Hitler: The Rise of Evil
Encyclopedia
Hitler: The Rise of Evil is a Canadian
TV miniseries
in two parts, directed by Christian Duguay
and produced by Alliance Atlantis
. It explores Adolf Hitler
's rise and his early consolidation of power during the years after World War I
and focuses on how the embittered, politically fragmented and economically buffeted state of German
society following the war made that ascent possible. The film also focuses on Ernst Hanfstaengl
's influence on Hitler's rise to power. The miniseries, which premiered simultaneously in May 2003 on CBC
in Canada and CBS
in the United States, received two Emmy award
s, for Art Direction and Sound Editing.
The film's subplot follows the struggles of Fritz Gerlich
, a German journalist
who opposes the rising National Socialist German Workers Party. He is portrayed as to fulfill the essence of the quotation disputably attributed to Edmund Burke
, which is displayed at the beginning and at the end of the film:
and beloved mother Klara
, to his life as a destitute student trying to pursue a career as an artist. It also documents his gradual embrace of anti-semitism
.
Hitler is then shown to join the German Workers' Party
and befriends Ernst Röhm
, leading to the Munich
Beer Hall Putsch
and finally his quest to become Chancellor of Germany.
In this film, Hitler's rise is largely attributed to Ernst Hanfstaengl
, who finances his cause and provides him with political connections. Hitler is shown to harbor romantic feelings for Hanfstaengel's wife, Helene. Hitler's friendship with Röhm is also well highlighted — including the latter's homosexuality
— as well as his relationship with his niece Geli Raubal
, and her mysterious death.
Major events shown in the later stages of the film are the appointment of Hitler as Chancellor of Germany
, the Reichstag Fire
, the announcement of the Enabling Act, the Night of the Long Knives, and finally the death of President
Hindenburg
and subsequent burial in the Tannenberg memorial
, where Hitler declares the "1000-year Reich" as his voice is drowned in the chants of "Sieg Heil" from an adoring crowd.
The New York Times
said "The filmmakers worked so hard to be tasteful and responsible that they robbed their film of suspense, drama and passion" but praised the performances of Peter O'Toole, Julianna Margulies and Liev Schreiber.
David Wiegand of the San Francisco Chronicle
gave it a positive review, praising Carlyle's performance as "brilliant".
Entertainment Weekly
gave it an F, calling it pointless, inaccurate and poorly dramatized.
had been on board as a consultant in the production of Hitler: The Rise of Evil. Alliance Atlantis, which had purchased the rights to Kershaw's celebrated biography, admitted their intention to adapt his book for film to make it more dramatic, but Kershaw found the miniseries to be so rife with falsehoods and historical inaccuracies regarding Hitler's life that he ultimately chose to have his name removed from the project.
At the beginning of the film, Hitler's father Alois Hitler
is shown dying in front of a young Hitler and Hitler's mother Klara, at their home during a meal. In fact, Hitler's father died when he went out for his usual morning drink at his local inn, the Gasthaus Stiefler.
Klara Hitler's doctor, Dr. Eduard Bloch
(who diagnosed her with breast cancer
) is portrayed as a Hasidic Jew. In reality, like most Jews in Linz
at the time, Bloch was fully assimilated
into Austro-Hungarian society.
Hitler is shown as fleeing from Vienna
on a train bound for Munich
in May 1914. In reality, the time of Hitler's departure from the then Austro-Hungarian Empire for Germany
was actually exactly one year earlier in May 1913.
Hitler was awarded the Iron Cross
for repeated acts of bravery in front line service, and not for the cynical political reasons given in the film (though historian Thomas Weber, writing some years after the series, states it was mostly for his proximity to regimental command and that he actually spent the war in relative comfort and safety as a regimental, rather than battalion, runner, though this detail was not known at the time the series was made.)
Additionally, there are multiple issues with military awards. For example, Erich Ludendorff
is shown wearing a Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross
. This exclusive medal has been awarded only twice, but Ludendorff was not a recipient. Furthermore, the German Army at the time did not wear Ribbon bar
s, as is depicted in the film.
