From Fugitive Nazi POW to Tennis Pro: The 40-Year Secret Life of Georg Gärtner episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 13, 2025 · 14 MIN

From Fugitive Nazi POW to Tennis Pro: The 40-Year Secret Life of Georg Gärtner

from Weird History

In 1945, German soldier Georg Gärtner slipped away from a POW camp in New Mexico, beginning one of the longest successful disappearing acts in American history. For four decades, he built a new life as "Dennis Whiles" - becoming a tennis instructor, marrying an American woman, and even appearing on TV's "To Tell The Truth." No one, not even his wife, knew his true identity until 1985, when he finally surrendered to the FBI. His incredible story includes riding the rails as a hobo, learning English from cowboys, and living in constant fear of discovery while building the American Dream. Discover how this former Nazi soldier became the last WWII German POW to be captured in America - by turning himself in.Support the show here via PayPal:https://www.paypal.com/donate/?business=DWSYBNBMAY9AL&no_recurring=0&item_name=Thanks+for+your+help%21&currency_code=USD

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From Fugitive Nazi POW to Tennis Pro: The 40-Year Secret Life of Georg Gärtner

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