Historical Info

UNITED STATES 2ND CAVALRY RESCUED
RARE AND NOBLE LIPIZZANER STALLIONS

In April 1945, the heroic efforts of the 42nd Squadron of the United States Army's 2nd Cavalry were responsible for the rescue and ultimate preservation of the Lipizzans. The rescue of the horses was conducted under the orders of General George S. Patton and was carried out under the direct command of Colonel Charles H. Reed.

The story of the rescue operation is most dramatic. In early 1945, Vienna was under attack by allied bombers. Colonel Alois Podjahsky, head of the famed Spanish Riding School in Vienna, feared the valuable Lipizzaner Stallions would be destroyed and arranged for the stallions to be transferred by train to St. Martin's in Upper Austria, 200 miles from Vienna. Fodder was scarce and starving refugees attempted to steal the horses for food.

Coincidentally, elements of the U.S. Third Army moved into St. Martin's at the time Podhajsky had quartered the horses there at the estate of a friend. An officer recognized Podhajsky and the stallions, and sent word to General Patton's headquarters. Patton and Podhajsky had been old friends; they competed together in equestrian events at the Olympic Games.

Podhajsky arranged to show the Lipizzans to Undersecretary of War Robert Patterson, and General Patton the following day. Patterson and Patton were so impressed by the performance of these aristocratic white horses that the General, at the request of Podhajsky, promised to make the stallions wards of the U.S. Army until they could be safely returned to their home at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna.

While the stallions were sheltered at St. Martin's, the mares and foals had been separated from the stallions and were being held at the German Remount Depot in Hostau, Czechoslovakia. American forces became aware of their location through Colonel Reed.

On April 26, 42nd Squadron captured a German general and his staff near Hostau. Reed and the General dined together and developed a friendship. The General showed Reed photographs of the Lipizzaner horses. When questioned further, the General confessed that the horses were being held at the German Remount Depot along with allied prisoners of war who cared for the horses.

Later that day Reed contacted Patton to ask permission to attack Hostau to liberate the prisoners and horses. Permission was granted. Later, an agreement was made with the Germans to allow American forces to go into Hostau and rescue the horses from the oncoming Russian troops. German officers, great admirers of the Lipizzans, willingly cooperated with the Americans fearing that approaching Russian troops would destroy the breed.

On April 28, members of Troops A, C and F of the 42nd Squadron attacked the German lines and accepted the surrender of the Germans at Hostau. The surrender, according to Reed, was "more a fiesta than a military operation, as the German troops drew up an honor guard and saluted the American troops as they came in."

The Americans found at Hostau a population of some 150 Lipizzans, including a few stallions, mares and their colts of two and three years of age. The first day was spent inspecting the horses. Two days later, German SS troops organized a counter attack on the 42nd Squadron as it moved eastward along the Czechoslovakian border. The Germans were driven off and a week later, the war had ended. Plans were then made for the disposition of the horses.

Colonel Podhajsky was flown in to inspect his horses. It was at this time that the Russian and Czech governments argued over possession of the horses. To prevent the horses from falling into their hands, the Lipizzans were quickly moved across the border to safety in Germany. Shortly thereafter, the Lipizzans were returned to the control of Colonel Podhajsky at Linz.

ACCOUNT OF THE RESCUE OF THE LIPIZZANS
BY COL. CHARLES REED
FROM HIS PERSONAL MEMOIRS,
WRITTEN IN NOVEMBER 1970.

The rescue of the breeding herd of the Piber Austrian Lippizanner horses, which supplied the stallions for use in the Spanische Reitschule took place on the 28th of April 1945 at Hostau, Czechoslovakia. It was accomplished by a small force formed for the mission from Task Force Reed - which was composed of the 2nd Armored Cavalry Group, 2nd and 42nd Squadrons, an Artillery Battalion, Engineer Battalion and an Anti-Aircraft Unit.

It must be admitted that a great element of chance gave the opportunity for this happy event. On the 25th of April, Captain Ferdinand P. Sperl, I.P.W. Team No. 10 attached to the Group received information of a large German Intelligence Unit bivouacked in and around the Hunting Lodge on the Czechoslovakian Border - it lacked transportation to proceed further on its flight from Berlin to the proposed Bavarian Bastion.

After some dangerous negotiations with the Commander of the unit, Captain Sperl, on the 26th of April, led an attack on the unit, which after the arranged formal exchange of harmless gun fire, surrendered most promptly. The commander of the Intelligence Unit - a fine appearing German General proved most hospitable and finding that on this early advance, I had missed my breakfast, invited me to join him and his staff for theirs.