When Hitler returns to Munich after the War, communist revolutionaries are shown beheading a statue of Kaiser Wilhelm II. In fact, there were no statues of Wilhelm II in Imperial Germany because it was deemed inappropriate to represent a living person (the only exception being one on the Hohenzollernbrücke
in Cologne
). Even so, the least likely location would have been the capital of Bavaria
, a region whose inhabitants harbored deep resentments against everything and anyone they felt to be "Prussia
n".
In a scene depicting his first meeting in 1919 with the German Workers' Party
, he said he "didn't drink". While Hitler diminished his alcohol intake after coming out of Landsberg Prison
in 1925, he would occasionally drink beer and wine, which was ironically later depicted in the film when Hitler officially obtained his German citizenship in a ceremony in 1932.
Anton Drexler
is depicted as not wearing glasses or having a moustache; in fact, he had both. Ironically Gottfried Feder
is shown as wearing spectacles when in reality he actually did not. Feder is also shown without a moustache when in reality he had a trade-mark Toothbrush moustache
.
One scene depicts Feder giving a speech at a beer hall advocating the separation of Catholic
Bavaria from the rest of Germany. In reality, he said that the German state of Bavaria and Austria
should annex together to form a nation separate from Germany.
In the scene in the Kroll Opera House, Hitler is shown to meet opposition from other parties. In reality the Reichstag
largely supported the bill, which passed 444-94 with the only dissenters being the Social Democratic Party
.
One brief scene shows Hitler forcefully kissing his niece, Geli. Though he was very close to her, there are no historical documents which say that Hitler actually ever had a sexual relationship with his niece. She is also shown to commit suicide the same night as the 1930 election, but in reality she died more than a year after this event.
Furthermore, Ludendorff is seen in full uniform when marching towards Odeonsplatz on the second day of the Beer hall Putsch. In reality, he wore civilian clothing, like Hitler.
Other notable inaccuracies include:
. Gernon, an executive vice president at Alliance Atlantis, the production company behind Hitler: The Rise of Evil, was abandoned even after more than a decade of service to the company. CBS said that his "personal opinions are not shared by CBS and misrepresent the network's motivation for broadcasting this film".
Associates claimed that CBS was prompted to act by a New York Post
article that claimed the comment was a sign of Hollywood’s anti-Americanism
and stated that Gernon had said President George W. Bush
should be looked at “through the prism of Germany’s psychopath.”
, the film was aired on the Seven Network
. The network initially used a promotion which went as follows:
Boy 1: "When I grow up, I want to be a fireman." (shows drawing a fire truck)
Narrator: "Every child needs encouragement..."
Girl: "When I grow up, I want to be a nurse." (shows drawing of a hospital)
Narrator: "But what if you encouraged the wrong child?"
Boy 2: "When I grow up, I want to be much, much more..." (shows child violently drawing a Nazi flag)
The advertisement then proceeded to show the trailer for the film. After some review, the network decided that it was inappropriate to use such a tone to promote a film about Hitler, so the initial scenes were removed and the standard trailer was shown.
Television in Canada
Television in Canada officially began with the opening of the nation's first television stations in Montreal and Toronto in 1952. As with most media in Canada, the television industry, and the television programming available in that country, are strongly influenced by the American media, perhaps...
TV miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
in two parts, directed by Christian Duguay
Christian Duguay (director)
Christian Duguay is a Canadian director. He directed the Emmy nominated miniseries Hitler: The Rise of Evil, which aired on the CBC in May 2003. He is best known for directing the action films Screamers starring Peter Weller and Roy Dupuis and The Art of War starring Wesley Snipes and Michael...
and produced by Alliance Atlantis
Alliance Atlantis
Alliance Atlantis Communications Inc. was a Toronto-based media company that operated primarily as a specialty service operator in Canada. Alliance Atlantis also had offices in Halifax, Los Angeles, London, Dublin, Madrid, Barcelona, Shannon and Sydney.Alliance Atlantis was acquired by Canwest...
