MovieChat Forums > Colditz (1972) Discussion > The Kommandant really a good man?

The Kommandant really a good man?

posted 13 years ago by Maddyclassicfilms
20 replies | jump to latest

The more I've been watching this the more I'm convinced Bernard Hepton's(giving another brilliant performance)Colditz commander is actually an all round good chap.

Yes he's a German soldier in charge of the POW camp. Yet if you notice he does everything in his power to keep the SS away from Colditz.He also seems more like a soldier of the old school and really despises their methods and the entire Nazi regime.

Although nobody wanted to be in Colditz, I can't help thinking how it was more like a hotel under the Kommandant than it would have been under the SS and I think many of the soldiers realised that and respected the Kommandant and his officers for it.

With hindsight now we know of the chilling and sadistic practices of the SS, torture and shootings would most likely be the order of the day(especially after an escape attempt). I think the Kommandant knew that would be the case and fought hard to keep his men in charge of the camp.

Yes he puts escapees in solitary etc but he doesn't treat them badly and understands, even admires their urge to escape.Any thoughts on this?

Bernard Hepton's performance in this is one of his very best and I think the Kommandant is the series most fascinating character.

It is my business to protect your majesty.... against all things

[–] Gary-161 13 years ago

I don't know about good. He still says "Heil Hitler" with gusto. I suppose it is the puzzle of a man who supports a genocidal Junta while holding on to some misplaced sense of "legality." Of course, any real sense of legality was fluid in the light of Hitler playing each faction off each other to curry his favour. Unlike Mohn, The big K does at least have the sense to get on the right side of the prisoners when the s hit hits the fan.

[–] rachaelj-walker 13 years ago

I can't remember him saying 'Heil Hitler', although you are probably right that he did at some point. I do remember that his son said it with gusto and the Kommandant didn't reply that time. It also seemed to me he looked a little sad - but that could easily be because his son had just gone off for active duty.

I have to fall on the side of decent, mainly because of the attempts made to keep the SS out and his attempt to get rid of Mohn when he realised he would cause problems. I don't think it was just for an easy life, but that he really doesn't want to shoot the prisoners. On the other hand, he does give Mohn the job of recapturing escapees. Probably to get him out of the castle more but he was risking the Major getting trigger happy. The Kommandant also listens to the SBO and other nationalities even if he doesn't always do something about it.

Compared to the other two Kommandants we see in the series, he seems the nicest of the bunch. The one in the first episode seemed a nasty piece of work, really enjoying lording it up over the POW's, and the one in the second episode didn't seem especially concerned at the state Carter was in after the Gestapo got through with him. I'm not saying Colditz Kommandant would have given him a cup of tea, but I think he might have been a little less bombastic.

I think 'our' Kommandant was just trying to do the best in a bad situation.

[–] Isabella_Rose 13 years ago

I agree with you about the Kommandant. I have been watching him with interest throughout the whole show to see him turn and show "true colours" but I believe that what he has been doing all along is just that.

He respects rules, and shows respect to those that show it to him and show that they recognise his position.

Sometimes, he does appear to be quite niave in his decisions, but although he is aware that his prison is supposed to be inescapable, he realises that POW's will attempt at all costs because it is their "duty".

He can make all their lives difficult or just be prepared that certain stances he takes will enable them an attempt and try their best to prevent.

I also have a lot of appreciation for his Head of Security..I believe his name is Ullman. In the episode "Tweedledum" he showed he wasn't a complete statue and from then on in, has tried his best by everyone whilst adhering to rules and policy.

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You were born with nothing. Everything after is a bonus.

[–] Gary-161 13 years ago

Seems I was wrong about the, er, sense of Mohn. They took his rabbits. LOL! That episode was just a joy. Hard to believe it was penned by the same chap who wrote most of the otherwise woeful "Supernatural."

As for Ullman, he was prepared to sell out his own Kommandant.

[–] Isabella_Rose 13 years ago

Ullman was caught between a rock and a hard place. He evidently wanted nothing to do with Mohn, but if I remember in a discussion between the two of them, Mohn threatened him with something.

