Bild von Edgar Ulsamer, darunter seine Verfolgungsgründe: „Desertion, amerikanischer Fallschirmagent“
Bildquelle: Dokumentationsarchiv des österreichischen Widerstands / www.doew.at

Edgar Ulsamer was born in Vienna on 23rd August, 1924, to Karl and Herta Ulsamer. He was 13 years old when Austria was annexed by Germany. He attended elementary and secondary school in Vienna, and was active in the Hitler Youth. He graduated from high school during Eastertime 1942. Shortly thereafter he registered at the University of Vienna to study journalism, but was conscripted into military service, first to the Reich Labor Service (Reichsarbeitsdienst or RAD), and then to the Wehrmacht in the fall of 1942, following his 18th birthday. He trained in an investigative unit, and was transferred to the Italian front at the end of 1943. By this time the US Army had largely liberated Italy, and on 7th January, 1944, Edgar and his unit were taken prisoner.

Bild der Mutter von Edgar, Herta Ulsamer.“
Bildquelle: wie oben

While being held as prisoner-of-war, Edgar Ulsamer volunteered to support the Allies in their fight against Germany. He was taught to parachute, and was familiarized with radio equipment, explosives and American weapons. Other Austrians were trained along with him. In the fall of 1944 he parachuted over Lake Neusiedl with two Austrians and Captain Taylor, an American. The three Austrians had relatives and friends in this area who could be expected to provide them with help and support. Their mission was to collect data for tactical aerial attacks, and, if possible, to establish contact with partisan fighters. Edgar was in touch with his mother, who often visited him in his various hideouts in the Lake Neusiedl area, bringing him food. Edgar‘s father, Karl Ulsamer, also visited his son, but with the goal of convincing him to surrender to the authorities. On the second visit he abandoned these plans, and subsequently supported his son. While acquaintances from Wiener Neustadt initially declared their willingness to conceal the parachutists, they later reported them to the police.

Bild von Karl Ulsamer, darunter sein Urteil: „Zum Tode verurteilt“.
Bildquelle: wie oben

They were all arrested by the Secret State Police (the ‚Gestapo‘) on 30th November 1944. Only later was it determined, since Edgar was a soldier and Karl an office, that they had to be turned over to the military justice system. Herta Ulsamer was the only one to remain in the district court‘s prison. Edgar was held in the police prison located on Rossauerlände until 1st March 1945, and was then transferred to the Wehrmacht Detention Center. The other three detainees were held in other prisons. On 11th March, 1945, Edgar Ulsamer, his two colleagues and his father were all sentenced to death by the 4th Senate of the Reichs Court-Martials (Vienna, Schwindgasse 8) for the crimes of “military treason, espionage and desertion”. Their execution was scheduled for 4th April, 1945. On 6th April 1945, the Red Army began its liberation of Vienna from the south, forcing the evacuation of the prison two days before the Red Army’s arrival. During the evacuation process, Karl and Edgar successfully escaped. Herta Ulsamer was released from prison on 6th April 1945.

(Many thanks to Peter Rand for the translation.)