The thing that always got me about that scene was Fassbender’s character was telling them all he had gone to several British upper-class schools/colleges, so he could have easily implied he learned it there out of habit.
Wouldn’t make him non-German.
As an example, after my 4 years of living in Germany in my small German village, I spent the next several years in the USA using the thumb and two fingers as 3.
Habits acquired have to run their course, I guess...
There are so many great things in that scene. I’ve probably watched it about 50 times by now.
First of all, he knew all along. The flashback shows him whipping Stiglitz, he even hit Stiglitz in the back when he came to the table. He was just trying to fish for information as to what they were up to.
Also, apparently the book Hallstrom was reading was about German cinema, so he was as knowledgeable about German cinema as Hickox, even his card for the game had the name of an obscure German actress. I suspect he was there because he caught wind of the plot beforehand.
You can see Frau Hammersmark’s look of terror when Hickox gave himself away. That’s why Hallstrom knew he had to stop the charade, he knew the others knew that Hickox gave himself away.
Tarantino is a frickin’ genius.