Heldentod (Death of a Hero) ­ A Ziegler Film Production

Actually, this was to be Britta Wauer’s graduation film from the Berlin Film Academy. But while she was working as an intern at Ziegler Film in its newly formed documentary department, she talked to Tanja Ziegler about the research she had already completed on the project ­ and was encouraged to finish Heldentod in time for the 40th anniversary of the erection of the Berlin wall on 13 August 2001.

       The story of Death of a Hero is known to every youth in the former German Democratic Republic, for more than 100 schools, streets and clubs were named after Egon Schultz, the 21-year-old GDR border-guard »perniciously murdered by West Berlin bandits« in October of 1964, when he tried to prevent any more escaping East Berlin by the secret tunnel than the 57 who had already successfully used this route. According to an official report issued by the SED Central Committee, Schultz had been shot in the line of duty and deserved to be mourned in a state ceremony as a »hero of the people« ­ see photo above, courtesy Ziegler Film. But ten years after German unification, documents were found that testify to a different truth: Egon Schultz had been accidently killed by one of his border-guard companions in a crossfire.

       To Britta Wauer’s credit, she interviewed eyewitnesses (tunnel builders) and political figures (Regine Hildebrandt, Egon Bahr) to fathom the reality of the times and the tragic aftermath of a propaganda ploy. Bravo, Britta!

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