To rehash the events that transpired on that fateful November 1963 day in Dealey Plaza would be rather redundant. Additionally, if there is still any belief that Oswald was a lone, nutcase gunman, then you may want to put listening to this episode on a hold for a bit and do a little bit of digging on your own. For the rest of you, Jim welcomes retired Air Force Major and historical researcher and archivist Ralph Ganis to the show. While there are many researchers into this subject, Ralph has a unique insight that others have not had at their disposal. A rare collections of records and documents from former Senior Nazi Officer Otto Skorzeny that reveal deep connections to Kennedy’s assassination.
Otto Skorzeny was an Austrian born SS-Obersturmbannführer (lieutenant colonel) in the Waffen-SS during World War II. During the war, he was involved in a string of operations, including the removal of Hungarian Regent Miklós Horthy from power and the rescue mission that freed the deposed Italian dictator Benito Mussolini from captivity. Skorzeny led Operation Greif, in which German soldiers infiltrated enemy lines using their opponents’ languages, uniforms, and customs. For this he was charged at the Dachau Military Tribunal with breaching the 1907 Hague Convention, but was acquitted. Skorzeny escaped from an internment camp in 1948, hiding out on a Bavarian farm for 18 months, then spent time in Paris and Salzburg before eventually settling in Spain. In 1953 he became a military advisor to Egyptian President Mohammed Naguib and recruited a staff of former SS and Wehrmacht officers to train the Egyptian Army, staying on to advise President Gamal Abdel Nasser. In 1962, Skorzeny was recruited by the Mossad and conducted operations for the agency. He spent time in Argentina, where he acted as an advisor to President Juan Perón and as a bodyguard for Eva Perón. Skorzeny died of lung cancer on 5 July 1975 in Madrid at the age of 67.
Ganis’ latest book, The Skorenzy Papers uncovers the post-World War II activities of the former Nazi officer of which at one point was deemed one of the “most dangerous men in Europe.” Within these pages it is revealed that Skorenzy’s activities branched much further than that of South American nations and in fact was a front for many US based covert operations. This includes revealing many ties to players and business that lead to one of the most tragic events in US history, the murder of John F. Kennedy. While the book does not point to a shooter or blame a particular culprit as so many others attempt to do, Ganis reveals concrete evidence of key players tied to the event and the means used to get to their positions.
Unlike some “researchers” Ganis is not simply a fan of history and YouTube channel. Ralph has made archiving and researching history a part of his career, and has been very successful at it. In fact he was awarded the Perry Award in 1997 for discoveries on the James Gang and the Admiral Chester W. Nimitz Award for excellence in archival research. He was the historic collections consultant for the movie the Assassination of Jesse James. Ganis has a Master of Science of Strategic Intelligence from the Defense Intelligence Agency.
Ralph provides some incredible insight to one of the possible biggest players in the Kennedy assassination as well as gives history on one of the most interesting yet relatively unknown historical figures from the Second World War. You can find Ralph Ganis’ books through any major online retailer in both digital and hardcopy forms. Also head over to malliard.com for all of the latest info, to catch up on past shows, and to sign up for the newsletter. To connect with Jim, reach out to @Malliard via Twitter. Request guests, share ideas, or just simply say “Hi.”
