“Death is my Trade” centers on the life of Rudolph Höss, the commandant of Auschwitz II-Birkenau for the majority of its existence. The main character's name in the film is Franz Lang. This name change was deliberate to ensure that the character is not automatically viewed as being some sort of villain or demon. Franz is an average German kid growing up during World War I. The film follows Franz as he grows up and becomes a hard, efficient, organized worker who eventually joins the National Socialist party in Germany. Impressionable young Franz takes orders as one of the utmost points of honor and duty, so when he is eventually asked by Heinrich Himmler to become commandant of the largest extermination camp built during WWII he barely hesitates to consider how heavy such a burden will be.
Credits
Death Is My Trade Cast
| Name |
Character |
|
Götz George
He was 39, 77 years old when he died
|
as Franz Lang als Erwachsener |
|
Sigurd Fitzek
He was 48, now 95 years old
|
as Hauptmann Günther |
|
Werner Schwuchow
He was 42, now 90 years old
|
|
|
Klaus Münster
He was 42, now 89 years old
|
|
|
Klaus Münster
He was 42, now 89 years old
|
as Landarbeiter |
|
Peter Moland
He was 37, now 84 years old
|
|
|
Hans Korte
He was 48, now 95 years old
|
as Heinrich Himmler |
|
Brigitte Janner
She was 32, now 79 years old
|
as Magd |
|
Kai Taschner
He was 20, now 67 years old
|
as Franz Lang als Jugendlicher |
|
Claus-Dieter Reents
He was 34, 53 years old when he died
|
|
|
Peter Franke
He was 36, now 83 years old
|
as Schrader |
|
Elisabeth Stepanek
She was 25, 42 years old when she died
|
as Krankenschwester |
|
Werner Eichhorn
He was 55, 82 years old when he died
|
|
|
Matthias Fuchs
He was 38, 62 years old when he died
|
as Sturmbannführer Kellner |
|
Elisabeth Schwarz
She was 6, now 40 years old
|
as Else |
Death Is My Trade Crew
| Name |
Department |
|
Robert Merle as Novel. He was 69 (95) years old when He died
|
Writing |
|
Theodor Kotulla as Director. He was 49 (73) years old when He died
|
Directing |
|
Theodor Kotulla as Writer. He was 49 (73) years old when He died
|
Writing |
