Life staked on forgery skills
True Stories:
Outwitting Hitler
Thursday, June 5, at 10pm. ABC TV.
Reviewer: CPL Alisha Welch
The story of how Holocaust survivor Marian Pretzel outwitted Hitler is fascinating, although typical of the World War II genre.

Old footage and pictures mixed with modern-day interviews is a traditional way to recreate an historical story and there is one reason for this – it works.

This episode of True Stories explains to viewers how Pretzel, who has lived in Australia for more than 50 years, survived WWII and the Nazi’s persecution of the Jews by using his artistic skills to forge Nazi documents.

Pretzel proved so good at falsifying identity documents, birth certificates and travel visas that he managed to ride aboard German troop trains, sleep in Nazi barracks, obtain work in German factories and even socialise with Nazi soldiers. In one interview he stated, “I could draw the German eagle blindfolded, even after all these years ... It’s terrible what humans can do to other humans.”

Despite the rather annoying American voice-over – especially in the way “Aoorstralia” is pronounced – this show is definitely worth watching, and not only by those with an interest in WWII and the Holocaust.

Outwitting Hitler is a story of survival, mental strength and the madness of humanity.