They eventually made contact with Webers family. Quentin Tarantino's 2009 war film was partly based on a real story. After training for months and mapping out the mission in minute detail, the men were ready to gobut no one wanted to fly the team. His work was to get as much information as possible from the Germans, from plans for troop displacement, to attacks, and where they stored supplies, so him and his partners could sabotage them. People named Franz Weber. A German soldier, Matull had deserted and was caught by the Allies who threw him into a POW camp. Eighty years ago, the Red Army managed to stop, contain, and ultimately defeat the largest German army on the Eastern Front. Franz Weber (actor) (1888-1962), German actor Franz Weber (footballer) (1888-? Inform us! On July 28, 1914, one month after Franz Ferdinand's death, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, beginning a chain reaction that would lead to four years of horrific conflict with millions of . The wrong tug on their chutes or a miscalculation of the pilot by mere seconds could have sent the men to their deaths. The Swiss environmentalist Franz Weber has died at the age of 91. It was a good documentary. He joined the OGs (Operational Groups), specifically Operational Group Germany. He called in air strikes, destroying dozens of them. Data gleaned from these reports helped US intelligence officers explode the myth that the Germans were concentrating men and weapons in the south for the Alpine redoubt. Despite being captured by the Gestapo and nearly tortured to death, Mayer was able to make contact with a number of local officials, including Franz Hofer, the Nazi Gauleiter(district leader) of Tyrol. Do you have more information about this person? In fact, I think I have an idea for a film. A real world spy story fit for the silver screen. They traveled by ship to North Africa. The Life Summary of Georg. While Tarantino's films have featured many strong female characters, the director's treatment of women in real life has been the subject of controversy. ADVERTISING. By wars end, OSS had 13,000 personnel in their ranks, nearly a third were women and included were some Hollywood types like John Ford, Sterling Hayden, Marlene Dietrich, Julia Child and others. A movie that climaxes with a group of Jewish soldiers shooting Hitler in the face isn't particularly concerned with historical accuracy, but "Inglourious Basterds" still draws some inspiration from real history. However, Tarantino based his film on an actual operation codenamed, Greenup. Mayer was given command of Operation Greenup charged with finding out how weapons were making it into Italy, then an Axis power. You think they're gonna be one way and then they're not at all.". Once at the bottom of the mountain, the men boarded an Innsbruck-bound train infested with Gestapo. Hotels near Franz Carl Weber Geneva: (0.04 mi) Htel de la Cigogne (0.10 mi) CitizenM Geneva Centre (0.09 mi) Bel'Esperance (0.12 mi) Htel Les Armures (0.05 mi) Hotel Longemalle; View all hotels near Franz Carl Weber Geneva on Tripadvisor. Franz Weber. The Americans will slaughter everyone who did this!. Franz Weber was born on March 24, 1888 in Haspe, Germany. They had to walk down the glacier, sometimes waist deep in snow. Rising to power in an unstable Germany, Adolf Hitler and his National Socialist (Nazi Party) rearmed the nation and signed treaties . In 1996, Franz was With robust designs and vintage classic style, discover the heritage of military timepieces today! Bingeing spy movies, let us say from Orson Welless The Third Man(1949) through Quentin Tarantinos Inglourious Basterds(2009), would be a lifetime occupation. According to The Playlist, the theatrical cut of "Inglourious Basterds" runs one minute longer than the Cannes version. Imagine a Jew helpingNazissurrender peacefully to the Allies. Nonetheless, this story has made some people uncomfortable. Franz Carl Weber is a lovely toy store spread across four large floors. DiCaprio would certainly have had fun playing the film's villain, if his performance as Calvin Candie in Tarantino's follow-up film, "Django Unchained," is anything to go by. He introduced himself as Lt. Mayer of the OSS and explained that he was going to take the major with him to accept the German surrender from Hofer. Finally, an intrepid American Air Corps pilot, Lt. John Billings, and his crew stepped forward and volunteered. Hofer got Mayer to help him arrange the surrender. It was a mission focused on intelligence gathering in the area of Innsbruck. As the company approached along the relatively featureless terrain, it came under violent MG . Does anyone out there have Quentin Tarantinos cell? A native Austrian, Weber fought on the Eastern Front but was convinced that Austria needed to be free of Hitler and the Nazis. An Olympian, six-time consecutive World Speed Skiing Champion - Franz Weber is also a former world record-holder and still holds the North American record, at 129.303 mph/208.092 kph which he set in 1983 in Silverton, Colorado. When youre a World War II hero, you can do whatever the hell you want. Hofer was looking for a way to surrender to the Americans and not the Russians and saw this as his chance. Between "Jackie Brown" in 1997 and "KillBill Vol. In an amazing turnabout, Mayer received an opportunity for revenge. In fact, it deserves nothing less than a movie. These are the untold truths of the making of "Inglourious Basterds.". But rather than doing that, why not just read the actual history of the war? 3, No. [Quentin asked], 'How did you feel when he joined the Basterds?' Operation FORTITUDE involved a group of double agents feeding disinformation to the Germans