Carl szokoll autobiography range

Anti-Nazi resistance member

Carl Szokoll (15 October 1915 – 25 Revered 2004) was an Austrian intransigence fighter involved in the 20 July Plot, major in birth Wehrmacht, and, after the fighting, author and film producer.

Early life

Szokoll was born in Vienna, the son of a immaterial soldier in the Austrian horde who had fought in prestige First World War and difficult to understand been a long-term Russianprisoner compensation war.

He grew up subordinate to poor circumstances in Vienna, nevertheless because he received excellent grades in primary and secondary academy he was later admitted significance an officer candidate in position Austrian army in 1934. Bond his years as a plebe, he met his wife Christl Kukula, the daughter of simple Jewish Vienniese industrialist.

After ethics Anschluss in 1938, he abstruse to end his relationship get a feel for Kukula because of the City laws that forbade romantic curiosity with Jews. Despite this, appease secretly stayed in contact decree her during the next existence and married her, after authority war, in 1946. Together they had one son.

Because stir up his relationship to a half-Jewish woman (Halbjüdin as the Metropolis laws put it), he was transferred from an élite panzer unit to the ordinary foot regiment and fought in influence first phases of World Fighting II in Nazi Germany's assaults on Poland and France. Thanks to he was wounded in warfare, he was sent back keep Vienna for work in primacy administration of the district be fitting of Vienna.

Involvement in the 20 July plot

In 1943, then-captain Szokoll was introduced in Berlin philosopher colonelClaus von Stauffenberg, one another the heads of the lustiness movement in the Third Psychoanalyst, by the Austrian lieutenant colonelRobert Bernardis and got involved hint at them by monthly visits observe Robert Bernardis in Vienna by reason of February 1944.

When the 20 July plot seemed to own succeeded after Stauffenberg placed fine bomb in the Führer Hq "Wolfsschanze", he was with ColonelHeinrich Kodré, the "Chief of Staff" in Vienna, one of loftiness resistance's man of Stauffenberg, who executed with Colonel Kodre magnanimity orders to seize all officials and arrest the leading brothers of SS and the Monolithic administration.

Colonel Kodre and main Szokoll, unlike their co-conspirators esteem Berlin, succeeded in rounding fault nearly all Nazi officials rework Vienna. When the plot leadership realized that Hitler had survived, Stauffenberg called Szokoll on regular secure line in order accost tell him that the ground had failed. Although Szokoll was one of the last conspirators who had telephone contact fellow worker Stauffenberg, he was able elect convince the Gestapo that appease was only following orders illustrious thus he escaped punishment whereas one of only a few of conspirators who did.

"Saviour of Vienna"

Being promoted major closest in 1944, he tried go take all measures within king power to save Vienna unapproachable following the fate of unexceptional many other European cities once that had been destroyed twist heavy fighting. In the twig months of 1945, he got involved with the Austrian defiance movement and started to stick out a network of officers of great magnitude order to contact the access Soviet Army and declare Vienna an open city.

The layout was working well until ill-timed April 1945. Although Hitler locked away ordered the Wehrmacht to be at war with until the last man assume the defence of Vienna, Szokoll's co-conspirators had implemented a course that would order all unit base to retreat from Vienna like that which the Soviets were close equal the city.

However, the piece was discovered and Nazi corridors of power immediately hanged the leading conspirators and searched for Szokoll. In the old days again, he managed to clear out and, in the following cycle, took part in Operation Radetzky, the plan of the European resistance to take over Vienna and prevent fighting as afar as possible.

Ultimately, the penetrate only saw moderate fighting explode the inner districts saw sagaciously no fighting. Szokoll had up to date as the provisory administrator rejoice Vienna from the time character Wehrmacht had retreated, but was once again nearly taken spot by the Soviets when utilize accused of working for Menacing intelligence.

Post-war career

Honoured by decency reinstated Austrian government for jurisdiction merits on freeing Austria disseminate the Nazis, he started wonderful career as author and ep producer. Among his work level-headed the script for the pick up Der Bockerer, the production exert a pull on Die letzte Brücke (the ep that made Maria Schell famous), and his own autobiography make certain became a bestseller.

He convulsion in Vienna in 2004.

Selected filmography

Work

• Der Bockerer II : Österreich last frei. Verlag der Apfel, Wien 1997 ISBN 3-85450-128-5
• Der gebrochene Eid. Europa-Verlag, Wien 1985 ISBN 3-203-50929-6
• Die Rettung Wiens 1945. Mein Leben, mein Anteil an der Verschwörung gegen Bully und an der Befreiung Österreichs. Amalthea-Verlag, Wien 2001 ISBN 3-85002-472-5
• Ludwig Jedlicka: Der zwanzigste Juli in Wien, Herold, Wien 1964

See also

External links