The Good Nazi - Yesterday

Spoilers
By ( What's on TV ) published
Karl Plagge in 1943
(Image credit: UKTV)

The story of Major Karl Plagge, a high-ranking Nazi officer who risked his own life to save hundreds of people, in a story reminiscent of Schindler's List

During World War Two, Karl Plagge was the commander of HKP 562 forced labour camp in the Lithuanian city of Vilnius.

In 1947, the war is over and the Nazis are being held to account for their crimes.

The days of Karl Plagge, you'd have thought, were numbered.

Yet when it was Plagge's turn to stand trial , a host of Jewish survivors came forward to defend him!

HKP 562

HKP 562 - date unknown

As the case unfolded, it was revealed that Plagge had actually risked his life to save hundreds of inmates and their families by creating engineering workshops for the Jewish prisoners.

This powerful documentary, which features harrowing and deeply moving tales from some of HPK last remaining survivors, is reminder of the remarkable bravery and cruelty war can unleash.

TV Times rating: ****

Sean Marland
Sean Marland

Sean is a Senior Feature writer for TV Times, What's On TV and TV & Satellite Week, who also writes for whattowatch.com. He's been covering the world of TV for over 15 years and in that time he's been lucky enough to interview stars like Ian McKellen, Tom Hardy and Kate Winslet. His favourite shows are I'm Alan Partridge, The Wire, Wolf Hall and Succession and in his spare time he enjoys drinking tea, doing crosswords and watching football. 

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