''Selling Hitler'' is a 1991 ITV television comedy-drama mini-series about the

Hitler Diaries The Hitler Diaries (german: Hitler-Tagebücher) were a series of sixty volumes of journals purportedly written by Adolf Hitler, but forged by Konrad Kujau between 1981 and 1983. The diaries were purchased in 1983 for 9.3 million Deutsc ...

hoax and was based on Robert Harris's 1986 book ''Selling Hitler: The Story of the Hitler Diaries''.

Plot

In 1981,

Gerd Heidemann Gerd Heidemann (born 4 December 1931) is a German journalist best known for his role in the publication of purported Hitler Diaries that were subsequently proved to be forgeries. In the 1970s, Heidemann bought the yacht ''Carin II'', which had ...

(

Jonathan Pryce Sir Jonathan Pryce (born John Price; 1 June 1947) is a Welsh actor who is known for his performances on stage and in film and television. He has received numerous awards, including two Tony Awards and two Laurence Olivier Awards. In 2021 he wa ...

), a war correspondent and

reporter A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pictures, processes them into a news-worthy form, and disseminates it to the public. The act or process mainly done by the journalist is called journalism ...

with the German magazine ''

Stern The stern is the back or aft-most part of a ship or boat, technically defined as the area built up over the sternpost, extending upwards from the counter rail to the taffrail. The stern lies opposite the bow, the foremost part of a ship. Ori ...

'', makes what he believes is the literary and historical scoop of the century: the diary of

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

. Over the next two years, Heidemann and the senior management figures at ''Stern'' secretly pay DM 9 million to a mysterious "Dr Fischer" (

Alexei Sayle Alexei David Sayle (born 7 August 1952) is an English actor, author, stand-up comedian, television presenter and former recording artist. He was a leading figure in the British alternative comedy movement in the 1980s. He was voted the 18th gre ...

) for the sixty volumes of 'Hitler's diaries', covering the period from 1932 to 1945, plus a ''special volume'' about the flight of

Rudolf Hess Rudolf Walter Richard Hess (Heß in German; 26 April 1894 – 17 August 1987) was a German politician and a leading member of the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany. Appointed Deputy Führer to Adolf Hitler in 1933, Hess held that position un ...

to the United Kingdom. Some of the money is made as payment to "Dr Fischer" but the larger proportion goes into Heidemann's pocket, to finance his extravagant life and collection of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

memorabilia A souvenir (), memento, keepsake, or token of remembrance is an object a person acquires for the memories the owner associates with it. A souvenir can be any object that can be collected or purchased and transported home by the traveler as a ...

, including the yacht of

Hermann Göring Hermann Wilhelm Göring (or Goering; ; 12 January 1893 – 15 October 1946) was a German politician, military leader and convicted war criminal. He was one of the most powerful figures in the Nazi Party, which ruled Germany from 1933 to 1 ...

. To the dismay of all, including eminent

historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the st ...

s such as

Hugh Trevor-Roper Hugh Redwald Trevor-Roper, Baron Dacre of Glanton (15 January 1914 – 26 January 2003) was an English historian. He was Regius Professor of Modern History at the University of Oxford. Trevor-Roper was a polemicist and essayist on a range of ...

(

Alan Bennett Alan Bennett (born 9 May 1934) is an English actor, author, playwright and screenwriter. Over his distinguished entertainment career he has received numerous awards and honours including two BAFTA Awards, four Laurence Olivier Awards, and two ...

), who verified the diaries as authentic, it is discovered after the publication of the first extract that the diaries are crude fabrications by Stuttgart criminal

Konrad Kujau Konrad Paul Kujau (27 June 1938 – 12 September 2000) was a German illustrator and forger. He became famous in 1983 as the creator of the so-called Hitler Diaries, for which he received DM 2.5 million (€2,421,020 in 2020 terms, adjusted for i ...

Cast

The five-part series was directed by

Alastair Reid Alastair Reid (22 March 1926, in Whithorn – 21 September 2014, in Manhattan) was a Scottish poet and a scholar of Spanish literature, South American literature. He was known for his lighthearted style of poems and for his translations of South ...

and starred: *

(aka "Dr Fischer") *

Tom Baker Thomas Stewart Baker (born 20 January 1934) is an English actor and writer. He is well known for his portrayal of the fourth incarnation of the Doctor in the science fiction television series '' Doctor Who'' from 1974 to 1981.Scott, Danny. ( ...

as Manfred Fischer, CEO of

Gruner + Jahr Gruner + Jahr is a publishing house headquartered in Hamburg, Germany. The company was founded in 1965 by , , and Gerd Bucerius. From 1969 to 1973, Bertelsmann acquired a majority share in the company and gradually increased it over time. Af ...

