After Mussolini was removed from power in July 1943, he was imprisoned by the new Italian goverment on July 25th, 1943 and was held invarious locations, before being imprisoned at a remote hotel in the Gran Sasso Mountain range on orders of the new Italian Prime Minister, Badoglio.
The Germans intercepted radio messages which indicated Mussolini was held somewhere in the Gran Sasso Mountain range, and with the help of agents and informants, were able to locate the exact location.
Air Force General Kurt Student received an order to plan a rescue operation, and a group of SS-men and paratroopers, led by the notorious Otto Skorzeny, performed what is known as the Gran Sasso raid, officially named Operation Oak by the Germans, on September 12th. This resulted in succesfully rescuing Mussolini and bringing him under German control. This raid became famous, and even the British Prime Minister Churchill called it “[…] a daring attack, completely beyond all foresight […]”
Although most of the operation was planned and carried out by paratroop units, German propaganda portrayed Skorzeny and the SS that took the most credit, the Gran Sasso Raid made Skorzeny famous even among foreign countries.
The following is German footage about the rescue of Mussolini and his following visit to Hitlers headquarter, shown in German propaganda newsreels on September 22nd, 1943. - Subtitles made by me.
The liberation of the Duce.
The German Newsweek shows a series of footage taken of this historic deed of German men.
A group of the special commando deployed by order of the Führer to liberate the Duce on the march through the Abruzzo mountains.
The military commander of the paratrooper detachment gives his orders to occupy the valley station of the cable car, which is the only connection to the mountain plateau.
In the meantime, paratroopers, men of the Waffen-SS and the SD have landed in the inaccessible mountain massif in the Abruzzo Mountain range.
They charge towards the building where the Duce is being held prisoner by the traitors.
The Duce is liberated!
Men of the SD and the Waffen-SS as well as paratroopers have fulfilled the order of the Führer.
To the left of the Duce, SS-Hauptsturmführer Skorzeny, who in a bold, swift grab rescued the Duce out of his prison.
The rescue of the Duce is reported to the valley station by radio.
Reinforcements are brought to the top of the mountain via cable car.
The Duce boards the Fiesler Storch.
The Duce and Skorzeny.
The take-off from the small summit plateau is a masterpiece of flying.
A short time later, the plane carrying the Duce lands at an airfield south of Rome.
The Duce transfers to a German bomber plane.
The mission was a success.
Even the bitterly disappointed enemy has to admit that the rescue of the Duce is one of the most daring and sensational events of this war.
Flight to the Führer's headquarter.
After his liberation, the Duce immediately payed the Führer a several-day long visit.
The Duce greets his son Vittorio.
The Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop congratulates the Duce to his rescue.
The Duce and the Reich Marshal.
After spending several days at the Führer's headquarter, the Duce sets off on his return journey.
In an address to the Italian people,
Mussolini called on his loyal followers to take up arms again and to continue fighting alongside Germany, Japan and the other allies until the final victory.
