Gerhard Mertins

{{Short description|German businessman and SS officer (1908–1975)}}

{{Expand German|topic=bio|Gerhard Mertins|date=August 2018}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}

{{Infobox military person

| name = Gerhard Georg Mertins

| image =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1919|12|30|df=y}}

| birth_name =

| death_date = {{death date and age|1993|3|19|1919|12|30 |df=yes}}

| birth_place = Berlin, Germany

| death_place = Florida, United States

| nickname =

| allegiance = {{flagicon|Nazi Germany|size=22px}} Germany (1940-1945)
{{flagicon_image|State_flag_of_Iran_1964-1980.svg|size=22px}} Iran (1976)

| branch = Luftwaffe

| rank = Hauptmann

| servicenumber =

| unit =

| commands = Fallschirm-Pionier-Bataillon 5

| battles = World War II

• Operation MercuryHammerschmidt 2013, p. 392.
• Eastern Front
• Operation Greif

| awards = Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

| laterwork = {{hlist|Businessman|Arms dealerHammerschmidt 2013, p. 393.|Intelligence operative}}

}}

Gerhard Georg Mertins (30 December 1919 – 19 March 1993) was a German paratrooper, post-war arms dealer and German Intelligence operative. In 1943, he participated in the Gran Sasso raid rescuing Benito Mussolini from prison.Romano Mussolini, My father, il Duce, Kales Press 2006, S.29: "For more than sixty years, my father´s liberation from Gran Sasso was attributed solely to Skorzeny, even though Mors and Mertins played crucial roles." According to Manuel Contreras, he allegedly supplied the Pinochet regime with arms and helicopters. In 1976, he and Manuel Contreras traveled to Tehran to offer the Shah regime help in killing Carlos the Jackal.{{cite web |url=http://ciperchile.cl/2009/08/06/el-dia-en-que-manuel-contreras-le-ofrecio-al-sha-de-iran-matar-a-%E2%80%9Cel-chacal%E2%80%9D/ |title=El día en que Manuel Contreras le ofreció al Sha de Irán matar a "Carlos, El Chacal" |last1=González |first1=Mónica |author-link=Mónica González (journalist) |date=6 August 2009 |website=ciperchile.cl |publisher=CIPER |access-date=11 August 2015 |quote= |language=Spanish}}