In early May 1945, sometime after Adolf Hitler's suicide, American and German soldiers fought together against the Nazi SS to free prominent French prisoners of war. It is believed to be the only battle in the war in which Americans and Germans fought as allies. It is the Battle of Castle Itter

The Itter Castle was used for VIP prisoners, prominent politicians and military figures that the Nazis wanted to use as bargaining chips. They included two former prime ministers of France, Edouard Daladier and Paul Reynaud, as well as the elder sister of Gen Charles de Gaulle

In the last days of the war in Europe, the German guards at Itter fled. But the French prisoners were trapped, as the woods around the castle were full of roaming units of the Waffen SS and Gestapo secret police. The French sent out two prisoners on bicycles to find help and one of them was able to contact a German major, Josef (Sepp) Gangl, who was a Wehrmacht officer who was anti-Nazi and collaborated with the Austrian resistance. But he had only 20 loyal soldiers

Hence, he approached the closest American unit, the 23rd Tank Battalion of the US 12th Armoured Division, led by Capt Jack Lee, with a big white flag.

A small group of Americans, accompanied by Gangl and some of his men, made their way to Itter, parking their Sherman tank close to the castle entrance.
At dawn on 5 May, they were attacked by the Waffen SS, who blew up the US tank, but were unable to storm the castle.

The only casualty in the battle was the major Josef Gangl, who was shot by a sniper bullet while protecting the former French PM, and was honoured as an Austrian national hero.

Source : BBC