Hogans Heroes Anyone?

Hi Lias, Hogan's Heroes was actually created because of the William Holden classic: Stalag 13.

PS, did you know that all of the main German stars of that series, were German Jews! Klemperer, Banner, Caine and Askin were all Jewish. As well, LeBeau (Clary) is Jewish and was a former inmate of a Concentration Camp-where he lost some 22 members of his family.

Believe-it-or-not? but, I exchanged several emails with Robert Clary some several years ago. I think I still may have saved 1 or 2 of them somewhere? Anyway, the reason why I even mentioned this is because I had asked him in at least one email, how he felt being a character in Hogan's Heroes. If I recall, he told me it bothered him somewhat but, he didn't let that get in the way of doing his job.

The rest of the emails dealt with talking about his singing career. As far as I know, he is still living in New York City.

 

Hey Carl, you may know the answer to this question. I have been looking at Klink's awards and there is one I can never see clearly but it looks like the Fallshirmjager badge. Am I correct? It is located to Klink's left. His has the Iron Cross, The pilot's badge and the little eagle above his Iron Cross (forget the name but given to those who already have the Iron Cross 1st class). Just curious but it is driving me crazy.

 

Some of the actors, including Werner Klemperer (Klink), John Banner (Schultz), Robert Clary (LeBeau), and Leon Askin (Burkhalter), were Jews who had fled the Nazis during World War II. Clary says in the recorded commentary on the DVD version of episode "Art for Hogan's Sake" that he spent three years in a concentration camp, that his parents and other family members were killed there, and that he has an identity tattoo from the camp on his arm. Likewise John Banner was in a (pre-war) concentration camp and his family was exterminated during the war. Leon Askin was also in a pre-war French internment camp and his parents were killed at Treblinka. Howard Caine (Hochstetter) was also Jewish (his birth name was Cohen), and Jewish actors Harold Gould and Harold J. Stone played German generals.
As a teenager, Werner Klemperer (Klink) (son of the great conductor Otto Klemperer) fled Hitler's Germany with his family in 1933. During the show's production, he insisted that Hogan always win over his Nazi captors. He defended his playing a Nazi by claiming, "I am an actor. If I can play Richard III, I can play a Nazi." Banner attempted to sum up the paradox of his role by saying, "Who can play Nazis better than us Jews?" Ironically, although Klemperer, Banner, and Askin play typecast World War II German types, all had actually served in the US Armed Forces during World War II—Banner[9] and Askin in the US Army Air Corps and Klemperer in a US Army Entertainment Unit.

Hogan's Heroes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Wow Carl, I didn't know that. That's very interesting! I hope it didn't bother him too much, I mean the Germans in that show did come off looking like goofballs! Anyway, great info. Thanks!!!

 

Hi Ike, I think I know the badge your talking about-which is the Ground Combat Badge. I've seen the ground Combat Badge on his uniform along with the Pilots Badge (WWII version and not the Imperiel-like he should be wearing. Also, the Eagld attached above his 1939 EK1-which really should be a 1914 EK1-then the eagle badge-which is called a Spange (short for: Wiederholungsspange) The Eagle (Spange) badge, means that he won the 1939 EK1. Now the combo of both badges would mean that he won both the 1914 EK1 (the iron cross) with his second awarding of the EK1 being the Eagls badge (Spange) which would be the WWII equivillent to the 1914 EKI-but is not just a thin bar but is the Eagle which is over the 1914 EK1.

Sorry if Im confusing in the explanation. Also, his ribbon bar is a mock-up and a few of the so-called "decorations," are absolutely nothing. Anyway, to sum it up, Col. Klink won the EK1 twice and in two different wars. The reason why he got the 1939 (EK1 Spange) is because whatever he was supposedly have done to warrent another high decoration, was not high enough deed, for him to have been awarded the Knights Cross (in case his deed was early war) and probably before the German Cross in Gold was instituted.

