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Otto Skorzeny
- The Devil’s Disciple
- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
- Length: 13 hrs and 27 mins
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Otto Skorzeny
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Summary
SS-Obersturmbannführer Otto Skorzeny became a legend in his own time. "Hitler's favorite commando" acquired a reputation as a man of daring, renowned for his audacious 1943 mission to extricate Mussolini from a mountain-top prison. He could be brave and resourceful, but was also a notorious egoist and an unrepentant Nazi until the end of his life.
Stuart Smith draws on years of in-depth research to uncover the truth about Skorzeny's career and complex personality. From his background as a student radical in Vienna to his bloody service with the Waffen-SS on the Eastern Front, and from his surprise rebirth as a commando to his intriguing post-war career and mysterious fortune, this book tells Otto Skorzeny's story in full-warts and all-for the first time.
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What listeners say about Otto Skorzeny
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 22-03-22
Very interesting
Good performance, good story on the life of the man and his exploits and his nature.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Pierre Bovington
- 09-12-23
A copy and paste job
The basic history is covered, however, the author, whose works include wandering around the pubs of Luton, has produced a fairly scrappy account of an infamous Commando leader.
The Amazon book description includes a remark about the US Navy SEAL raid in 2011. I am not sure what relevance that has.
So, I gave it 3 stars, being a fan of WW2 history accounted for that.
" My Commando Operations" by the man himself is more telling. The reader can perfectly sift out what is relevant and or / true.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- theone901
- 13-03-19
decent listen despite an objectionable protaganist
Decent book though you eventually feel Skorzeny was a product of his own self aggrandisement. Disappointingly vague in its coverage of his links to postwar nasi escape networks it shows what a thoroughly vile and unrepentant nazi he was till the end of his life.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- The.Rapscallion
- 17-12-22
The Devil's Commando...
An interesting and open biography of the Nazi Commando in WW2 and beyond! A larger than life character, who's storylines exceeded the actual deeds done. More interesting than just his WW2 exploits were his story post-WW2 and the apparent concern that made of him in actions true or purported attached to his name!
Had he fought for the Allies, he'd of most possibly become a hero like David Sterling but instead he was a ardent German Nazi to his death.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 27-09-19
Spoilt by the authors inderlying mission
The author spent every ounce of the content trying to put down Skorzeny, which would not be required if he stuck to relaying facts and pulled himself away from ceasesly dropping nasty little opinions. Often, the author immediately has to contradict his opinion / moan with a fact that counters his narrative.
The author even finds time to throw a snipe in against the design of a Kubelwagon when he feels the need to relay the superiority of a Jeeps 4x4.
Please all read / listen to Eric Hartmann's (no fan of the Third Reich's hierachy) description of the immediate aftermath of the Fall of Berlin to guage that there may be another angle than the author's of this piece on how people in the East were prepared to fight to the last against Stalin. (German Aces Speak ll).
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 02-12-18
Brilliant book
Great descriptions of a notable events, told in a unbiased way to give a good overall picture of the man. Well worth a listen.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- marcoscu
- 30-10-18
Fascinating but incomplete
Covers his military career well but you never get to meet the man.
Well read.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- giraudtheunwilling
- 05-02-22
For once a well balanced biography of an SS man
Excellently researched, detailed, and yet highly listenable. The author has no stars in his eyes about Skorzeny, despite the commando's obvious charisma. Equally importantly, the book pullls no punches with Nazi injustices and crimes, nor, importantly, does it shy from discussing obvious Allied crimes including torture of prisoners and unjustificed war crimes convictions. Well read and captivating.
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1 person found this helpful