. It explores Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
's rise and his early consolidation of power during the years after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and focuses on how the embittered, politically fragmented and economically buffeted state of German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
society following the war made that ascent possible. The film also focuses on Ernst Hanfstaengl
Ernst Hanfstaengl
Ernst Franz Sedgwick Hanfstaengl , was a Harvard-educated German businessman who was an intimate of Adolf Hitler before falling out of favor and defecting. He later worked for Franklin D...
's influence on Hitler's rise to power. The miniseries, which premiered simultaneously in May 2003 on CBC
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
in Canada and CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
in the United States, received two Emmy award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
s, for Art Direction and Sound Editing.
The film's subplot follows the struggles of Fritz Gerlich
Fritz Gerlich
Carl Albert Fritz Gerlich was a German journalist and historian, and one of the main journalistic resisters to Adolf Hitler.-Early life:...
, a German journalist
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
who opposes the rising National Socialist German Workers Party. He is portrayed as to fulfill the essence of the quotation disputably attributed to Edmund Burke
Edmund Burke
Edmund Burke PC was an Irish statesman, author, orator, political theorist and philosopher who, after moving to England, served for many years in the House of Commons of Great Britain as a member of the Whig party....
, which is displayed at the beginning and at the end of the film:
- "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
Cast
- Robert CarlyleRobert CarlyleRobert Carlyle, OBE is a Scottish film and television actor. He is known for a variety of roles including those in Trainspotting, Hamish Macbeth, The Full Monty, The World Is Not Enough, Angela's Ashes, The 51st State, and 28 Weeks Later...
as Adolf HitlerAdolf HitlerAdolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945... - Stockard ChanningStockard ChanningStockard Channing is an American stage, film and television actress. She is known for her portrayal of First Lady Abbey Bartlet in the NBC television series The West Wing; for playing Betty Rizzo in the film Grease; and for her role as Ouisa Kittredge in the play Six Degrees of Separation and its...
as Klara HitlerKlara HitlerKlara Hitler née Pölzl was an Austrian woman, the wife of Alois Hitler and the mother of Adolf Hitler.-Family background and marriage:... - Jena MaloneJena MaloneJena Malone is an American actress and musician who has appeared on television, in films, and on Broadway. She made her movie debut with the film Bastard Out of Carolina , and has appeared in films including Contact , Stepmom , Donnie Darko , Saved! , Into the Wild , and Sucker Punch .Malone is...
as Geli RaubalGeli RaubalAngelika Maria "Geli" Raubal was Adolf Hitler's half niece. Born in Linz, Austria-Hungary, she was the second child and eldest daughter of Leo Raubal Sr. and Hitler's half-sister, Angela Raubal... - Julianna MarguliesJulianna MarguliesJulianna Luisa Margulies is an American actress and producer.After several small television roles, Margulies achieved success in her regular role as Nurse Carol Hathaway on NBC's long-running medical drama ER, for which she won an Emmy Award...
as Helene Hanfstaengl - Matthew ModineMatthew ModineMatthew Avery Modine is an award-winning American actor. His film roles include Private Joker in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket, the title character in Alan Parker's Birdy, high school wrestler Louden Swain in Vision Quest, football star turned spy Alec McCall in Funky Monkey and the...
as Fritz GerlichFritz GerlichCarl Albert Fritz Gerlich was a German journalist and historian, and one of the main journalistic resisters to Adolf Hitler.-Early life:... - Liev SchreiberLiev SchreiberIsaac Liev Schreiber , commonly known as Liev Schreiber, is an American actor, producer, director, and screenwriter. He became known during the late 1990s and early 2000s, having initially appeared in several independent films, and later mainstream Hollywood films, including the Scream trilogy of...
as Ernst HanfstaenglErnst HanfstaenglErnst Franz Sedgwick Hanfstaengl , was a Harvard-educated German businessman who was an intimate of Adolf Hitler before falling out of favor and defecting. He later worked for Franklin D... - Peter StormarePeter Stormareis a Swedish film, stage, voice and television actor as well as a theatrical director, playwright and musician.- Early life :...
as Ernst RöhmErnst RöhmErnst Julius Röhm, was a German officer in the Bavarian Army and later an early Nazi leader. He was a co-founder of the Sturmabteilung , the Nazi Party militia, and later was its commander... - Friedrich von Thun as Erich LudendorffErich LudendorffErich Friedrich Wilhelm Ludendorff was a German general, victor of Liège and of the Battle of Tannenberg...
