Otto Skorzeny was one of the most famous German fighters of World War II. Member of the "Brandenburg" elite planned, executed, participated in or directed the most daring German cruiser operations during the war.
Although he is best known for the dramatic liberation of Mussolini and the action of his unit in the Ardennes counter-offensive, he was nevertheless involved in even more difficult operations. For the Allies, Skorzeny was almost the spirit of evil. Nevertheless, although he had been ordered to start a guerrilla war against the Allies, he himself, at the end of the war, preferred to surrender to the Americans.
CIA
He remained imprisoned for some time. He was tried for war crimes but acquitted. In 1948 he escaped with the help of SS veterans. However, he maintained that the entire escape was known to the Americans who actually helped.
Subsequent events seem to confirm this view. Skorzeny gave Spain signs of life again in 1951. It was a time when the Cold War had turned hot with the Korean War in full swing.
Western Europe, weakened militarily and economically, was protected against a Soviet invasion only thanks to American nuclear weapons. The fear of a war with the Soviets in Europe was intense. Skorzeny did not stay slow in Spain. With the knowledge of the CIA he was acting to create a German military force to fight against the Soviets after the USSR invaded western Europe. Skorzeny began recruiting German veterans who had taken refuge in Franco's Spain.
The US in no way wanted Skorzeny to fall into the hands of the Soviets, so the CIA was ordered to leave him undisturbed, but also to protect him from the Soviets. He stated that he was preparing a force of 200,000 with American support.
In 1953 Skorzeny went to Egypt on the recommendation of General Gehlen, former head of the intelligence service of the German army in World War II, confidant of the CIA and then head of the West German services. There he briefly assumed the duties of a military adviser. Skorzeny also trained Palestinians as commandos. One of them was Yasser Arafat. He remained an advisor to Nasser for a time.
Mossad
In 1989 it was leaked that Scorceny was recruited by the Israeli Mossad in 1963, providing information on the Egyptian missile program. Skorzeny's cooperation with the Mossad was indirectly confirmed by the former head of the agency, Isher Harel, who stated that Israel had indeed recruited German former soldiers who were active in the Arab countries.
Some sources say that Skorzeny was working for the Mossad without knowing it. Still others state that he worked in exchange for his acquittal of war crimes charges. Most likely, however, Skorzeny knew very well who he was working for.
Thanks to Skorzeny, the Israelis killed German rocket scientist Heinz Krug who was working for the Egyptians and later planted a bomb and killed five Egyptians at Factory 333 where rockets were being manufactured. At the same time, Skorzeny gave the Israelis information about the European companies that supplied the Egyptians with military material.
Skorzeny died in 1975 always maintaining the legend, being described as "the most dangerous man in Europe".