“Death is my Trade” centers on the life of Rudolph Höss, the commandant of Auschwitz II-Birkenau for the majority of its existence. The main character's name in the film is Franz Lang. This name change was deliberate to ensure that the character is not automatically viewed as being some sort of villain or demon. Franz is an average German kid growing up during World War I. The film follows Franz as he grows up and becomes a hard, efficient, organized worker who eventually joins the National Socialist party in Germany. Impressionable young Franz takes orders as one of the utmost points of honor and duty, so when he is eventually asked by Heinrich Himmler to become commandant of the largest extermination camp built during WWII he barely hesitates to consider how heavy such a burden will be.
Götz George | Franz Lang |
Kai Taschner | Franz Lang als Jugendlicher |
Elisabeth Schwarz | Else |
Hans Korte | Heinrich Himmler |
Kurt Hübner | Oberst von Jeseritz |
Matthias Fuchs | Sturmbannführer Kellner |
Sigurd Fitzek | Hauptmann Günther |
Peter Franke | |
Klaus Münster | |
Walter Czaschke | |
Werner Schwuchow |