Source Document: IPW Team N° 43, Headquarters 120th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division, Interrogation Report N° 104.

December 22, 1944, 1100

(1) General information from PW was captured by Baker Co, 526th Armored Infantry Battalion; PW was brought into this battalion headquarters late evening December 21. PW was a member of the 3rd Combat Team of the 150 Panzerbrigade. The Combat Team was committed to taking Malmédy but failed in the mission. PW walked onto the Command Post of Baker Company 526th Battalion to give himself up.

(2) Unit History: In November, volunteers were called for in Germany under the motto Einzats in Westen (commitment in the West). Especially men with knowledge of the English language. The 150 Brigade was activated of picked troops and was trained in Grafenwoehr (Bavaria). About half a regular division, the Brigade strength is made up of 3 Combat Teams, each consisting of 3 to 4 sub Combat Teams of 120 men each. They received American, vehicles, and instruction in the handling of them. They were issued parts of American uniforms and received further training in the English language.

(3) The main plan was to train men who would be able to work behind our lines. An attack would be made on a small front. The Americans would be disorganized, and the English-speaking Germans, now clad in American uniforms, would retreat with the retreating American troops, destroy communications, knock out Command Posts, and occupy and secure strong points until the main bulk of the German forces could catch up to them. They were supposed to be followed by very strong forces.

(4) Everything was to be done that would facilitate the success of the mission. If it is more practical to kill captured enemies than to evacuate them then they must be killed. PW found four killed American sentries with the same hole in the head but denied having been present at any of these atrocity acts himself.

(5) PW claims that this plan will be tried and he thinks there is a great possibility it might succeed. He was taken from his place of capture to the interrogation point by jeep. He claims that despite the fact that this jeep was challenged quite frequently on his trip, it would have been possible for a plan to be executed as outlined above. Challenging sentries asked for passwords only, and after the same was exchanged, the vehicle was permitted to proceed. This is just what this Fifth Column unit is looking for. They have English speakers with them who sometimes know the password and thus can travel through our lines. If the sentry would get suspicious, they simply annihilate him and again be able to proceed with the mission to get behind our lines. PW claims that they were told about the procedure of our challenge by men who trained them at Grafenwoehr who had previously been in the American Army.

(6) The German troops are realizing that this is the big thing, and everything is being put into it. If it fails, everything will be lost. They are given to believe that the chances are excellent for them. The German Army realizes the fact that the Americans believe themselves safe and are sure to knock the Germans out due to their, the Germans, inability to make any large counteroffensive. They realize that we are materially superior, but that we could be defeated by deception and the reserves which the Germans still possess.

PW claims he has seen a tremendous amount of equipment coming up in the rear area. This equipment is to be used in the push which is to follow the deception. The ultimate goal is to clear the Americans out of the West. The Germans believe that if our forces which are here now are liquidated we will hesitate very much to send new forces abroad.

(7) PW repeated the rumor that Skorzeny, who had freed Mussolini, was on his way for Gen Eisenhower.

IPW Team N°46



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