Moritz Bleibtreu
What he spends “way too much money” on
“Faking Hitler”: Moritz Bleibtreu embodies the famous art forger Konrad Kujau.
© RTL / Wolfgang Ennenbach
In the series “Faking Hitler”, among other things, the seductibility of humans is the subject of discussion. Moritz Bleibtreu cannot say no to that.
On Tuesday (November 30th) the new drama series “Faking Hitler” will be launched on RTL +. In the six parts everything revolves around the scandal of the forged Hitler diaries from 1983. The news magazine “Stern” acquired the supposed books from the painter Konrad Kujau (1938-2000) and published excerpts from them. However, the diaries were forgeries, as the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) announced a little later.
The series has a top-class cast: In addition to Lars Eidinger (45) and “Tatort” star Ulrich Tukur (64), Moritz Bleibtreu (50) can be seen as the famous art forger Kujau. In an interview with the news agency spot on news, Bleibtreu talks about the attraction of crime and how he deals with negative comments online. In addition, the actor reveals what his guilty pleasure is.
A great cast can be seen in the series “Faking Hitler” – including Lars Eidinger in the role of the “Stern” journalist Gerd Heidemann (89). How was the collaboration?
Moritz Bleibtreu: Great. Lars is a really great actor and it’s always a pleasure to play with him. Overall, it was a great atmosphere. The directors also did an excellent job. I felt I was in good hands and playing with Lars is always something very special.
Have you been able to spend time together outside of the set?
Bleibtreu: In this case we hardly had any time for anything. Because we shot with two different teams. One team turned the narrative thread of Lars’ character and the other of mine. That’s why we only met each other very briefly.
Crime has some attraction to some people. Where does this fascination come from?
Stay true: You have to differentiate. There is an attraction to crime in general. Many find it exciting that there are people who make their own laws. But counterfeiters also expose a bubble. A lot of people have a hard time with art. In modern art, for example, a white square with a black dot in the upper left corner costs three and a half million. For some people this is incomprehensible. So the idea of someone putting the point somewhere else and bagging the three million is amusing. Nobody is seriously harmed by it. Perhaps to the artist, because the forger uses his name. But who is losing money? Any rich man who gets richer with the picture.
The series also addresses the coming to terms with National Socialism. To what extent is this relevant today?
Stay true: Right-wing radicalism and fascism will always have a meaning in Germany. The country is extremely rooted in the atrocities of yesteryear. I don’t think this will ever let go of us. That is part of our history and it will be worked on again and again – not only in art. The past will always play a role in the political and social world as well.
In addition, the series deals with the seduction of humans. What or to whom can you not say no?
Stay true: Hopefully everyone has a guilty pleasure. I think that’s part of life too. I spend way too much money on watches. That’s stupid, you shouldn’t do that. But I do it every now and then. Simply because I like things. Maybe that will change.
The Internet, in particular, is full of counterfeits – in the form of fake news. In your opinion, what is the danger of such false reports?
Bleibtreu: Publication has always been a big topic. Propaganda is an existential problem in world history. The pressure should be banned because people were afraid that it would only be used for propaganda purposes and that it would lead to disinformation. We live in a time when the problem is not lack of information, but abundance. We can no longer cope with this crowd.
How do you deal with negative comments?
Bleibtreu: I have always perceived the Internet as a foreign place. When there is hostility, I tell myself that these people do not exist. Because it is not a real room. You are in that moment numbers in a system that works like a car accident. If something happens, everyone looks. It is the same with all forms of aggression on the Internet. I try to move as far away from it as possible and to limit my social contacts to the analogue space. I only judge people when they are really sitting in front of me. I try to give this virtual space little space in my life.
Self-expression is a big topic on Instagram. What do you make of it?
Stay true: Everyone should do what they want. If someone wants to portray himself, then he should do that. At this moment, however, he gives himself up to an opinion and a public. That it can hurt is in the nature of things. Millions of fake identities and bots are floating around on the Internet. I’m there 15 times a week. Every celebrity has problems with fake profiles. And for that reason alone it is better to keep everything away from yourself. It has no real relation to our real life. We let social media take over the space in our lives. If we don’t participate, we won’t have a problem either.
Back to the real world. You are one of the most busy actors in Germany. Recently the series “Blackout” appeared with you in the role of a former hacker. Where do you get this energy from?
Bleibtreu: There weren’t actually that many projects. The corona pandemic has resulted in some productions being interrupted or postponed. As a result, it looks very concentrated at the moment. I’m not that crazy at all. But in general I am very lucky that I don’t see my job as work. I just enjoy it. In acting, however, you can only celebrate the festivals as they come. Sometimes you get three great offers in a row and then nothing exciting comes for six months.
What’s next for you? What can we look forward to?
Bleibtreu: The movie “Caveman” will be in the cinemas on December 23rd and otherwise we’ll have a look. As a writer and director, I’m already working on my next film, which I will hopefully make soon.