Ullman wanted the Kommandant to find out about him doing certain things and was dropping hints to have him ask him directly...

Unless I'm remembering incorrectly....quite possible.

I actually started feeling a little sorry for Mohn even though I know he was an idiot.

The commandos, when he went with them he had fully intended on seeing them to their rightful destination in order to put the SBO's mind at rest, but then orders from above him stated otherwise that it wasn't to happen. There was nothing that could be done about that.

There was also another interaction between him and ...er... the escape officer who took over from Pat Reid...his name escapes me at the moment. There was a lot of tension between them, but he did make an effort at some points to engage man to man rather than prat to prisoner.

And lastly his interaction with the flight officer who came in and said he didn't want to escape much to everyones detriment. He had a discussion with him in the library...

Just those scenes, showed him as a bit more human IMHO.

----
You were born with nothing. Everything after is a bonus.

[–] Gary-161 13 years ago

>>I actually started feeling a little sorry for Mohn even though I know he was an idiot. >>The commandos, when he went with them he had fully intended on seeing them to their rightful destination in order to put the SBO's mind at rest, but then orders from above him stated otherwise that it wasn't to happen. There was nothing that could be done about that.

Do you mean Mohn or Ullman here? I got the impression Mohn was taking the Commandos to be shot and was irritated that he couldn't finish the job. Instead, the Gestapo took over and made it look like an escape.

[–] Isabella_Rose 13 years ago

I mean Mohn.

He said that he had been given orders in Colditz of the men's rightful place. The superior who was with him said those orders had been over... basically higher orders came that they were to be taken care off. He argued a bit about where they were supposed to go, and the superior smugly said he had orders in his pocket higher than the ones he had been given.

The commandos took off of their own back so they could at least die with "honour" at trying to escape rather than kneel down and be executed.

----
You were born with nothing. Everything after is a bonus.

[–] John-367 13 years ago

"As for Ullman, he was prepared to sell out his own Kommandant."

I don't think that's true at all. When Mohn directly asked for his support in undermining the Kommandant, Ullman was evasive. Mohn mistook this for agreement but he was definitely wrong to make that assumption.
Ullman then, albeit reluctant to tell tales on Mohn, indicated to the Kommandant enough to let him know that Mohn was a problem.
I don't think there was any question that Ullman would side with Mohn rather than the Kommandant. Ullman's views about his role and his attitude towards the prisoners seemed much closer to the Kommanmdandt's and very much at odds with those of Mohn.

[–] Flossieandflo 13 years ago

As a Wehrmacht man he recognised the Geneva convention, so he treated the POWs in accordance with such. He isn't always kindly though, in series 1 he is furious with Col Preston for attempting to escape because this was contrary to his duty as commanding officer (which was not to abandon his men). He threatens him with a Court Martial with possible death penalty if I remember rightly, despite knowing he had just lost his wife. I would describe him as a man of honour, rather than kindly.

[–] Altho73 13 years ago

The Kommandant did not threaten Colonel Preston with a court martial because he took part in an escape but because he instigated the attempted bribery and corruption of a German guard which IS a breach of military discipline. However he later withdrew the instigation of a court martial on compassionate grounds and punished the Colonel with 28 days solitary.

In a later episode Flt Lt Jack Collins, (a real scumbag who also cheated Captain Brent out of his life savings and house) was responsible for the much more serious bribery and corruption of another German guard which resulted in the guard's death. However Collins was not court martialed, he merely got 28 days solitary. This seems very inconsistent

[–] Gary-161 13 years ago

Maybe it was seen as different because the guard owed a prisoner money, rather than outright bribery.

[–] Flossieandflo 13 years ago

Yes, I had forgotten the bribery element. Perhaps the inconsistency was in part due to rank?

[–] youngian67 13 years ago

Hepton’s character is that of the honourable Prussian gentleman doing his duty. This type of character often pops up in the post war British war film and comic mythology which is mainly told from point of view of officers and the upper classes. Other examples include James Mason’s Rommel and Anton Walbrook’s Kretschmar-Schuldorff in the Life and Death Colonel Blimp.

