movie backdrop
Kill Hitler

Kill Hitler

  • Overview
  • Cast
  • Crew

Status

Released

Release Date

Apr 9, 1981

Runtime

2h 20m

Genres

Documentary

Original Title

Es ist kalt in Brandenburg (Hitler töten)

Production Companies

Filmkollektiv Zürich AG, ZDF, SRF

Director

Niklaus Meienberg

Description

This 140-minute documentary takes a close look at the story and historical context of a young Swiss man who was beheaded during WW II for supposedly wanting to kill Hitler. The man's family cannot help clarify the issue since they say he had been pro-Nazi earlier. Other injustices or puzzling omissions come to the fore, such as a German who was against Hitler, survived torture by the SS, and then was not given any state aid when peace was restored. Another sequence shows an extensive U.S. archive of materials that identifies many Nazis and their activities -- but is not available to anyone trying to track down former war criminals. Like other films of this type, the documentary helps to fill in facts about WW II that are little-known, or slow in coming out.