- Peter O'ToolePeter O'ToolePeter Seamus Lorcan O'Toole is an Irish actor of stage and screen. O'Toole achieved stardom in 1962 playing T. E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia, and then went on to become a highly-honoured film and stage actor. He has been nominated for eight Academy Awards, and holds the record for most...
as Paul von HindenburgPaul von HindenburgPaul Ludwig Hans Anton von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg , known universally as Paul von Hindenburg was a Prussian-German field marshal, statesman, and politician, and served as the second President of Germany from 1925 to 1934.... - Zoe TelfordZoe Telford-Television:Telford has appeared in the following:Absolute Power, Teachers, Agatha Christie's Poirot - Death on the Nile, Afterlife, Cutting It, The Golden Hour, Lewis, Agatha Christie's Marple - The Sittaford Mystery, as Eva Braun in Hitler: The Rise of Evil, as Abigail Thomas in The Palace, as...
as Eva BraunEva BraunEva Anna Paula Hitler was the longtime companion of Adolf Hitler and, for less than 40 hours, his wife. Braun met Hitler in Munich, when she was 17 years old, while working as an assistant and model for his personal photographer and began seeing him often about two years later... - Terence Harvey as Gustav von Kahr
- Justin SalingerJustin SalingerJustin Salinger is a British actor, notable for work including Revengers Tragedy , Hitler: The Rise of Evil and Beau Brummell: This Charming Man and the stage play Modern Dance for Beginners. He graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 1996.-References:...
as Dr. Joseph GoebbelsJoseph GoebbelsPaul Joseph Goebbels was a German politician and Reich Minister of Propaganda in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. As one of Adolf Hitler's closest associates and most devout followers, he was known for his zealous oratory and anti-Semitism... - Chris LarkinChris LarkinChris Larkin is an English actor.He was born Christopher Stephens in the Middlesex Hospital in London and trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He is the elder son of Dame Maggie Smith, and the late Sir Robert Stephens...
as Hermann GöringHermann GöringHermann Wilhelm Göring, was a German politician, military leader, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. He was a veteran of World War I as an ace fighter pilot, and a recipient of the coveted Pour le Mérite, also known as "The Blue Max"... - James BabsonJames BabsonJames Babson is an American actor who studied at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Drama. Notable screen appearances include the roles of Rudolf Hess in Hitler: The Rise of Evil and Agent Moss in Hellboy.-External links:*...
as Rudolf HessRudolf HessRudolf Walter Richard Hess was a prominent Nazi politician who was Adolf Hitler's deputy in the Nazi Party during the 1930s and early 1940s... - Patricia Netzer as Sophie Gerlich
- Harvey FriedmanHarvey Friedman (actor)Harvey Friedman , sometimes credited as Harvey Friedmann, is an American film, television and theatre actor.-Early life and education:He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and studied drama at Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh....
as Friedrich HollaenderFriedrich HollaenderFriedrich Hollaender was a German film composer.He was born in London, where his father, operetta composer Victor Hollaender, worked at the Barnum & Bailey Circus... - Nicole Marischka as Blandine Ebinger
- Julie-Ann Hassett as Angela HitlerAngela HitlerAngela Franziska Johanna Hammitzsch , first married to Leo Raubal, Sr., was the elder half-sister of Adolf Hitler.-Life:...
