single soldier represents a
larger problem for the defenders.

Where is their loyalty?
Is it with Gangl?

Or is it with the besieging
Waffen-SS unit?

It seems that Gangl and Lee came
to some sort of understanding,

and the Germans
retain their weapons.

It is a good thing,

because it soon becomes clear that
Lee will need every man he's got.

May 1945.

An American tank commander tries
to defend the lives of French VIP's

taken hostage and held by the Nazis
at Castle Itter during the war.

A Waffen-SS force
prepares to retake the castle.

In an unusual twist of fate,

former enemies now work
for a common cause.

The castle is held by both
American and German troops.

27-year-old
Lieutenant Jack Lee

is the American tank
commander in charge.

In my opinion,

Lieutenant Lee at this point trusts
Gangl and Schrader implicitly.

Gangl already had well
established bona fides

both from the resistance
and his actions so far.

Schrader, besides being
vouched for by Gangl,

also had his family
inside the castle.

Lee joins German officers
Major Gangl and Captain Schrader

high in the castle to observe
Waffen-SS movements.

Lee spots artillery pieces being
moved into place among the trees,

only about 800 yards
from the castle.

Likely in response to information
from an escaped defender.

They know that the defensive force
has no heavy weapons to fire.

And so, they feel free to move
their heavy guns into place.

One of the guns is an 88.

The 88 is the most dreaded
weapon in the German arsenal.

It's a high velocity gun
with a heavy punch.

Literally one round can go
through a Sherman tank

like it's made of butter.

It does the same thing
to stone walls.

They also watch as Waffen-SS
troops arrive and take up positions.

From all what we know,
the number of German troops

attacking Castle Itter was
about a company.

About 150, 200 men
maximum.

They were relatively
well-armed.

They seemed to have been
in good supply of ammunition.

Castle Itter is now surrounded.

While the American and German
officers are concerned,

Major Gangl discovers
that the French VIP's are not.

Gangl encounters them getting
some fresh air in the courtyard,

in spite of Lee's
clear instructions.

The 88 suddenly opens up.

A shot hits an upper floor of
the castle and rains down debris.

Everyone scrambles for cover.

At ten hundred hours,

Waffen-SS troops begin
a full-scale assault on the castle.

Lee will soon learn if the
Germans inside the castle

will fight to repel them.

Very quickly,
the Besotten Jenny,

the defenders only tank,
takes a direct hit.

Lee's best hope
for protecting everyone

inside Itter Castle
goes up in flames.

An American tanker escapes
the burning wreckage.

He and two other U.S.
soldiers retreat

as the Sherman's
fuel tanks explode.

It is a major set back.

The assault continues.

The forces inside the castle are
reduced to simply small arms:

rifles, pistols,
and grenades.

They have no heavy weapons
whatsoever.

The defenders have no way
to take out the German 88,

and it continues
to pound the castle.

Some of the French VIP's
refuse to retreat to safety,

in order to join the battle.

They had served
in the French army.

Though for most, decades
earlier in the first World War.

Hurry! ok! Let's go!

Some defenders
are positioned higher,

to preserve their view
of the attacking troops.

The Waffen-SS
attack intensifies.

Lee notices
that one of the French VIP

has moved into
a vulnerable spot.

But before Lee can react,
Major Gangl does.

May 1945.

During the final days
of the war in Europe,

American and German
soldiers fight together,

to hold a castle and protect French
prisoners from Waffen-SS forces.

German Wermacht Major,
Josef Gangl

rushes to pull one
of the French VIP back,

from a vulnerable position.

But in his haste,

Gangl exposes himself to a bullet
fired from outside the castle.

In the hope of peace,

Gangl chose to defy
his own country,

because he could no longer
support in its aims,

and he pays
the ultimate price.

It was not
an opportunistic choice

to defend Castle Itter.
He did it with conviction.

Lee cannot stop.

As the incoming fire
increases

he must secure the castle.

Lee passes word
to his men in the gatehouse,

to hang on as long as possible
before falling back.

As part of the growing onslaught,

SS troops advance
from the east and west sides,

as well as up the drop off
to the castle's north.

The defenders struggle
to cover all three directions.

It is not clear how long they
will be able to hold out.

Jean Borotra,

one of the prisoners
and a former French tennis star,

braves the incoming fire
to deliver a message.

He bursts in to report to Lee that
they're running low on ammunition,

with Waffen-SS forces
closing in.

Just then,

an unexpected sound cuts
through the gun fire.

What happens next is amazing.
The telephone in the castle rings.

Hello?

Lee answers

and is relieved to hear the voice
of an American officer on the line.

When he had reached
the town of Worgl,

Gangl's Austrian
resistance fighters

had alerted the officer to the
existence of the castle telephone.

He's calling to check on Lee's
forces and what they need.

Lee only has time to report
that the castle is under attack

and they're
low on ammunition...

...before the line goes dead.

