IIRC, Klink was a German Jew and Schultz was an Austrian Jew. The producer was also Jewish. I’m paraphrasing, but when asked how he could play a Nazi Klink said something like I’m an actor, I accept roles (I don’t turn them down). I’m sure it helped that he didn’t play a very evil Nazi and Hogan outfoxed him at every turn.
Leon Askin, who played General Burkhalter was also Jewish.
> Hogan outfoxed him at every turn. <
That was part of the deal. Werner Klemperer said he would accept the Col. Klink role only if the Nazis would lose in every episode.
“ I’m sure it helped that he didn’t play a very evil Nazi and Hogan outfoxed him at every turn.”
It was actually in Klemperer and Banner’s contracts that the Nazis always had to end up the fools no matter what
The story goes that when Werner Klemperer was offered the role of Commandant Klink, he made one condition: Klink must never win.