the Germans from the Austrian breeding farm at Piber and sent to Hostau, to a Nazi-run stud farm in Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic). When Hostau fell behind Soviet lines, captured German officers, under interrogation by U.S. Army Captain Ferdinand Sperl, provided details on the Lipizzans' location and asked the Americans to rescue the horses before they fell into Soviet hands, because it was feared they would be slaughtered for horsemeat. Patton issued orders, and on 28 April 1945 Colonel Charles H. Reed, with members of Troops A, C and F of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, conducted a raid behind Soviet lines, accepted the surrender of the Germans at Hostau, and evacuated the horses. The Lipizzans were relocated to Wels, then to Wimsbach, Upper Austria. After the war, the Lipizzan stallions finally returned to Vienna in the autumn of 1955. Legacy Podhajsky is remembered most for saving the Lipizzans, preserving their history following the war, as well as for his dedication to the advancement of classical dressage, and his contributions to the Spanish Riding School. He was awarded Order of Saint Sava. See also Classical dressage Spanish Riding School Lipizzan Equestrian at the Summer Olympics George S. Patton Miracle of the White Stallions Bibliography References External links Video from Austria, c. 1950s, of SRS, includes footage of Podhajsky Spanish Riding School Spanish Riding School of Vienna Official Lipizzaner Site Podhajsky profile with picture Excerpt from My Horses, My Teachers, (Meine Lehrmeister die Pferde) on Lipizzan.com. dataOlympics profile Quotes by Podhajsky at Classical Dressage.com 1898 births 1973 deaths Austrian male equestrians Austrian dressage riders Dressage trainers Spanish Riding School Olympic equestrians of Austria Equestrians at the 1936 Summer Olympics Equestrians at the 1948 Summer Olympics Olympic bronze medalists for Austria Austro-Hungarian people Austrian people of Bosnia and Herzegovina descent Austrian people of Czech descent Olympic medalists in equestrian Recipients of the Order of St. Sava Sportspeople from Vienna Writers on horsemanship Medalists at the 1936 Summer Olympics Commanders Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Sportspeople from Mostar