We found that we had mutual horse interests and he showed me quite beautiful pictures of the Lippizanners and Arabs, which he had recently taken at Hostau. He also stated that several hundred Allied Prisoners of War were held there. We mutually agreed that these fine animals should not fall into the Communists hands, and the prisoners should be rescued.

A German bicyclist was sent to Hostau to arrange for a German Officer to come through our lines that night to arrange terms. A radio message was sent through XII Corps to 3rd Army Headquarters requesting permission for the operation. Shortly, a laconic message was relayed from General Patton - “Get them. Make it fast! You will have a new mission.”

About 8:00 P.M. - Captain Lessing, Staff Veterinarian at Hostau arrived at one of our border outposts riding one Lippizanner stallion and leading a second. He was brought to 2nd Cavalry Headquarters - dinner had been delayed pending his arrival - after cocktails and dinner, agreement was reached that, provided we furnished an officer to show good faith to ride back with him, he, Captain Lessing, would be able to arrange for the surrender of Hostau (Officers and men there were mostly ex-horsemen). He stated however, that between us and Hostau were stationed elements of an SS Division who would fight. That bothered us very little as we planned a quiet day or so - then a great attack to over-run them.

Captain Thomas M. Stewart of Tennessee, a fine horseman and son of the then Senator from Tennessee, volunteered and rode back with Captain Lessing. On the night of the 27th of April, he was returned to our lines by Lessing in a motercycle - side car - after some rather harrowing experiences behind the German line - for which he was decorated. He reported that all was arranged in Hostau - except for one Czech Lt. Colonel in the German Army, who opposed this - but had no support from the German Officers.

A small task force for the operation had already been formed from the 42nd Squadron - A Troop - elements of Troop C - a platoon of tanks from F-Troop and a platoon of Troop E Assault Guns. All under the command of Major Robert P. Andrews, with Captain Stewart and his assistant. At daylight all elements in the front line opened a fire fight - the Task Force broke through and after some fighting at Bela N RADB and a delay caused by an unmapped town showing up in their line of march, the town of Hostau was reached - no problem there - appeared as a fiesta rather than a battle. Townspeople and Allied Prisoners of War lined the streets - the German soldiers presented Arms - German Flag went down - ours went up and after placing outposts the officers, Intelligence Personnel and as many soldiers as could be spared, went to look at the wonderful array of captured Horses.

Allied Prisoner of War released totaled about 400 Americans, British, French and Polish. Regulations required the immediate return of all of these to their own Nations - the Poles could not go at that time - but we immediately started the evacuation of the others. Here we ran into an unexpected problem. Many of the prisoners has been at Hostau several years - had achieved a kind of “trusty” status and were well fed and cared for. Many had married or taken up living with Czech or German girls - some even had children - these men refused to be evacuated except with their families - a problem not easily solved to everyone’s satisfaction.

Horses captured consisted of about 300 Lippizanners, the Piber Breeding Herd plus the Royal Lippizanner Stud from Yugoslavia - well mixed together. Over one-hundred of the best Arabs in Europe, about two-hundred thoroughbred and trotting bred race horses collected from all of Europe - finally about 600 Cossacks breeding horses - Don and Urals.
Enemy captured consisted of about one Battalion of Germans, about the same of Czech volunteers in the German Army and a Sotnia of White Russian Cossacks who, opposing Communism, had joined the German Army in its invasion of Russia, bringing with them the Cossack horses mentioned above. The Cossacks were commanded by an Ex-Cossack Prince and Colonel who was a most pleasant and helpful person during the time we had the animals under our care.

The following morning - 29th of April - part of the force under Major Andrews rejoined the 2nd Cavalry Group preparatory to assuming a new mission of advancing towards Pilsen via the Eisenstein Pass. Troop A - under Captain Carter Catlett, with one platoon of Tanks were left to control Hostau - under the command of Captain Stewart. He immediately organized a defense force with the American Troops as a base - but included the German Troops - who seemed anxious to maintain the Horse Farm, plus the Cossacks and some of the released Polish prisoners whom he armed with captured weapons.

This was done as we feared a counterattack by the SS troops defeated at the border - it was an excellent plan as, late on the 30th of April, they attempted an attack on Hostau - our multi-national force defeated them with heavy losses - as the attacking Germans had no tanks and ours proved most effective weapons.

