May 12, 1945: The central crew of Operation Greenup, stationed at Oberperfuss
In the annals of World War II, Operation Greenup stands out as a remarkable success story in the Mediterranean theater. Initiated on February 26, 1945, by the US military intelligence service OSS in the Stubai Alps, the operation was a covert intelligence-gathering and sabotage mission against the Nazi regime in the region.
A significant aspect of Operation Greenup's history is encapsulated in a photograph, taken by OSS officer Dyno Loewenstein in the days following the war's end in Oberperfuss. The photograph, now part of the "Stories" overview of Operation Greenup, features three agents and two helpers.
The agents depicted in the photograph are Hans Wijnberg, Fred Mayer, and Franz Weber. Among the helpers, Maria Hörtnagl and Anna Niederkircher, both from Oberperfuss, played crucial roles in navigating the team through the region.
The three OSS agents involved in Operation Greenup were William (Bill) Harvey, an American officer and experienced OSS agent, Fritz (Frederick) Gurke, an American soldier of German descent fluent in German, and Dr. Anton (Tony) Posch, an Austrian resistance member who assisted the team. Their two closest helpers were Anton Engl, a local resistance fighter, and Rudolf Moser, another local guide and member of the Austrian resistance.
Together, this team conducted several missions, including reconnoitering Wehrmacht transports over the Brenner route into Italy and transmitting this valuable information to Allied headquarters. One of the most notable missions was on May 3, when OSS agent Fred Mayer established a connection with Gauleiter Franz Hofer and negotiated a ceasefire.
The photograph from Operation Greenup is significant as it provides a visual record of the operation's participants. It is noteworthy that the operation was significantly supported by local women, a fact that is hinted at in the "Stories" overview, which might be a curated collection of stories, anecdotes, or accounts related to Operation Greenup.
The "Stories" overview might also provide additional context or details about the Operation Greenup photograph and its participants. The photograph taken in Oberperfuss is part of the "Stories" overview, suggesting it is a notable aspect of the operation's history.
Operation Greenup is hailed as the most successful Allied espionage operation in the Mediterranean theater, and the photograph serves as a testament to the bravery and determination of the team that carried it out. The photograph's inclusion in the "Stories" overview ensures that the operation's history and the contributions of its participants will not be forgotten.
- The "Stories" overview of Operation Greenup might include accounts of the significant role local sportswomen played in supporting the mission, as Anna Niederkircher and Maria Hörtnagl were crucial helpers who navigated the team through the region.
- In the world of sports, the Operation Greenup photograph could be compared to the trophies won by a team, serving as a symbol of the unity and success achieved by the diverse group of individuals involved in the covert mission.