They were the cousins of the British aristocracy and upper middle classes and on the whole ‘a decent sort.’ Nazis officers however are usually portrayed as chippy lower middle class former shop keepers and bureaucrats from untrustworthy stock.

There was an interesting few lines from Fl Lt Carter, written for more modern sensibilities, about why no NCOs were involved in escapes. Apparently they got sent to really rotten camps if caught while officers just got solitary so they were excluded for their own good.

How jolly considerate of you chaps!

[–] Maddyclassicfilms 13 years ago

Thanks for all the replies guys I'm a few episodes behind at the moment but I shall be catching up soon.Glad to see it's not just me with this view of the Kommandant.

Now some of you brought up Mohn. What a scumbag! his treatment of Carter and everyone was awful, what a sadist, no wonder he was a pal of Hitler!

I see no redeeming features in him at all and I'm hoping he gets transferred out.I have seen the one where the Kommandant want's him gone but his friend who's a General warns him off because of Mohn's high connections.

"It is my business to protect your majesty.... against all things."

[–] Elmatador 10 years ago

Hi!

I also agree with the statement that the Kommendant a man of honour and treated the prisoners according to the rules.

*possible spoler alert, about the final episode*
In the last episode is a exchange between the Kommendant and Preston where they talk about their relationship and say goodbyes. Im not going to say more, in case you have not seen it yet.

I also think that one thing that has not been mentioned yet is that both Kommandant and Preston were veterans of the first world war (if i remember correctly), so they knew the horrors of war and it probably affected their attitudes, especially Kommandants: he was more immune to the war propaganda of the Nazis.

[–] Maddyclassicfilms 10 years ago

Thanks for your thoughts Elmatador. Yes I have seen all the episodes now and I agree about them being WW1 veterans and in the Kommandant's case he was anti Nazi and more sympathetic to the prisoners and their situation.

It is my business to protect your majesty.... against all things.

[–] fredgarv79 11 years ago

Of course he was a good man. whenever he did say "heil hitler" is was certainly not with gusto. he was a proud old school prussian who believed in fair play and to respect your enemy. he would have participated in a second in a kill hitler plot if he had thought it had a chance to actually work.oh maybe not early in the war but certainly as it became clear what hitler was doing and what the SS was all about, he would have been a conspirator for sure.

but what I really wanted to say was what a great actor. I could have watched him in this series virtually forever. the guy who played ulman was awesome too. he looked menacing as hell but was actually one of the good guys. and of course the younger Lt who was the A-hole in this was just brilliant also. I swear I would not care if they repeated things and had 500 similar type escapes and run ins with the germans, I would have watched it all for another 15 series! just to see these actors do their thing playing these great characters

I just bought secret army and was dearly hoping it would be the same actor playing a german in that series but found out he plays the cafe owner. oh well...

[–] Maddyclassicfilms 11 years ago

Agreed fredgarv79 Bernard is a brilliant actor. Check him out in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Smiley's People. Hans Meyer(Ullman)is also great.

I too wish Colditz had run for many more seasons. The actors are what make this series so good in my opinion not just the escape attempts.

It is my business to protect your majesty.... against all things.

[–] Altho73 10 years ago

Maddy, I agree with you that the Kommandant was a really good man, very fair and honourable. You only have to compare him to the Kommandant in Laufen, Grant's first camp in the very first episode of the series. He was horrible, a real nasty piece of work.

Some further information - in real life there were THREE Kommandants at Colditz -
Schmitt 1939 to 1941 was pensioned off after a series of escapes
Glaesche 1941 to 1943 was removed after a series of escapes
Prawitt 1943 to 1945(who bore a striking resemblance to Bernard Hepton) remained until the castle was liberated in 1945.

Reid in his book said that the British prisoners liked the second Kommandant and actually felt sorry for him because he was really too nice a guy to be in charge of a prison camp.

[–] Maddyclassicfilms 10 years ago

Thanks Altho73. Interesting info about the Kommandants, thanks for sharing. I totally agree about the first Kommandant in Grant's first camp a very cruel man.

Maddy

It is my business to protect your majesty.... against all things.