The Brenner Pass (German: Brennerpass [ˈbʁɛnɐpas], shortly Brenner; Italian: Passo del Brennero [ˈpasso del ˈbrɛnnero]) is a mountain pass through the Alps which forms the border between Italy and Austria. CIA or go to a U.S. Embassy or Consulate and ask for the information to be passed to a By war's end it was part of VI Corps' dash across Bavaria into the Alps, reaching Innsbruck, Austria, taking the Brenner Pass, and earning the honor of linking up with the U.S. There, he learned hand-to-hand combat, sabotage techniques, demolitions, and guerrilla warfare tactics. They were dropped at Monte Pala in the foothills of the Alps of northern Italy. We reply first to messages of greater interest Steve hid out with a local priest while the warden promised to get help. A much publicized meeting between right-wing dictators, Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, took place this week in the war, on Monday 18 March. During World War II, Hitler and Mussolini held three meetings there. It should be possible for him to blow out the Drava River roads within another 10 days. The Brenner Assignment: The Untold Story of the Most Daring Spy Mission of World War II - Kindle edition by O'Donnell, Patrick K.. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. He hoped to lie low until the end of the war. Our open-source library houses the thousands of documents, periodicals, maps and reports released to the public. If you know of an imminent threat to a location inside the U.S., immediately contact news, press releases, information and more. As a young man, Steve attended Phillips Academy Andover. This man, if he was a good rock and snow climber, and skier, would have no trouble in moving about the valley unnoticed even in the daytime. Search WW2DB & Partner Sites. [6] The 12th-century Brenner Pass was a trackway for mule trains and carts. Steve was a prolific letter writer, never short for words. We do not routinely respond to questions for which answers are found within this Web site. The pass became the border between Italy and Austria after World War I. the information via one of the above methods. Recruiting will contact applicants within 45 days if their qualifications meet our needs. Fighter bombers dropping general purpose bombs and the bombers dropping 20 pound fragmentation bombs and twisted pieces of tin foil called Chaff or Window (to confuse the radar) were tried. The warden instead turned him over to the Fascist police. 18 Mar 1938 Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini met at the Brenner Pass on the Italian-Austrian border; Mussolini agreed to enter a war on the side of Germany at an opportune moment. In the dark of the night, Steve and his team crept toward a bridge north of Tolmezzo, Italy. During the war, the Brenner Pass was of vital importance to the Axis powers as a supply route to the Mediterranean. One was sentenced to life imprisonment and three were hanged. His idea caught the attention of the Special Operations (SO) branch of the OSS, which was responsible for sabotage, guerrilla warfare, and other subversive activities. During World War II, Hitler and Mussolini held three meetings there. A long carriage road was built c.1772, and the railroad was completed in 1867. [5] Since the 12th century, the Brenner Pass was controlled by the Counts of Tyrol within the Holy Roman Empire. The bridge was so deep in enemy territory that it was unguarded. Jahrhunderts" by Max Spindler, Christoph Bauer, Andreas Kraus, 3rd edition; publisher: C.H. After the signing of the Schengen Agreement in 1992 and Austria's subsequent entry into the European Union in 1995, customs and immigration posts at the Brenner Pass were removed in 1997. Perhaps he would have to perch on the peak of Antelao nibbling concentrated chocolate until German capitulation. Even if he was a European, he would encounter official questioning at every turn now, with danger of exposure each time. We read every letter, fax, or e-mail we receive, and we will convey your comments to CIA officials outside OPA as appropriate. Here are my qualifications: Cordially yours, R.S.G. His time there did not last long. This co-ordinated attack centered on the Verona-Innsbruck or Brenner pass rail line and was carried out by 57 Bomb Wing and 22 Tactical Air Command of the 12 Air Force and the 15 Air Force. Seventh Army of the 6th Army Group during World War II. These obstacles could, of course, be overcome one way or another; but here is my suggestion, based on the premise that the sabotage is more important in the near future than political organization: Drop a man by parachute on the open country between Pocol and the Falzarego Pass and drop enough Army "Mountain Rations" and personal equipment to sustain him indefinitely in the peaks, if necessary. Steve’s eagerness to learn and take on new projects served him well. Because he was in uniform, his murder was a direct violation of the Geneva Convention on prisoners of war. The most up-to-date CIA news, press releases, information and more. U.S. official. How good are your survival skills? Expert rifle and pistol shot since 1930—Nat'l Rifle Association and Army. We go to great lengths to keep these channels secure, but any communication via the internet poses some risk. We will work to protect all information you If not, I’ll be saying goodbye and thanks for giving me life. The letters also helped in the prosecution of Steve's killers. Description. It is a site where bungee-jumping from the bridge has become a popular tourist attraction. Of course, the problem of how he would get out and save his own skin is all a matter of chance and circumstance. Today the Brenner Highway, constructed in the early 1970s, is one of the major roads between Austria and Italy. to us and to those with more detail. Verification Office, Roderick Stephen Hall: The Saboteur of Brenner Pass. Modernisation of the Brenner Pass started in 1777, when a carriage road was laid out at the behest of Empress Maria Theresa. He was never allowed to examine the body. This photograph is part of the collection entitled: World War Two Collection and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the 12th Armored Division Memorial Museum . 