“Faking Hitler” on free TV
Supposed coup becomes a media scandal
Lars Eidinger as Gerd Heidemann in Faking Hitler.
© RTL / Martin Valentin Menke
The series “Faking Hitler” celebrates its free TV premiere on VOX. The RTL+ format illuminates one of the biggest media scandals in Germany.
“Faking Hitler” focuses on the biggest German media scandal of the post-war period. The RTL+ series is now celebrating its free TV premiere on VOX. The station shows three episodes on September 14 and 21, 2022 (8:15 p.m.). What the series, which has been nominated several times for the German Television Award, is about and who is part of the top-class cast.
In the early 1980s, a scandal shook Stern. The news magazine announced in 1983 that the diaries of Adolf Hitler were in its possession. Even before the results of an authenticity investigation by the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) were available, the first excerpts were published – a big mistake. Because a little later, the BKA announced: The books are fake. Behind it was Konrad Kujau (1938-2000), painter and art forger from the Swabian province, who wrapped the “Stern” reporter Gerd Heidemann (90) around his finger.
Moritz Bleibtreu: “Many people wanted to believe in authenticity”
In the fictionalized drama series “Faking Hitler” (since November 30 on RTL+) the bizarre story about the publication is told. While Lars Eidinger (46) plays the role of the journalist Heidemann in the six parts, Moritz Bleibtreu (51) embodies the forger Kujau.
Born in Munich, he can still remember the scandal at the time. “I was about twelve years old at the time and everyone was very excited,” said the 51-year-old in an interview with spot on news last November. As part of the filming, the actor also had the opportunity to get his hands on the “real” fake diaries. “You immediately get the impression that a lot of people wanted to believe in the authenticity,” said Bleibtreu. “From the wrong initials on the cover to the workmanship – it makes you wonder how nobody noticed.”
The role was a “great template” for the actor. “These types of criminals play in the criminal world in the Champions League. Because in a way it’s a kind of gentleman’s crime. At the same time, Kujau was a very funny guy. He was mischievous and had a healthy dose of courage and equipped with zest for life.” Bleibtreu had to acquire a special dialect for the role: “Kujau actually comes from Saxony. If you listen carefully, at least that’s what I imagined, you can hear a slight mixture of Swabian and Saxon. I always said it was fake Swabian .”
The content of the series is still highly topical for Bleibtreu. “Right-wing extremism and fascism will always be important in Germany,” he explains. “The country is extremely rooted in the atrocities of that time. I don’t think we’ll ever let that go again. That’s part of our history and it will always be worked through – not just in art. Also in politics and social world, the past will always matter.”
In addition to Eidinger and Bleibtreu, Sinje Irslinger (26), who mimics the young editor of “Stern”, Elisabeth Stöckel, also plays in the series. Other roles include Hans-Jochen Wagner (53) as “Stern” journalist, Daniel Donskoy (32) as investigative journalist Leo Gold, Ulrich Tukur (65) as university professor Hans Stöckel and Jeanette Hain (53) as Edda Göring .