World War II Close Up: They Saved the Stallions

Gr 3-7–The famous gray Lipizzaner stallions were bred for the Hapsburg monarchy in the 16th century and have long been associated with the Spanish Riding School in Vienna. Lesser known is the army mission to save them from near-certain destruction in the final days of the World War II. The narrative hinges on the career of Alois Podhajsky, an army officer who had grown up with a cavalry officer father in the last days of the Austro-Hungarian empire and had been wounded in WWI. After the war, serving in the new Austrian army, Podhajsky was asked by a superior to learn dressage, the elaborate training and performance for which Lipizzaners are famous. After a successful showing in the 1936 Olympic dressage competition, Podhajsky became chief of the glamorous Vienna stable. The latter part of the story is focused on Operation Cowboy, a secret mission carried out in the chaos at the end of the war, with tacit support from General George Patton, to secure horses from the advancing Soviet army. Numerous contemporary and historical photos illustrate the beautiful horses and their context. With an abundance of front matter, the narrative doesn’t begin until more than 30 pages into the book, a deterrent for some readers. Back matter is superb, with extensive source notations. Virtual field trips available at suggested websites show, for example, a modern dressage competition.