Hippler, Fritz (1909-2002)

Hippler, Fritz

DIRECTOR (GERMANY)

BORN 17 Aug 1909, Berlin - DIED 22 May 2002, Berchtesgaden, Bayern
GRAVE LOCATION Schönau am Konigssee (near Berchtesgaden), Bayern: Bergfriedhof (northern wall)

Fritz Hippler was the son of a lower official who died during the First World War in France. He grew up in Berlin. Hippner disliked the Weimar Republic and joined the NSDAP in 1927. He also became a member of the SA. He studied law in Heidelberg and Berlin.

In 1933 he was involved in the book burnings and after his promotion in 1934 he worked for the Deutsche Wochenschau. In 1938 he made propaganda movies for the nazis and in 1939 Goebbels put him in charge of the movie department of the German Ministry of Propaganda.

Hippner directed "Der Feldzug in Poland" (1939/1940) and the well known anti semitic propaganda movie "Der Ewige Jude" (1940). In 1943 he was fired by Goebbels after disagreements and because of his alcohol addiction. After the war he was sentenced to two years in prison.

After his release he collaborated on documentary movies under another name. From 1961 onwards he worked at his wife's travel agency in Berchtesgaden. In 1981 he published "Der Verstrickung", claiming that Goebbels had more or less directed "Der Ewige Jude" himself. Apart from books in which he stated that Germany wasn't the only country responsible for the war he wrote movie reviews for the extreme right press. He lived in Berchtesgaden until his death in 2002.

Images

The grave of Fritz Hippler at the Bergfriedhof, Schönau am Konigssee.
Picture by Androom (28 Aug 2009)