VON WERRA

Franz von Werra - fighter pilot for the German Luftwaffe during World War II, gentleman, favourite of the Nazi media, and the only German ever to escape British captivity. During the mid-50's, the spectacular escape to Canada and the USA was made into a film with Hardy Kruger in the leading role. Once again, von Werra became an important role model for young Germans: a courageous man who fends for himself to fight for his own wellbeing – but not on behalf of National Socialistic ideas. In 1941, von Werra lost his life in a mysterious crash. Numerous rumours regarding this incident, as well as his origins - for he was Swiss - developed. Using the feature film «The One that Got Away» as the starting point, film director Werner Schweizer, together with Hardy Krüger, follows the traces of this historical anti type.