Roger Lloyd-Pack Roger Anthony Lloyd-Pack (8 February 1944 – 16 January 2014) was an English actor. He is best known for playing Trigger in ''Only Fools and Horses'' from 1981 to 2003, and Owen Newitt in '' The Vicar of Dibley'' from 1994 to 2007. He later st ...

David Irving David John Cawdell Irving (born 24 March 1938) is an English author and Holocaust denier who has written on the military and political history of World War II, with a focus on Nazi Germany. His works include '' The Destruction of Dresden'' (1 ...

* Richard Wilson as

Henri Nannen Henri Nannen (25 December 1913 in Emden – 13 October 1996 in Hanover) was a German journalist and art collector. He became one of the most prominent journalists and magazine publishers in Germany. His father was a police officer in Emden who ...

Alison Doody Alison Doody (born March 9, 1966) is an Irish actress and model. After making her feature film debut as Bond girl Jenny Flex in ''A View to a Kill'' (1985), she went on to play Elsa Schneider in ''Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade'' (1989). Ot ...

as Gina Heidemann * Julie T. Wallace as Edith Lieblang *

Peter Capaldi Peter Dougan Capaldi (; born 14 April 1958) is a Scottish actor, director, writer and musician. He portrayed the twelfth incarnation of the Doctor in '' Doctor Who'' (2013–2017) and Malcolm Tucker in '' The Thick of It'' (2005–2012), fo ...

as Thomas Walde *

John Shrapnel John Morley Shrapnel (27 April 1942 – 14 February 2020) was an English actor. He is known mainly for his stage work with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre in the United Kingdom and for his many television appearances. O ...

as Gerd Schulte-Hillen *

Alison Steadman Alison Steadman (born 26 August 1946) is an English actress. She received the 1991 National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress for the Mike Leigh film '' Life Is Sweet'' and the 1993 Olivier Award for Best Actress for her role as ...

Edda Göring Edda Carin Wilhelmine Göring (2 June 1938 – 21 December 2018) was the only child of German politician, military leader, and leading member of the Nazi Party Hermann Göring, by his second marriage to the German actress Emmy Sonnemann. Born ...

* Philip Fox as Leo Pesch *

John Boswall John Boswall (2 May 1920 – 6 June 2011) was a British actor probably best known for playing Wyvern in '' Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest''. Early life and education Boswall was born John Stuart on 2 May 1920 in Oxfordshire, Engla ...

as August Priesack *

John Paul John Paul or ''variant'' may refer to: People ;Given name "John Paul": * John Paul (given name), lists bearers of the name, and equivalent names in other languages * Known as "John Paul" without surname: ** Pope John Paul I (1912–1978) ** Pope J ...

Karl Wolff Karl Friedrich Otto Wolff (13 May 1900 – 17 July 1984) was a German SS functionary who served as Chief of Personal Staff Reichsführer-SS (Heinrich Himmler) and an SS liaison to Adolf Hitler during World War II. He ended the war as the Supre ...

Barry Humphries John Barry Humphries (born 17 February 1934) is an Australian comedian, actor, author and satirist. He is best known for writing and playing his on-stage and television alter egos Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson. He is also a film pro ...

Rupert Murdoch Keith Rupert Murdoch ( ; born 11 March 1931) is an Australian-born American business magnate. Through his company News Corp, he is the owner of hundreds of local, national, and international publishing outlets around the world, including ...

* Devon Scott as Barbara Dickmann *

Bob Goody Robert Goody (born 16 April 1951) is a British actor, librettist, writer and former member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Theatre work Bob Goody trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (1973-1975). He was a founder member of the acclaim ...

as Nazi rally Chairman *

Robert Longden Robert Longden may refer to: * Robert Longden (cricketer) * Robert Longden (actor) {{hndis, Longden, Robert ...

as Dr. Louis Werner *

Mary Ellen Ray Mary Ellen Ray (3 January 1931 – 10 September 2004) was an American-born actress who had a career in the United Kingdom. Early life She was born as Mary Ellen McPherson in Springfield, Missouri in 1931 to 17 year-old Hayzle McPherson and ...

as Lynn Nesbit The series, which ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide ...

'' described as "a rollicking comedy with black edges", was released on Region 1 DVD in July 2010.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Selling Hitler 1991 British television series debuts 1991 British television series endings 1990s British drama television series Television series about journalism Television shows set in Germany ITV television dramas Documentary films about Adolf Hitler 1990s British television miniseries English-language television shows Television shows produced by Thames Television Television series by Fremantle (company) Television series by Euston Films Cultural depictions of Rupert Murdoch Television series set in 1981 Television series set in 1982 Television series set in 1983 Films directed by Alastair Reid