Hope this helps? ;-D

I forgot to mention, that from a distance or a quick look, the Ground COmbad Badge can look like the Fallschirmjager (para) jump badge. I closely looked at all this stuff thanks to now owning the entire series run of Hogan's Heroes on dvd. I was able to pause and really look at stuff that was interesting as they came across. There are a very few episodes that also show Klink with a Nazi Party Badge on his right breast pocket.

And speaking of being awarded the EK1 twice once in each war. My Artillery Majors tunic has award loops for the 1914 EK1/1939EK! Spange combo (which didn't come with the tunic) and as well, (which did come with the tunic) his 1914 EK2 ribbon with 1939 EK2 Spange (which is also a badge in the shape of an Eagle) and is attached to the WWI EK2 ribbon located in the second buttonhole from the top; on his tunic. So the man who wore the tunic I have, won both classes of the Iron Cross, once each in both wars.

 

Hi Scott, from what I remember during Clary and my emails, he said that it did bring back bitter memories but, like what Werner Klemperor said somewhere above: "im an actor..." ;-))

I forgot to mention, that if anyone is interested? try buying one of Clarys CD's-he has a nice singing voice.

 

that was the word I couldn't come up with. Spange. I knew it and the award criteria. Don't they also wear a Spange on the Ribbon for the Iron Cross second class? Also, Have you noticed that every general that visits Stalag 13 wears the Knight's Cross with oakleaves and swords and yet they usually are not frontline commanders. Rather funny if you are in the know.

Thanks Carl.

 

Also, is the Mercedes G-4 offroader at the beginning of the show's credits original? It is also used as General Burkhalter's staff car.

 

Loved the show, amazing that no ever escaped from Stalag 13.

 

it's still funny

 

Hey you're name is to long, just joking!

You can get Hogan's heroe's on pay tv and dvd's. I love the series.
I must say i don't hav a fav cause, i love all of the characters.
I know bob craine was murdered over drugs, but what happend to the other characters?

 

Alas, most of the cast is now deceased. You can read up to date biographies of the cast members at the Hogan's Heroes Fan Club Site. Here is the link:

Hogan's Heroes Fan Club Homepage

 

The movie Auto Focus re Bob Crane's sordid fall into sexual addiction and his tragic and somewhat mysterious death is, of course, totally unreleated to the enjoyment of this hysterical spoof of POW camp life.

That said, it is interesting on a number fronts, notably his mixed fellings about playing such a character in a comedy of this type.

I have the DVD if anyone is interested.

 

Bob craine was murderd over drugs. If i can recall he was in the drug ring.
What i mean by that,he was invoveld with drug crooks.Maybe he owned them money.
It's been on a documentry before and the sad thing is that they show his dead body after his murder. It actually shocks you when you see him in that state,after when you been watching him on hogan's heroes for years.

 

Ah Hogan, this was a show that many of us here in Oz grew up on. Mash being the other 5pm mandatory veiwing ( another brilliant show ) To give you an idea of how ingrained Hogan was in our culture prior to the last election we had post cards of Sgt Shultz with John Howards ( our now ex prime minister ) face instead were circulated. Naturally the by line on the post card was " I know nothing ". Whish i had a scanner so i could show you the post card in question its hilarious especially for us in Oz

 

i just started watching Hogan's Heroes, and i love it. i found it on tv land obviously, since i wasn't even born when it was on the air originally. i've only watched a few episodes, so for the most part, "i know nothing, nothing!"

 

I watched this as a kid and liked it a lot - my mom and dad, understandably, did not think that funny Nazis or comedies set in prison camps were that appropriate.

Since my wife's grandmother had to put up with an SS office right across the street from where her and her husband had lived for years - the first time she saw the intro she cried.

I haven't seen it for years, though - I don't know if they'll ever show it here anymore.

 

I grew up on Hogan's Heroes. I still remember the opening theme music -- really liked the drums.

I don't have much else to say, but I think the fact that I remember most of the characters and some of the plots, after almost 40 years, says something about the quality of the series.

Also, I was most pleased to see that Colonel Klink once made an appearance in an episode of The Simpsons.