After the war were the instances of German soldiers/SS forming crime syndicates/Hired Muscle etc etc. You hear things now about Ex KGB officers working in the Russian Mafia, Ex SAS working as security for very wealthy clients. Or perhaps one of the Classics is the Hells Angles MC, started by Ex-US airman. Or where there former Gestapo members who found work with the Soviets/Americans or high ranking German generals that found work within the inner circles of the American/British/French Military.
Quite a few of the Whermact officers where approched by the allies to see if they where willing to join the new German army.
I'm not sure of the total number, but quite a few SS ended up fighting in the French Foreign Legion, some were even in Vietnam when the French left. The Gehlen organization was an embarrasment the American espionage system set up, turned out it wasn't all that effective since while it was supposed to be spying on the Communists, it was saturated with double-agents. Of course we all know about the German scientists in rocketry, submarine, and jet engine development which the western and eastern allies took advantage of. And as mentioned, any number of former Luftwaffe officers ended up in the new German Air forces, Galland was one I know of for sure. I believe that Kurt Tank ended up designing a jet for one of the South American nations, Brazil I believe. Argentina ended up with a number of the higher-up Nazis hiding there while Peron was in power, Skorzeny for one. So I guess the answer is yes, in a number of instances many of them did. Embarrassingly we also sheltered the General in charge of Japan's Unit 701 (Ishi ?), and a number of his underlings from war crimes trials. We (America) were using his data and "expertise" in the development of chemical and biological weapons.
And the new Luftwaffe too. Im not sure what the reason for original post is about or going though LOL.
The Hell's Angels did not begin as a criminal syndicate. It only became "criminalized" after Sonny Barger took control in the mid '60s. It is often referred to, in the early days, as an "outlaw motor cycle club" because it did not follow the guidelines set out by the American Motorcycle Association. There is a rumor that the 3rd & 6th SF groups consisted of mostly German expats as reflected in their beret flashes. The assistant principal, in highschool, told me that when he went through SF training in the early '60s almost all of the instructors had thick German accents.
There was a period after WW II where the minority of Foreign Legion Officers were French and it took pressure from the higher-ups to insist that French was to be spoken because the preponderance of orders etc were issued in German. While in Marseille,waiting to got to the PTO(thank God we went back to Austria), many of the Legionnaires we met were speaking German and joking that now we were on the same side. Most of the time they stayed in the Vieux Carre(Old Quarter) away from the average resident of Marseille to avoid confrontations. Sgtleo
Then there was the Paladin Group founded by Skorzeny. IIRC he also was a consultant for Nasser in Egypt and Peron in Argentina. There were rumors I think that Alois Brunner was working for the Syrian government too. Paladin Group - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Im not sure if this is the right place to post this but I will as there is other posts regarding the Foreign Legion. I cannot verify this story but maybe you have read this account and can state the source. I remember a story I read ,heard, or saw on a doco about an SS concentration camp guard (sargeant I think) and a jewish young man. This SS guard had shot the jewish boys mother and sister at a concentration camp during the war and after wars end joined the French Foreign legion. The young man tracked this guard and also joined the Legion and followed the guard to Indo China.(dont ask me how he found him) and during the siege at Dien Bien Phu he confronted the guard and shot him. The Jew was subsequently court marshalled and shot? As I say I can't verify and am unsure if this is fact or a Foreign Legion urban myth. Any one with any help would be appreciated.
Quite a few ex-Wehrmacht had joined the US Armed Services. My ex-roomate Sarge Bill, said his Drill Instructor upon entering the Army-was an officer in the Germany Army in WWII. Bills first Company Sergeant, was also a former German Officer. Bedo-the man who gave me his Frozen Meat Medal) had been an Artillery Officer who served the entire combat time-on the Eastern Front from beginning to capitualtion. I read a book year ago (can't remember its title?) that was about Mercenaries and showed a few pics taken in Rhodesia (SP?) and before the Whites were kicked out) that showed some pics taken at a Rhodesian Merc training camp. The two pics showing easily idable stuff which obviously had more than just German "influence" in their makings-were two signes. One sign had the German Para Badge insignia-minus the Swaz of course. The other was a variation fo the German Panzer and Infantry Assault Badges.
Maybe the most famous "notorious"? German ex. Wehrmacht officer -cadett, born 1920 was Kongo Mueller. alias: "The smiling Major" View attachment 6618 View attachment 6620 Regards Kruska
Not sure if it's entirely relevant to the original question, but as far as 'post war' activities of the German Army where concerned there was the "Werwolf" units. Made up of ex SS and Hitler Youth elements who are reported to have remained active in a kind of 'partisan' role as late as 1947. The effectiveness of such units is part fact, part myth. But their existence was very real. It's rumored that the Werwolf units, also referred to as Wehrwolf (derived from Wehrmacht) where conceived by the Nazi Government to continue the fight after the fall of the 'Third Reich'. But, this is highly unlikely considering Hitler and the top Party members never believed Germany would be defeated.
this is very interesting information guys, hey krusta its funny how Kongo Mueller is still wearing his iron cross......he must be very proud of it. do you have a link, with more info on him - why was he "notorious"
