IndieWire reported that Tarantino wanted the movie edited on a much tighter schedule that his previous productions, both as a reaction to spending too much time "overfiddling" with "Death Proof" and so the film would be ready to screen at Cannes. Thinking he wanted revenge, the Americans later brought Mayer to a cell. But he wasnt so honored. In an interview, Mr. Mayer stated that he had a good combination of hatred and love: a hatred of the Nazis and a love for America. His father fought valiantly in World War I, and Mayer had seen his family forced from their homeland by an evil regime that later murdered 6 million European Jews in the Holocaust. And 15 Other Iconic Lines From Tarantino's FilmsThe Real-Life Django Who Rebelled Against Slavery And No One Talks About Enough10 Lessons We Learned From The Bad-Ass Women In Tarantino's Universe. When he is not skiing, Weber's schedule is filled with promotional and personal appearances for sponsors, celebrity sports events, speaking engagements and charity events. Website zuerich@fcw.ch +41 44 225 78 78 Google Maps Public transport. Both programmetitles are somewhat misleading, since the members of Operation Greenup were tasked withgathering intelligence rather than directly killing Nazis, and the only connection with the filmInglorious Basterds is that they were American Jews operating behind enemy lines. Learn More. As reported in The New York Times, Tarantino had intended his follow-up to "Jackie Brown" to be a World War II epic then titled "Inglorious Bastards" (with proper spelling). But rather than doing that, why not just read the actual history of the war? That didnt stop the intrepid OGs. He found and recruited deserter-volunteer, Franz Weber. Working alongside Mr Mayer were Hans Wynberg, a Dutch-born Jew whose family had been deported to Auschwitz, and Franz Weber, an Austrian officer whose patriotism had led him to defect from the . There are a few different reasons people have speculated on. Greenup also discovered Hitlers location, as well as that of Mussolini. Historical records matching Franz Weber Franz Weber in GenealogieOnline Family Tree Index view all Immediate Family. Once in place, Mayer posed as a German . So convincing was his performance that the agent turned away from the team and started checking the papers of the other passengers. A blooper reel included on the "Inglourious Basterds" DVD and Blu-ray releases showcases one of the ways Tarantino and his actors made sure to keep their hard-working editor in high spirits: whenever they knew a shot had to be cut, someone would interrupt it to say "Hello, Sally!" Like many other Germans by the end of the war, Hofer was looking for a safeguard with the Allies to secure his own freedom. They didn't end up killing Hitler, but they were able to negotiate the . His mother, however, demanded that the family flee to the U.S. Young Fitz (Mayers nickname) was captivated by cowboy stories of the American West, and so looked forward to the journey. Franz did Research in the Field of Nephrology and Hypertension. A rare piece! He was arrested by the American army three days after his surrender and was kept a prisoner until 1948, when he was set free. One of the most popular genres of WWII literature is espionage, the spy novel, the thriller. Books abound on the topic, dealing with undercover operatives, double agents, and breathless derring-do. They said if we were in there another 15 seconds, the stage we were on would have collapsed and we all would have been killed." According to The Playlist, the theatrical cut of "Inglourious Basterds" runs one minute longer than the Cannes version. Waffen-SS Armband. The Germans,wanting to surrender to the Americans passed it on. See Photos. He found and recruited deserter-volunteer, Franz Weber. Jason Dawsey, PhD, is a Research Historian at the Jenny Craig Institute for the Study of War and Democracy. The Germans had captured another American agent named Hermann Matull. Later, West learned that Mayer was a sergeant. So I was trying to keep taming it, and I couldn't My idea at the time, because it was just so big and so unwieldy, was to do it as a miniseries, and that really was what I was planning on doing." Matull insisted that only someone as important as Franz Hofer (the local administrator) could get away with interrogating Mayer. In the nomination was written, In constant danger of his life, he exhibited almost unbelievable courage, resourcefulness and enterprise. Mayer received the Legion of Merit and the purple heart, among a number of other awards. A German soldier, Matull had deserted and was caught by the Allies who threw him into a POW camp. As the troops approached the city, they saw a car with a large white bed sheet attached to a pole racing toward them. All three landed safely with most of their equipment, but the canister containing their skis was lost. Show Location on Map. Mollis,Glarus,,Switzerland . The Germans even broke his teeth with a powerful haymaker punch while stuffing a pistol in his mouth. ADVERTISING. TracesOfWar.com tells you more! It was difficult to find a suitable drop point, as the obvious places were all occupied by the enemy. They therefore had to walk in deep snowto Oberperfuss, Webers home village. People named Franz Weber. Log In. This is a horrible place where the Nazis tortured and killed members of the Belgium resistance. After reaching a small town outside Innsbruck, the Greenup team set up camp. The Swiss environmentalist Franz Weber has died at the age of 91. In fact, I think I have an idea for a film. There was also Franz Weber a Catholic Austrian Wehrmacht officer and POW, who felt loyal to Austria, not to Nazi Germany. He penetrated a secret underground factory producing jet engines for the Third Reich. The story of Operational Greenup deserves greater attention than it has received. Inside was the officer responsible for his interrogation., Do what you want with me, the man pleaded. Being Jewish, the senior Mayers status couldnt protect them, so the family emigrated to the US in 1938. Any intel they can glean here will give the Allies hints about how the German Army intends to fight in the wars endgame, whether it will try to circle the wagons in some sort of Allied redoubt for a last-ditch fight. In 2005, he and five others were honored by Austrian Chancellor Dr. Wolfgang Schssel for their athletic achievements and economic contributions to Austria. The campaign in North Africa began with a daring Anglo-American commando raid code-named Operation RESERVIST. 