- Thomas SangsterThomas SangsterThomas Brodie Sangster is an English film and television actor, best known for his roles in Love Actually, Nanny McPhee, The Last Legion, and voice of Ferb Fletcher in Phineas and Ferb.-Personal life:...
as Hitler age 10 - Simon Sullivan as Hitler age 17
- Robert GlenisterRobert GlenisterRobert Lewis Glenister is a British actor known for his roles as con man Ash "Three Socks" Morgan in the British TV series Hustle, and Nicholas Blake in the BBC spy drama Spooks.-Career:...
as Anton DrexlerAnton DrexlerAnton Drexler was a German right-wing political leader of the 1920s, known for being Adolf Hitler's mentor during his early days in politics.-Biography:... - Brendan Hughes as Hugo GutmannHugo GutmannHugo Gutmann was a German-Jewish veteran of World War I who is famously known as Adolf Hitler's superior officer during the war, as well as the man responsible for recommending Hitler for the award of the Iron Cross.-Early Life and Army career:...
- Ian HoggIan Hogg (actor)Ian Hogg is a British actor.- Early life :He is the son of a doctor and was educated at Durham School, Durham University and the Central School of Speech and Drama...
as Alois HitlerAlois HitlerAlois Hitler was an Austrian civil servant who was the father of Adolf Hitler.-Early life:...
Plot
The story revolves around Adolf Hitler, from his childhood with his authoritarian father AloisAlois Hitler
Alois Hitler was an Austrian civil servant who was the father of Adolf Hitler.-Early life:...
and beloved mother Klara
Klara Hitler
Klara Hitler née Pölzl was an Austrian woman, the wife of Alois Hitler and the mother of Adolf Hitler.-Family background and marriage:...
, to his life as a destitute student trying to pursue a career as an artist. It also documents his gradual embrace of anti-semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
.
Hitler is then shown to join the German Workers' Party
German Workers' Party
The German Workers' Party was the short-lived predecessor of the Nazi Party .-Origins:The DAP was founded in Munich in the hotel "Fürstenfelder Hof" on January 5, 1919 by Anton Drexler, a member of the occultist Thule Society. It developed out of the "Freien Arbeiterausschuss für einen guten...
and befriends Ernst Röhm
Ernst Röhm
Ernst Julius Röhm, was a German officer in the Bavarian Army and later an early Nazi leader. He was a co-founder of the Sturmabteilung , the Nazi Party militia, and later was its commander...
, leading to the Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
Beer Hall Putsch
Beer Hall Putsch
The Beer Hall Putsch was a failed attempt at revolution that occurred between the evening of 8 November and the early afternoon of 9 November 1923, when Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler, Generalquartiermeister Erich Ludendorff, and other heads of the Kampfbund unsuccessfully tried to seize power...
and finally his quest to become Chancellor of Germany.
In this film, Hitler's rise is largely attributed to Ernst Hanfstaengl
Ernst Hanfstaengl
Ernst Franz Sedgwick Hanfstaengl , was a Harvard-educated German businessman who was an intimate of Adolf Hitler before falling out of favor and defecting. He later worked for Franklin D...
, who finances his cause and provides him with political connections. Hitler is shown to harbor romantic feelings for Hanfstaengel's wife, Helene. Hitler's friendship with Röhm is also well highlighted — including the latter's homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
— as well as his relationship with his niece Geli Raubal
Geli Raubal
Angelika Maria "Geli" Raubal was Adolf Hitler's half niece. Born in Linz, Austria-Hungary, she was the second child and eldest daughter of Leo Raubal Sr. and Hitler's half-sister, Angela Raubal...
, and her mysterious death.
Major events shown in the later stages of the film are the appointment of Hitler as Chancellor of Germany
Chancellor of Germany
The Chancellor of Germany is, under the German 1949 constitution, the head of government of Germany...
, the Reichstag Fire
Reichstag fire
The Reichstag fire was an arson attack on the Reichstag building in Berlin on 27 February 1933. The event is seen as pivotal in the establishment of Nazi Germany....
, the announcement of the Enabling Act, the Night of the Long Knives, and finally the death of President
President of Germany
The President of the Federal Republic of Germany is the country's head of state. His official title in German is Bundespräsident . Germany has a parliamentary system of government and so the position of President is largely ceremonial...