1943 World War II Italian End of Brenner Pass Original News Service Photo. Roderick "Steve" Hall Letters - Documentary History of an Alpine Tragedy during the last convulsions of World War II, A Look Back…The Office of Strategic Services: Operation RYPE, The CIA Museum … Artifacts: Fairbairn-Sykes OSS Stiletto, A Look Back … The Office of Strategic Services: Training in the Forest, The Office of Strategic Services: The Forerunner of Today’s CIA, Employment They are an invaluable and priceless testament to Steve's heroism and dedication to the country he loved. Please check our site map, search feature, or our site navigation on the left professional. Steve was turned over to German S.S. guards at the Bolzana concentration camp, tortured for two weeks, and then hung from the steam pipe in the torture room on February 20, 1945. Military historian Patrick O'Donnell recounts the undercover mission of American spies to cut off the Nazi supply route known as the Brenner Pass during World War II. The Europabrücke (Europe Bridge), located roughly halfway between Innsbruck and the Brenner Pass, is a large concrete bridge carrying the six-lane Brenner Autobahn over the valley of Sill River (Wipptal). Steve was sent back to Algiers for a crash course in parachuting. Discover the CIA history, mission, vision and values. [At the Brenner Pass] One of 15 photographs in the series: Lester Stricoff Collection available on this site. Poignantly, he also wrote moving, thoughtful, sometimes even funny letters to his family, chronicling his mission, his thoughts, and his fears. The By postal mail: Central Intelligence Agency Office of Public Affairs Washington, D.C. 20505, Contact the Office of Privacy and Civil Liberties, Contact the Employment Verification Office. Learn more about Career Opportunities at CIA. Drop TNT and a tool kit. It has a population of 400 to 600 (as of 2011[update]). In the carolingian Divisio Regnorum of 806 the Brenner region is called per alpes Noricas, the transit through the Noric Alps. At a height of 180 metres (590 feet) and span of 820 metres (2,690 feet), the bridge was celebrated as a masterpiece of engineering upon its completion in 1963. When the Soviet-German part of World War II broke out, there were about 17,000 Jews in Tarnopol. The story of Office of Strategic Services officer Roderick Stephen Hall and the Brenner Pass assignment is one of the most amazing and inspiring stories. daily. The fighting soon devolved into trench warfare in the northeast and alpine combat in the north. Steve’s plan was to cut off access to the smaller mountain roads that led to the Brenner Pass. The pass became the border between Italy and Austria after World War I. On March 18th 1940 Hitler met the Italian leader Mussolini in his railway carriage in the Brenner Pass, high in the Alps, close to the border between the two countries. Anti-flak operations became standard practice by the 57th. Thereafter he could work on whatever opportunities presented themselves. Physically: somewhat above average endurance; accustomed to living in the open under all conditions; no major operations, illnesses or frailties; 28 years of age. In the six-month period preceding the cessation of hostilities on 2 May 1945, the Air Forces carried out a powerful attack on the enemy's lines of communication. He had crossed a high mountain pass on a mission, almost starved to death, and found his way to sanctuary in a tiny village near the forest of Todesch di Vallada, where he attempted to heal his feet by soaking them in a vat of grease. Your talent. It took the "eastern" route through the Puster Valley and descended into Veldidena (modern-day Wilten), where it crossed the Inn and into Zirl and arrived at Augsburg via Füssen. The first causality of the snows were Steve’s feet: both were practically frozen solid. The Brenner Pass, however, was not the first trans-Alpine Roman road to become regularised under the Roman Empire. The German’s attempted to cover-up his murder by making it look like a suicide. He impressed his superiors and quickly rose to the rank of second lieutenant. During his travels, he became an avid outdoorsman. The Brenner Assignment: The Untold Story of the Most Daring Spy Mission of World War II - Ebook written by Patrick K. O'Donnell. After graduation, Steve was sent to North Africa to work as a demolitions instructor. The farm of a certain Prennerius is mentioned in documents in 1288, a certain Chunradus Prenner de Mittenwalde is mentioned in 1299. Third Party: Have someone you trust travel to a less restrictive environment and deliver The Germans overran the city on July 2, 1941. Our mission. We are lucky to have these letters as part of America's historical legacy. “But hell knows if we’ll ever get this mission through…. It became the first trans-Alpine railway without a major tunnel and at high altitude (crossing the Brenner Pass at 1,371 m). [1] Prenner was originally the name of a nearby farm, which itself was named after its former owner. [10], View between the top of the pass and the village of, Brenner Pass lies along the border of Austria and Italy, "Geschichte Schwabens bis zum Ausgang des 18. Prepublication Classification Review Board, Freedom of Information Act Electronic Reading Room, Steve was turned over to German S.S. guards at the Bolzana concentration camp, tortured for two weeks, and then hung from the. You'll also find written testimonies by witnesses and fellow officers that were used to convict Steve's Nazi killers during the American Military Commission trials Italy. The pass belonged to a part of the ratlines for some Nazis after the German surrender in 1945 Our response will occur via a secure method. I’ve made mistakes and haven’t got very far as standards usually go, but no one can say I haven’t done a lot of things with that life, or enjoyed it.” ~ Captain Steve Hall, in the last letter to his father. Familiar with the Val Ampezzo, particularly the little-known paths and minor terrain features, from walks and skiing. I would be willing to do the job—and I think I could. The Brenner Pass was part of the ratlines that were used by some fleeing Nazis after the German surrender in 1945. Steve also became very familiar with the Italian Alps — in particular, the Brenner Pass — while he hiked, skied and climbed his way through the area. Two days after the Nazis entered, a pogrom began. phone calls, e-mails or other forms of communication, from US citizens living outside of the An avid outdoorsman organized into directorates and key offices, responsible for securing nation! 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