The 2nd Armored Cavalry Group with additional attachments proceeded on its new mission - leaving Captain Stewart and his command to control Hostau. By May 7th, date of the complete surrender of Germany, the Task Force was on the General line about 10 miles southeast of Pilsen - Horsice - Zinkovy - Nepomuk in Czechoslovakia facing the Russians and preventing their penetration into American held territory. Headquarters were established at the Skoda Schloss at Zinkovy. It was here about May 9th that I received a message from 3rd Army that General Patton had been in contact with Colonel Alois Podhajsky, head of the Spanische Reitschule. That the Colonel with the trained Lippizanner Stallions was at St. Martin in Austria. That he would be flown up to my Headquarters as soon as practical - to check the breeding herd and arrange for its repatriation to Austria in the vicinity of St. Martin.

Here it is best to clarify a certain misunderstanding of the sequence of events surrounding the rescue of the Piber breeding herd. The actual rescue took place on the 28th of April - nine days before Colonel Podhajsky’s meeting with General Patton and pleading for their rescue.

When General Patton answered Podhajsky’s request, either through language difficulties or a misunderstanding on the part of the officer who transmitted the message to Podhajsky, he understood that General Patton was sending the 2nd Cavalry Group to rescue these breeding horses. Actually General Patton knew by the 29th or 30 of April that the herd was in our possession at Hostau. He probably sent this information with the word that Podhajsky would be sent up to check them. This error in sequence was perpetuated by the Walt Disney Movie whose script writer interviewed me in Virginia and seemed attached to the idea of the rescue taking place after Patton saw the School Horses perform at St. Martin. It made better "show business".

On or about the 14th of May, Podhajsky arrived at Zinkovy by American plane where he spent the night and was entertained at dinner by our staff. Most cordial relations were established that evening and basic plans were laid for the return of the breeding herd to him in the vicinity of St. Martin as soon as practical.

A day or so after the German surrender it became evident to me that the Czech and Russian Communists were showing a great interest in the captured horses - in fact, they made several stealthy visits to Hostau, apparently to connive with the Czech born Lt. Colonel, who was 2nd in command when we arrived. This information was transmitted to General Patton’s Headquarters, with recommendations that the entire herd of horses be transferred to a safer base in Bavaria at a large installation at Schwarzenburg, where the Communists would not be tempted to claim the animals. None of the herds or individual animals came from Czechoslovakia but had been transported there from other German controlled countries because of the fine grazing and other facilities. The Army promptly authorized the operation and issued orders giving the horse movement priority on all needed roads during the time necessary.

The movement was started at dawn on the 12th of May and the entire plan was completed by late that night. Since few trucks were available most of the animals were driven in small herds - each preceded and followed by an American vehicle - outriders and guides for each herd were provided from German personnel and the Russian Cossacks assisted by a few volunteer Cavalrymen from the Americans - very young colts were with their dams and mares heavy in foal were moved in trucks - personnel - German and Polish - and Russian - women and children with scanty possessions and as much food for men and horses as possible were moved on some trucks and in horse drawn wagons and carriages, pulled by animals broken to harness.

The day after Podhajsky’s arrival at Zinkovy he and I drove together to Schwarzenburg where he closely checked and identified the animals belonging to the Piber herd. His intimate knowledge and quick recognition of them was most helpful and he seemed quite pleased with their condition. He evidenced no interest in the Yugoslavian Lippizanners as he did not wish their blood crossed with the Austrian strain.

Since the distance to St. Martin was so great the move had to be made by available trucks - refitted to carry horses. These were not ideal and unfortunately, a few horses were injured in transport and two mares suffered broken legs requiring their destruction. The movement was made on two convoys the 18th and the 25th of May and was fairly well carried out considering the lack of transportation and personnel difficulties - a total of 215 animals were returned to Austrian control. The remaining horse were later transferred to the large and most suitable German Horse Breeding establishment of a Remount Depot in Hessia - this included the Arabians, racing horses, the Yugoslav Lipizanners and a portion of the Cossack horses. Since all were War Booty of the American Army, the best of these and other captured animals were later shipped to the United States for use by the United States Remount Service.

The 2nd Armored Cavalry Group (now 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment and still stationed in Germany) performed admirably many more difficult and dangerous operations in the European Campaigns. However, all of our members - recall with especial pride their contribution to Austrian Culture and happiness - "The Rescue of the Lippizzaners At Hostau”.

Written by Colonel Charles Hancock Reed (Ret.)
November 4, 1970

Excerpt from obituary supplied by Jane Reed.

Colonel Reed, a career soldier, was born in Richmond, VA and was an undergraduate at the University of Virginia before going to West Point, where he graduated in 1922. He was assigned to the Second Cavalry from 1931 until his retirement from active service in 1949.