Hindenburg
Paul von Hindenburg
Paul Ludwig Hans Anton von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg , known universally as Paul von Hindenburg was a Prussian-German field marshal, statesman, and politician, and served as the second President of Germany from 1925 to 1934....
and subsequent burial in the Tannenberg memorial
Tannenberg Memorial
The Tannenberg Memorial commemorated fallen German soldiers of the second Battle of Tannenberg in 1914, which was named after the medieval Battle of Tannenberg...
, where Hitler declares the "1000-year Reich" as his voice is drowned in the chants of "Sieg Heil" from an adoring crowd.
Reception
The miniseries received overall negative reviews but was nominated for an Emmy for Best Miniseries. Peter O'Toole was also nominated for an Emmy in the supporting actor in a TV movie or miniseries category. The miniseries won Emmys for Art Direction and Sound Editing.The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
said "The filmmakers worked so hard to be tasteful and responsible that they robbed their film of suspense, drama and passion" but praised the performances of Peter O'Toole, Julianna Margulies and Liev Schreiber.
David Wiegand of the San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
gave it a positive review, praising Carlyle's performance as "brilliant".
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
gave it an F, calling it pointless, inaccurate and poorly dramatized.
Historical inaccuracies and criticism
Originally, famed Hitler biographer Ian KershawIan Kershaw
Sir Ian Kershaw is a British historian of 20th-century Germany whose work has chiefly focused on the period of the Third Reich...
had been on board as a consultant in the production of Hitler: The Rise of Evil. Alliance Atlantis, which had purchased the rights to Kershaw's celebrated biography, admitted their intention to adapt his book for film to make it more dramatic, but Kershaw found the miniseries to be so rife with falsehoods and historical inaccuracies regarding Hitler's life that he ultimately chose to have his name removed from the project.
At the beginning of the film, Hitler's father Alois Hitler
Alois Hitler
Alois Hitler was an Austrian civil servant who was the father of Adolf Hitler.-Early life:...
is shown dying in front of a young Hitler and Hitler's mother Klara, at their home during a meal. In fact, Hitler's father died when he went out for his usual morning drink at his local inn, the Gasthaus Stiefler.
Klara Hitler's doctor, Dr. Eduard Bloch
Eduard Bloch
Dr. Eduard Bloch was a Jewish-Austrian doctor practicing in Linz . Until 1907 Bloch was the doctor of Adolf Hitler's family...
(who diagnosed her with breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
) is portrayed as a Hasidic Jew. In reality, like most Jews in Linz
Linz
Linz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria . It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube. The population of the city is , and that of the Greater Linz conurbation is about...
at the time, Bloch was fully assimilated
Jewish assimilation
Jewish assimilation refers to the cultural assimilation and social integration of Jews in their surrounding culture. Assimilation became legally possible in Europe during the Age of Enlightenment.-Background:Judaism forbids the worship of other gods...
into Austro-Hungarian society.
Hitler is shown as fleeing from Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
on a train bound for Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
in May 1914. In reality, the time of Hitler's departure from the then Austro-Hungarian Empire for Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
was actually exactly one year earlier in May 1913.
Hitler was awarded the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
for repeated acts of bravery in front line service, and not for the cynical political reasons given in the film (though historian Thomas Weber, writing some years after the series, states it was mostly for his proximity to regimental command and that he actually spent the war in relative comfort and safety as a regimental, rather than battalion, runner, though this detail was not known at the time the series was made.)
Additionally, there are multiple issues with military awards. For example, Erich Ludendorff
Erich Ludendorff
Erich Friedrich Wilhelm Ludendorff was a German general, victor of Liège and of the Battle of Tannenberg...
is shown wearing a Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross
Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross
The Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest military decoration of the Kingdom of Prussia and the German Empire. It was considered a senior decoration to the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross....
. This exclusive medal has been awarded only twice, but Ludendorff was not a recipient. Furthermore, the German Army at the time did not wear Ribbon bar
Ribbon bar
Ribbon bars are small decorations that are worn by military, police, and fire service personnel or by civilians. Ribbon bars are mainly used when wearing either full decoration, or when wearing medals is considered inappropriate or impractical. Each military force has its own rules on what ribbons...
s, as is depicted in the film.
