A Mark on the Walls
In the final days of World War II, American intelligence officer Frank Manuel noticed a peculiar symbol etched on walls in Germany’s Franconia region: a vertical line crossed by a hooked horizontal bar. Many dismissed it as a crude swastika, but Manuel identified it as the mark of the Werewolves—guerrilla fighters targeting Allied soldiers and collaborators.
Operation Werewolf
In 1944, Nazi leaders, desperate to halt Allied advances, launched “Operation Werewolf.” Spearheaded by SS officers Otto Skorzeny and Adolf Prützmann, the plan aimed to use elite commandos for sabotage and ambushes. However, disorganization and dwindling resources thwarted its success.
Propaganda’s Bite
Joseph Goebbels escalated the campaign in 1945, calling on civilians to become Werewolves. Radio broadcasts encouraged attacks on the Allies, with rhetoric like, “Lily the Werewolf is my name. I bite, I eat, I am not tame.” While some snipers and assassins followed suit, the movement failed to gain widespread traction.
A Legacy of Fear
Despite minimal impact, Werewolf propaganda terrified Allied soldiers and civilians. Local violence persisted until 1947, but the Werewolves ultimately became a grim footnote in the war’s chaotic conclusion.
As WWII drew to a close, American intelligence officer Frank Manuel noticed a chilling symbol on walls in Germany: a vertical line with a hooked crossbar. This wasn’t a swastika. It marked the Werewolves—guerrilla fighters tasked with ambushing Allied soldiers.🧵1/4👇 pic.twitter.com/eBNTMRxLzb
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