The man who missed killing Hitler by only thirteen minutes
In short: In November 1939, Georg Elser planted a homemade bomb in a Munich beer hall, aiming to eliminate Adolf Hitler. The device detonated, but the German leader had departed the venue just thirteen minutes earlier. This 2015 German drama explores the life and motivations of a man now considered a resistance hero.
Directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel, the 2015 film 13 Minutes, or Elser – Er hätte die Welt verändert, reconstructs the assassination attempt that nearly altered the course of history. The narrative follows Georg Elser, who, driven by a deep-seated contempt for the Nazi regime, concluded that Hitler had to be removed to save Germany. After planting his device in a column of a Munich Bierkeller, Elser attempted to flee into neutral Switzerland, only to be captured at the border.
Following his arrest, the German security services, including Gestapo head Heinrich Müller and Kripo police chief Arthur Nebe, refused to believe Elser acted alone. They subjected him to torture and even administered the drug Pervitin to force a confession involving a larger conspiracy. Despite this, and the arrest of his family and his associate Else Härlen, Elser maintained he was a lone actor who had stolen dynamite from a quarry and built his own clockwork mechanisms. He was eventually held in concentration camps for five years and executed by shooting just days before the liberation of Dachau.
Critical reception of the film has been mixed. While it holds a 76% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and earned praise for Christian Friedel’s performance, some critics found the execution lacking. Reviews in publications like Variety and The Daily Telegraph criticized the film for an overbearing sentimentality and a lack of subtlety, arguing that such stylistic choices risked trivializing the historical events. Despite these critiques, the film remains a significant study of a figure who, while once neglected, is now recognized as a vital German resistance hero of the Second World War.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: 13 Minutes (2015 film)
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/entertainment-13-minutes-2015-film.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Films · More in Entertainment · Latest · A–Z · All topics