When Hitler returns to Munich after the War, communist revolutionaries are shown beheading a statue of Kaiser Wilhelm II. In fact, there were no statues of Wilhelm II in Imperial Germany because it was deemed inappropriate to represent a living person (the only exception being one on the Hohenzollernbrücke
Hohenzollernbrücke
The Hohenzollern Bridge is a bridge crossing the river Rhine in the German city of Cologne. It crosses the Rhine at kilometre 688.5. Originally, the bridge was both a railway and street bridge, however, after its destruction in 1945 and its subsequent reconstruction, it was only accessible to rail...
in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
). Even so, the least likely location would have been the capital of Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
, a region whose inhabitants harbored deep resentments against everything and anyone they felt to be "Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n".
In a scene depicting his first meeting in 1919 with the German Workers' Party
German Workers' Party
The German Workers' Party was the short-lived predecessor of the Nazi Party .-Origins:The DAP was founded in Munich in the hotel "Fürstenfelder Hof" on January 5, 1919 by Anton Drexler, a member of the occultist Thule Society. It developed out of the "Freien Arbeiterausschuss für einen guten...
, he said he "didn't drink". While Hitler diminished his alcohol intake after coming out of Landsberg Prison
Landsberg Prison
Landsberg Prison is a penal facility located in the town of Landsberg am Lech in the southwest of the German state of Bavaria, about west of Munich and south of Augsburg....
in 1925, he would occasionally drink beer and wine, which was ironically later depicted in the film when Hitler officially obtained his German citizenship in a ceremony in 1932.
Anton Drexler
Anton Drexler
Anton Drexler was a German right-wing political leader of the 1920s, known for being Adolf Hitler's mentor during his early days in politics.-Biography:...
is depicted as not wearing glasses or having a moustache; in fact, he had both. Ironically Gottfried Feder
Gottfried Feder
Gottfried Feder was an economist and one of the early key members of the Nazi party. He was their economic theoretician. Initially, it was his lecture in 1919 that drew Hitler into the party.- Biography :...
is shown as wearing spectacles when in reality he actually did not. Feder is also shown without a moustache when in reality he had a trade-mark Toothbrush moustache
Toothbrush moustache
The Toothbrush moustache is a moustache, shaved at the edges, except for three to five centimeters above the centre of the lip...
.
One scene depicts Feder giving a speech at a beer hall advocating the separation of Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
Bavaria from the rest of Germany. In reality, he said that the German state of Bavaria and Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
should annex together to form a nation separate from Germany.
In the scene in the Kroll Opera House, Hitler is shown to meet opposition from other parties. In reality the Reichstag
Reichstag (Weimar Republic)
The Reichstag was the parliament of Weimar Republic .German constitution commentators consider only the Reichstag and now the Bundestag the German parliament. Another organ deals with legislation too: in 1867-1918 the Bundesrat, in 1919–1933 the Reichsrat and from 1949 on the Bundesrat...
largely supported the bill, which passed 444-94 with the only dissenters being the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
.
One brief scene shows Hitler forcefully kissing his niece, Geli. Though he was very close to her, there are no historical documents which say that Hitler actually ever had a sexual relationship with his niece. She is also shown to commit suicide the same night as the 1930 election, but in reality she died more than a year after this event.
Furthermore, Ludendorff is seen in full uniform when marching towards Odeonsplatz on the second day of the Beer hall Putsch. In reality, he wore civilian clothing, like Hitler.
