Paladin Group (fascist organization)
| Paladin Group | |
|---|---|
| Paladín | |
Iron cross, which Otto Skorzeny and his followers wore during his life and, most importantly, during his funeral. | |
| Also known as | Paladin |
| Leader | Otto Skorzeny |
| Foundation | 1960s |
| Dates of operation | 1970–1975 |
| Dissolved | 1975 |
| Country | Francoist Spain |
| Allegiance | SS veteran networks (such as ODESSA) |
| Motives | Anti-communism, Cultivating escape routes, Revanchism. |
| Headquarters | Madrid, Spain |
| Active regions | Europe |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Far-right |
| Status | Inactive |
| Allies | |
| Opponents | ETA |
| Battles and wars | Basque conflict, Years of Lead (Italy) |
The Paladin Group (Spanish: Grupo Paladín) was a far-right organization founded in 1970 in Spain by former Waffen-SS Colonel Otto Skorzeny. It conceived itself as the military arm of the anti-Communist struggle during and after the Cold War. It was a private security contractor, the group's purpose was to recruit and operate security contractors to protect anticommunist countries. The group had active communications with post-war SS veteran networks and can be argued to be one of those networks, differing in the fact that they were also providing troops and training to far-right militias, and was a participant of Operation Condor, providing escape routes for former SS-men who were guilty of war-crimes.