In civilian life he served as president of Williams & Reed of Richmond, a wholesale dry goods distributor. He was president of the Virginia State Fair for 20 years and a director of the Bank of Virginia.

Colonel Charles H. Reed died following a stroke. He was 79 years old.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM VITO SPADAFINO OF THE U.S. 2ND CAVALRY

I'm a WW2 veteran formerly with the 2nd Cavalry Recon and Mechanized unit of the 3rd Army in the European Theater. My unit was responsible in re-capturing the Stallions and numerous other horses prior to the end of hostilities somewhere in Czechoslavakia. The Stallions were turned over to The Spanish Riding Academy and the mares in foal and other breeds were shipped to a huge estate somewhere in the American zone. My platoon and I were responsible for the protection and care of these precious animals. I have some photos of the great, great, grandmothers of some of today’s offspring’s. Two German veterinarians and the grooms and family that we brought back with the animals tended to them. We were also keeping watch on all the horses in different parts of the estate. Our main concern was the Russians who were on the other side of the hedges that separated our sector from theirs. We had constant patrols around our perimeter because of them. I was fortunate enough to be able to assist the Polish cook in the kitchen who provided us with delicious meals. We had two German Vets who cared for the horses and also bred some of them. The Lipizzaner mares were in separate corrals of their own.

I have one amusing anecdote to tell you. One day Unit Commander Colonel Reed came to visit to see how things were going along. He and I walked down to see the Lipizzaner mare. While we observed them, I turned to the Colonel and said, "They look like they are pregnant.” Colonel Reed looks at me and says, "Sergeant, where do you come from?” I replied, “The Bronx, sir.” Well the Colonel says, "Where I come from we say they are in foal," as he smiled. After a while my buddies got me on a horse to teach me to ride. I learned pretty fast and the grooms picked out a nice even gaited one and every once in a while I would go out riding after dinner with one of the platoon members. Strangely enough that was the last time I was on a horse. Soon I was ready to return to the USA to be discharged into civilian life again.

It just so happens that I did and came face to face with General George Patton for a brief moment as our unit was going to the front. My encounter with General Patton was in late August of 1944 when we were going to the front line to go and reconnoiter for the division in our area. We were known as "The Ghosts of Patton's Army" and there was a write up in The Stars and Stripes about our exploits behind enemy lines for 39 days. We had been travelling down this road in France when we came to an abrupt halt. In the early stages of war, anytime you came to a stop; you have to keep a lookout for enemy aircraft above. I climbed out of my front seat and up to the turret of the armored car to relieve Geski our gunner to keep an eye in the skies. After some time had passed, a jeep was spotted barreling down the road and it was coming towards us. As it neared us we could see it had the four-star insignia on the bumper and sitting next to the driver was General Patton in all his splendor. He ordered his driver to stop alongside my armored car. He had a shiny helmet with four stars and his famous pearl handled guns on his gun belt. He stood and I immediately saluted and he saluted me back. He asked, "Sergeant, what seems to be the problem here?" I answered, "I don't know Sir." Then he asked how long had we been sitting there and I said about half an hour. He said carry on and sat down and told his driver to move on. Sometime later we got orders to mount up and make ready to move on, so I got back down in my front seat as always. As the column gained speed there was General Patton waving us on like a traffic cop. He was in my opinion the best General in the Army.

PIBER – BIRTHPLACE AND HOME
A continuation of the original court stud tradition

From 1580 to 1915, the “Court Stud Karster” was the Austrian imperial family’s private stud. In 1920, the valuable original herd that had remained in Austria was moved to Piber, about 45 km west of Graz. Here, in the best rearing conditions for the Lipizzans, the direct descendants of the imperial herd, are bred according to the traditional breeding goal.

The pricelessly valuable breeding books of the imperial stud are stored in the Federal Stud’s archive. These records include those stallions and mares that we recognize as the founders of the so-called classical line of stallion and mare to this day. The name Lipizzan, however, has only been in use since the early part of the 19th century. Until then, with reference to their noble Spanish blood, they were called “Spanish Karster”.

Today, the Federal Stud’s tasks are very diverse. They include: breeding planning, birth supervision and raising, performance checks of the colts in carriage and under saddle, initial training of the colts selected for the Spanish Riding School, expert care and guide of visitors to the stud. An experienced team under the leadership of the stud manager ensures the high quality of all these processes.

You can find more information on it on their webpage: www.piber.com

And for additional information on Austria: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3165.htm