Hitler’s Henchmen (1996): S01E02 – Doenitz: The Successor

Introduction Hitler’s Henchmen (German: Hitler’s Helfer) is a biography, war documentary hosted by David Ritchie, published by SBS in 1996 and 1998. Outline To some Doenitz was the saviour of millions of refugees from the East, to others a cold technocrat of the war. To the Allied forces he was a war criminal. In his…

Andrew Marshall

01/02/2022

1–2 minutes

Biography, History, Military Documentary, World War Two

Introduction

Hitler’s Henchmen (German: Hitler’s Helfer) is a biography, war documentary hosted by David Ritchie, published by SBS in 1996 and 1998.

Outline

To some Doenitz was the saviour of millions of refugees from the East, to others a cold technocrat of the war. To the Allied forces he was a war criminal. In his own mind he saw himself as an apolitical soldier doing his duty.

Karl Doenitz was Hitler’s Admiral of the Fleet and the creator of the U-boat. Before Hitler committed suicide in the Reich Chancellery bunker, he appointed Karl Doenitz as his successor. Powerless and on the verge of defeat Doenitz’s reign lasted just 23 days.

The Allies did not permit him to do anything more than wind up the war and at the Nuremberg trials accused him war crimes against humanity. Contemporary witnesses and his nephew Klaus Hessler speak for the first time on film about the largely unknown successor to Hitler.

Hitler’s Henchmen Series

You can find a full index and overview of Hitler’s Henchmen here.

Production & Filming Details

Release Date: 1996.
Running Time: 54 minutes.
Rating: Unknown.
Country: Australia.
Language: English.