Though reinforcements
may be coming

there's no guarantee
they will arrive in time.

He did not get a chance
to relay the strength

and position
of the Waffen-SS troops,

which could help the relief force
make it more quickly to the castle.

In addition to losing Gangl,

two of the German soldiers
have been injured.

Lee knows that the castle could
be overrun before help arrives,

risking the lives
of everyone inside.

Jean Borotra interrupts
with a crazy offer.

During his captivity,

Borotra had escaped
from the castle before,

only to recaptured by
and returned to the prison.

He suggests to Lee that he should
dress as an Austrian peasant,

jump the wall, and try
and run to town to get aid.

If Borotra can escape once more
and locate the American forces,

he can pass
on Lee's warnings.

Lee is not convinced
the plan can succeed

but has few choices
and even less time.

As the fighting eases,

Borotra is able to slip
away from the castle.

To fulfill his mission,
he will have make his way

past the Waffen-SS
positioned outside the walls.

Everyone's life could depend on it.

May 5th, 1945.

In the Austrian alps,

Waffen-SS troops
attack Castle Itter,

the war time prison which
housed French VIPs

The castle is held
by a motley mix

of both American
and German soldiers

fighting to protect
the hostages of the Third Reich.

With the castle defenders

at risk of being overwhelmed
by loyal Nazi forces...

...former French tennis star,
Jean Borotra,

escapes the castle in disguise
to alert nearby American troops.

But first, he must make it
through the Waffen-SS line

advancing on the castle.

Borotra must convince
the Nazi troops

that he is just
an Austrian peasant.

If they even suspect him
of being a military deserter,

let alone an escaped prisoner,
it could cost him his life.

Tense moments pass.

Borotra's performance
as an peasant

must have been convincing,
as they allow him to continue.

Borotra heads off
in search of the Americans.

Back at Castle Itter,

Lieutenant Jack Lee continues
to lose ground to the SS troops

and runs low on ammunition.

He has no way to know

if friendly reinforcements
can reach them in time.

If the castle is overrun,

they believe the French
VIPs are at risk

of being executed
by the Waffen-SS fanatics.

Some hardcore SS officers say
"Okay we are losing the war,

"but we will take
our enemies with us.

They shall not survive us."

Lee and the French generals

agree to retreat to the castle's
inner stronghold,

which Lee calls the keep.

Down to the last magazine!

Make it count.

The keep is literally
the last stand.

There's no place
to retreat to from it.

They have to gamble
that they can hold off the SS

until relief forces arrive.
Or the game is up.

At this point, Lee and his men
are going to win or die.

Waffen-SS forces sustain
their attack and close in.

The castle defenders
return fire,

but they are being overwhelmed
by superior numbers.

SS troops
reach the castle gate

and prepare to blast
their way inside,

with a Panzerfaust rocket.

An easy to use weapon,
which blows up tanks.

The Waffen-SS suddenly
hear tank noise

from the rear,
from the village.

Without an armoured
unit of their own,

the Waffen-SS are no match
for the arriving U.S. tanks.

They quickly realized
the Americans are coming.

The Waffen-SS disappeared
as quickly as possible.

To Lee's relief, reinforcements
have arrived just in time.

Lee and the others holed up
in Castle Itter have been saved.

Lieutenant Lee
by this point is exhausted.

And when the commander of
the 142nd comes up to him,

he says, "Take them Colonel,
they're all yours."

The battle for Castle Itter

would be amongst the last ground
combat of World War II in Europe.

Only two days later,
May 7, 1945,

Germany surrenders
unconditionally to the allies.

The fact the last battle

fought in the European
theatre of operations

was not to conquer territory,

but to defend innocent prisoners

must have been
an incredibly uplifting moment

for all those involved.

The Americans evacuate the
French VIPs to innsbruck, Austria.

Within days they arrive home
in France.

Several would return
to politics after the war.

SS-Waffen Captain Kurt-Siegfried
Schrader receives a letter,

undersigned
by the former prisoners

stating he's ensured the safety
of the French detainees

and stayed with them during
the German attacks.

Schrader serves as a prisoner
of war for only two years,

before being released.

In the end, when we judge
the personality,

we must always bear in mind

there were many SS officers
who didn't act like Schrader,

who didn't change their mind.

You can say Schrader
showed more responsibility

than most of his peers.

Austria honours major Josef Gangl
for his work with the resistance

and for his actions
at Castle Itter.

Lieutenant Jack Lee

would be awarded
the distinguished service cross

for his intiative,
boldness and courage

in defence of Castle Itter.

Lieutenant Lee himself
summed it up years later

when he was asked.
He just said,

"It was just
the damnedest thing."

It had been a long road since
the beaches of Normandy.

Peace,
eleven months in the making.

D-day is only the beginning

and it's a really
important beginning

of almost a year of really
intense fighting

by a western allied coalition

all of whom need
one another badly.

And all of whom
sacrificed terribly,

for this to come
to a final victory.