Grand Sasso Park lies some 70 miles Northeast of Rome. In 1943, this ski village was the sight of the daring rescue of Mussolini by Otto Skorzney, noted German commando.
	On the day of our visit, the Campo Imperatore Hotel was closed due to snow. We left our van below and took the cable car up the mountain. The cable car has been rebuilt recently, seen here is the original terminus of the cable car - famous in period newsreels.
	Greeting visitors was a friendly pack of Kuvasz dogs.
	My austere but comfortable room at Campo Imperatore. Compare it to the photos of Mussolini's room later in this gallery.
	The view from my window is spectacular enough. Added to this alpine beauty is the incredible story of Mussolini's rescue. The ski lift didn't exist in 1943 and this spot was the runway where the Storch aircraft took off with Skorzney and Mussolini on the way to Germany.
	In this hotel, Benito Mussolini was held prisoner from 28 August to 12 September 1943. After the fall of Sicily, the Italian people had enough of Fascism and ousted Musolini. The Nazi hope was to retain control of Italy and reinstall Musolini as head of State. His rescue from the Italian provisional Government was orchestrated by Otto Skorzney who tracked him to this mountaintop hotel.