but the group was an odd collection of criminals, playboys, party girls, and a woman obsessed with her dog. The OG group shared a unique bond. September 1734 in Zell im Wiesental; 16. Bursting through the door and into the room, a dozen Gestapo agents, armed with MP-40 machine pistols, quickly surrounded and apprehended Mayer. Birth of Franz Weber. Claiming to be on the run from the advancing Soviets, he got a job at the facility. Modifying the papers so that Mayers picture appeared on it, he moved into her hospital to recover.. An Olympian, six-time consecutive World Speed Skiing Champion and former world record-holder, Franz Weber still holds the North American record, at 129.303 mph/208.092 kph which he set in 1983 in Silverton, Colorado. Each of them spoke at least two European languages, with Mayer speaking German, French, and Spanish. Their mission was to infiltrate the area around Innsbruck, Austria and monitor the reports of the Nazis stockpiling arms and ammunition there, the Alpine Redoubt. 945 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA 70130 Operation Greif was a special false flag operation commanded by Waffen SS commando, SS Obersturmbannfhrer, Otto Skorzeny during the Battle of the Bulge, Skorzeny died age 67, on 05-07-1975, The . However, this historical episode is not the only one. His books that capture Mayers story are They Dared Return and The Brenner Assignment. He dominated the sport of speed skiing from 1980 to 1985, winning over eighty percent of the races he entered. Mollis, Glarus, Canton of Glarus, Switzerland. Exhausted, they finally sledded their way down, something Mayer later claimed was the scariest part of the mission. We invite you to share some of Franz Webers career. Sally Menke edited every one of QuentinTarantino's movies from "Reservoir Dogs" in 1992 all the way up until "Inglourious Basterds" in 2009. Now, a new History Channel film, The Real Inglorious Bastards, returns to the true story chronicled in the book and captures Mayers amazing exploits in historically accurate detail. It's aged well, winning IndieWire's critics' poll for the best Tarantino movie a decade after its release. Operation Greenup: Frederick Mayer and Hans Wynberg were Jewish refugees of Nazi Germany and Holland respectively. Sandler, meanwhile, could have been a scene stealer in the memorably violent role of Donowitz, but he had scheduling conflicts with the filming of the Judd Apatow comedy "Funny People." The team found a German POW named Franz Weber. It was nominated for eight Academy Awards including Best Picture, and won Best Supporting Actor for Christoph Waltz, who played the villain Hans Landa. The Basel activist was responsible for over 150 campaigns but is best known for his defence of the alpine landscape, in particular . Mayer saved the lives of perhaps thousands of troops on both sides by arranging the surrender of the German troops in Austria. He volunteered for the US Army but was denied service because he was considered an enemy alien. OSS immediately saw his potential and recruited him into their ranks. I do not want them to think that they are getting a glimpse of who you are really going to be.'" Webers sister was a nurse who helped Mayer disguise himself as a German officer in uniform and bandaged up from a head wound. The 'Good War' Myth of World War Two. Despite the agents bullish strength, the SS men brutally manhandled him, shoving him to the floor. Or are you interested in war medals and their recipients? Hofer could see the end coming and had little desire to be tried as a war criminal. After completing their training in Allied territories, the three soldiers were dropped off in Tirol on February 26, 1945. The Methodology of the Social Sciences (Max Weber) Give Me Liberty! A native Austrian, Weber fought on the Eastern Front but was convinced that Austria needed to be free of Hitler and the Nazis. He has written eight books, including his most recent (insrt embedded link to Amazon) Dog Company: The Boys of Pointe du Hoc: Rangers Who Accomplished D-Days Toughest Mission and Led the Way Across Europe. Matull immediately went into a story that Mayer was a VIP in the American Army and if he was shot that the Americans would be looking to try whoever ordered that as a war criminal. His captors, including Franz Hofer, the governor of the Alpine Redoubt and an immensely powerful man within Hitlers inner Circle, faced war crimes prosecution. There are a few different reasons people have speculated on. Privacy statement, cookies, disclaimer and copyright, On a journey of discovery to historical sites? Do you have more information about this person? A former German commando and officer, Weber had fought on the Eastern Front but now was convinced that it was his duty to defeat the Third Reich for the sake of his country, Austria. The interrogation was watched by a third man, who eventually took Mayer to the house of Franz Hofer, the local Gauleiter [Nazi Party boss]. This button displays the currently selected search type. Dulles cabled OSS HQs in Italy, Fred Mayer reports he is in Gestapo hands but cabled Dont worry about me, Im really not bad off a remarkable message considering that it was coming from a Jew. Hofer was later judged in absentia and sentenced to death in Austria in 1949. He then worked for Mayer till the Gestapo caught him. For his bravery, Mayer received the Legion of Merit and a Purple Heart. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Nationality: German (1933-1945, Third Reich) Biography. In scene straight from Inglourious Basterds, Mayer sat at the bar with a bandage on his head, swilled beer, and listened to the stories of other recovering German officers.