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." Hans Wynberg, a Dutch-born Jew whose family was sent to Auschwitz, and Franz Weber, an Austrian officer who had defected from the German army, worked with Mayer. Mayer became an Army Ranger and went on to join the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) the precursor of todays CIA. But America desperately needed to beef up its military, so they let him join the 81st Infantry Division the following year. He can see the reality of Hitlers plans, which, as Weber puts it, aims to transform the continent into Concentration Camp Europe. Weber deserts to the Allies, makes contact with the OSS, and agrees to join the team. It was a mission focused on intelligence gathering in the area of Innsbruck. Will King Charles IIIs Reign See the End of the Commonwealth. He died on August 10, 1962 in West Berlin, West Germany. Franz Weber was born on March 24, 1888 in Haspe, Germany. In fact, Mayer was taken to Hofers home, met Hofers wife, and ate with them. Log in or sign up for Facebook to connect with friends, family and people you know. Despite being intensely tortured, Mayer never mentioned this to his partners. Hiseyes grew wide, Youre all as good as dead! he gasped, shaking his head in disbelief. Beck's name is among the more than 72,000 Americans from World War II listed as unaccounted for by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. On May 7, an invitation-only screening of the film will open the GI Film Festival with a Congressional Reception at the U.S. Capitol Building to honor the veterans of the mission, including Mayer. The OGs were the Special Forces of WWII, theyd support resistance groups and train for guerrilla warfare. Go to the front lines of World War II in this war documentary, chronicling a group of Jewish agents for the American OSS who infiltrated Nazi territories, many of them German Jews returning to avenge Hitler's sinister acts. 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. Hofer was later judged in absentia and sentenced to death in Austria in 1949. (371) 7.4 52min 2012 13+. Imagine a Jew helpingNazissurrender peacefully to the Allies. Between "Jackie Brown" in 1997 and "KillBill Vol. Deutsches Kreuz in Gold . Nearly all the sections missions to this point had been abysmal failures, leading to the death or capture of the OSS agents, and several agents ended up in Germanys most infamous concentration camps. He made the deadline, but the film ultimately got re-edited with minor adjustments between the premiere and the wide release. In 1996, Franz was In an amazing turnabout, Mayer received an opportunity for revenge. Friedrich Fred Mayers father was a decorated war veteran for his distinguished service to the German Empire in WWI. In the dead of winter, 1945, German-born Fred Mayer, Dutch-born Hans Wijnberg and former Wehrmacht officer Franz Weber parachuted into the Austrian Alps. Or are you interested in war medals and their recipients? He was shown a picture of Mayer and was asked if he knew him. Zrich Airport. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING VETERAN JOURNALISM - JOIN SOFREP+ , Last week we posted a story on the OSS (Office of Strategic Services) and how after 73 years they were finally recognized as a group and were honored with a Congressional Gold Medal. 2" caused serious injuries to Uma Thurman (Thurman has forgiven Tarantino). The trio had supplies packages dropped with them, but unfortunately were unable to locate the packet containing their skis. Around the beginning of October 1944, the 8./Jger Regiment 28 received the order to recapture the Hill 1587 (which had recently been taken by the Soviets) in order to reopen the Rodna Pass Road, an important German supply route. info@nationalww2museum.org Top. They traveled by ship to North Africa. They teamed up with Franz Weber a Germany army officer that became a "deserter-volunteer" OSS agent. Join SOFREP for insider access and analysis. U.S. Military. During World War II, he led one of the greatest missions of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Early on May 3, 1945, the American 103rd Infantry Division of the Seventh Army was ordered to take Innsbruck. 8001 Zrich. 504-528-1944. The head of SI was a LT. Alfred Ulmer. Do you have more information about this person? The team needed somebody with local knowledge,and Franz Weber, ananti-Nazilocal who haddeserted from the German Army to the Allies, volunteered to join it. Busting the Myth Behind Moctezumas Headdress; Did It Really Belong Him? Without making specific promises, he offered salvation. Thanks to their intelligence, the Allies were able to bomb over 25 supply trains trying to get into Italy. In 2014, when President Obama had awarded several Medals of Honor to individuals who werent awarded them at the time due to racism or other reasons, was given the name of Mayer by WV Senator Jay Rockefeller. Wijnberg and Weber had to flee, whilst Mayer was tortured by the Gestapo. A secondary mission was to monitor all of the rail traffic from Innsbruck traveling thru the Brenner Pass into Italy. Here is the short version: two Jewish refugees to the United States, living in Brooklyn (Frederick Mayer, 23, and Hans Wijnberg, 22) enlist in the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the forerunner of the postwar CIA, and parachute deep behind German lines into the Austrian province of Tyrol in February 1945. Finally, an intrepid American Air Corps pilot, Lt. John Billings, and his crew stepped forward and volunteered. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. 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. World War II was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. The team needed somebody with local knowledge, and Franz Weber, an anti-Nazi local who had deserted from the German Army to the Allies, volunteered to join it. He was finally arrested when a black marketeer was caught by Nazi authorities and fingered Mayer as a spy. The initial casting plans for "Inglourious Basterds" almost included two big name stars whose presence would have certainly resulted in a very different experience: Leonardo DiCaprio was in talks for the role of Hans Landa, and Adam Sandler was almost going to play "The Bear Jew," Sgt. In the dark room, the Gestapo officers slapped and punched the spy in the face. September 1734 in Zell im Wiesental; 16. Theyd be sent into Nazi-occupied Europe and they knew what awaited them there as most were Jewish. Moscow Should Prepare For Probable US Nuclear Aggression: Reports Russian Military Journal, Destroying American Monster Abrams: Pro-Russian Group Release A How-To Video, Dr. Mary E. Walker: The First AND Only Female Medal Of Honor Recipient, Bakhmut on the Brink of Falling to Russian Troops, Decorated Navy SEAL Died in HALO Training Accident, Adam Brown: A SEALs Life of Courage and Redemption, Complete List: Ticonderoga-class Missile Cruisers To Retire By 2027, Nuclear Close Calls That Nearly Caused World War III, Russian Sausage Millionaire and Putin Critic Falls to His Death in India, Deadly Russian Rifle Brigade Wiped Out During War in Ukraine. Though it turned out to be a myth created by fanatical Nazis, the Allies couldnt have known that at the time. October 28th, 1944. See Photos. Franz Weber. view all Franz Weber's Timeline. However, Inglorious Basterds highlights the work of one group specifically: "Operation Greenup, a real American battalion in charge of a similar mission. Nationality: German (1933-1945, Third Reich) Biography. After tramping through chest-deep snow, the men literally sledded down the side of the glacier in a Santa Claus-like sleigh. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. So how did the title of Tarantino's WWII revenge flick go from "Inglorious Bastards" to "Inglourious Basterds"? When US troops approached Innsbruck he met them and informed them that the city was willing to surrender. It could be a way to distinguish the film from Enzo G. Castellari's 1979 film "The Inglorious Bastards," which Tarantino's film is loosely inspired by but is decidedly not a remake of. It brought profound and permanent social, governmental and cultural changes in the United States, and has had a great impact on how Americans regard themselves and . He had Mayer brought to him. TracesOfWar.com tells you more! The other objective was to identify rail traffic travelling from Innsbruck to Italy through the Brenner Pass. Channel 5 in the UK broadcast a documentary called The Nazi Killers on Friday 22 November. Mayer donned Webers old uniform and took on the cover story of a recovering German officer at the local hospital where Webers sister was a nurse. M7/99 Franz Weinrank, Wien M7/100 Franz Pils & Sobn, Wien M7/101 Fritz Weber, Wien M7/102 Franz Pils & Sohn, Steinbach am St. M7/103 Josef Hack, Steyr M7/104 Ludwig Zeitler, Wien M7/105 Rudolf Wurzer, St. Christophen M7/106 Georg Kerschbaumer, Steinbach an der Steyr M7/108 Karl Oschmann & Co., Brotterode i. Th. Franz Weber. Tom Moon, author of This Grim and Savage Game: OSS and the Beginning of U.S. Covert Operations in World War II, wrote, The Germany Army in that area had in effect surrendered to an OSS Jewish Sergeant.. 2023 The SOFREP Media Group. 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. Genealogy for Franz Weber (1616 - 1698) family tree on Geni, with over 230 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. Representing a variety of world class athletes, the company specializes in client hospitality and luxury adventure travel notably . A masterpiece like "Inglourious Basterds" takes a lot of work to get right. 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. Their little band soon adds a third member: Franz Weber, a Wehrmacht lieutenant who has belatedly come to his senses about the murderous nature of Adolf Hitler's war. Hofer was looking for a way to surrender to the Americans and not the Russians and saw this as his chance. 1 was here. The Gestapo agent that had mercilessly beaten him was taken to the very cell where he had tortured Mayer. Tarantino worked on the script for years, made tough decisions in casting the film, and took time to get the final cut just right. The team found a German POW named Franz Weber. Over 40.000 pages on the officers, the boats, technology and the Allied efforts to counter the U-boat threat. Do you have more information about this person? During these discussions, it was agreed that the Germans under Hofer should surrender to Mayer, as the representative of the US military. With the cash, the group purchased train tickets to an OSS spy base in Algiers. Mayer, who is Jewish, and his family fled Germany at the onset of the war, barely escaping the holocaust. Looking for reliable information or news facts about WW2?