Other notable inaccuracies include:
- Hermann GöringHermann GöringHermann Wilhelm Göring, was a German politician, military leader, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. He was a veteran of World War I as an ace fighter pilot, and a recipient of the coveted Pour le Mérite, also known as "The Blue Max"...
and Joseph GoebbelsJoseph GoebbelsPaul Joseph Goebbels was a German politician and Reich Minister of Propaganda in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. As one of Adolf Hitler's closest associates and most devout followers, he was known for his zealous oratory and anti-Semitism...
are minor characters in the story, and so their contributions to Hitler's success is, for the most part, unexamined. - Ernst HanfstaenglErnst HanfstaenglErnst Franz Sedgwick Hanfstaengl , was a Harvard-educated German businessman who was an intimate of Adolf Hitler before falling out of favor and defecting. He later worked for Franklin D...
is given a prominent role, while Heinrich HimmlerHeinrich HimmlerHeinrich Luitpold Himmler was Reichsführer of the SS, a military commander, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. As Chief of the German Police and the Minister of the Interior from 1943, Himmler oversaw all internal and external police and security forces, including the Gestapo...
is not depicted. - Erich von Ludendorff is portrayed in the film as an ignorant, fatuous old man, with whom Hitler severed ties. However, according to The Rise and Fall of the Third ReichThe Rise and Fall of the Third ReichThe Rise and Fall of the Third Reich is a 1960 non-fiction book by William L. Shirer chronicling the general history of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945...
by William L. ShirerWilliam L. ShirerWilliam Lawrence Shirer was an American journalist, war correspondent, and historian, who wrote The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, a history of Nazi Germany read and cited in scholarly works for more than 50 years...
, Ludendorff abandoned Hitler, even refusing to accept a Field Marshal's baton. - Kurt von SchleicherKurt von SchleicherKurt von Schleicher was a German general and the last Chancellor of Germany during the era of the Weimar Republic. Seventeen months after his resignation, he was assassinated by order of his successor, Adolf Hitler, in the Night of the Long Knives....
's role in Hitler's rise to power is largely glossed over. Gregor StrasserGregor StrasserGregor Strasser was a politician of the National Socialist German Workers Party...
, Hitler's competitor, was also not portrayed with much importance. - Dietrich EckartDietrich EckartDietrich Eckart was a German journalist and politician, together with Adolf Hitler one of the early key members of the Nazi Party and a participant of the 1923 Beer Hall Putsch.-Biography:...
was a huge influence on Hitler until the Beer Hall putschBeer Hall PutschThe Beer Hall Putsch was a failed attempt at revolution that occurred between the evening of 8 November and the early afternoon of 9 November 1923, when Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler, Generalquartiermeister Erich Ludendorff, and other heads of the Kampfbund unsuccessfully tried to seize power...
of 1923. Hitler dedicated the second volume of Mein KampfMein KampfMein Kampf is a book written by Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. It combines elements of autobiography with an exposition of Hitler's political ideology. Volume 1 of Mein Kampf was published in 1925 and Volume 2 in 1926...
to Eckart. He is not portrayed or mentioned in the film. In Göring's first appearance in the film, he utters Eckart's words regarding leaders.
Controversy
Ed Gernon, the executive producer, was fired for comparing the climate of fear that led to the rise of Nazism to the war on terrorismWar on Terrorism
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
. Gernon, an executive vice president at Alliance Atlantis, the production company behind Hitler: The Rise of Evil, was abandoned even after more than a decade of service to the company. CBS said that his "personal opinions are not shared by CBS and misrepresent the network's motivation for broadcasting this film".
Associates claimed that CBS was prompted to act by a New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
article that claimed the comment was a sign of Hollywood’s anti-Americanism
Anti-Americanism
The term Anti-Americanism, or Anti-American Sentiment, refers to broad opposition or hostility to the people, policies, culture or government of the United States...
and stated that Gernon had said President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
should be looked at “through the prism of Germany’s psychopath.”
Promotion
In AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, the film was aired on the Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
. The network initially used a promotion which went as follows:
Boy 1: "When I grow up, I want to be a fireman." (shows drawing a fire truck)
Narrator: "Every child needs encouragement..."
Girl: "When I grow up, I want to be a nurse." (shows drawing of a hospital)
Narrator: "But what if you encouraged the wrong child?"
Boy 2: "When I grow up, I want to be much, much more..." (shows child violently drawing a Nazi flag)
The advertisement then proceeded to show the trailer for the film. After some review, the network decided that it was inappropriate to use such a tone to promote a film about Hitler, so the initial scenes were removed and the standard trailer was shown.