As a film enthusiast and historian, I find Björn Krummenacher’s journey to be incredibly inspiring. His ability to transform abstract ideas into compelling visual narratives is truly commendable. The way he approached Krebs, a local drummer, for his role in “The Traitor,” demonstrates not only his vision but also his adaptability and open-mindedness.
Michael Krummenacher’s World War II drama “The Traitor” (“Landesverräter”) narrates the real-life account of a Swiss youth who, attempting to evade the oppression of war militarization, unknowingly comes under the control of a cunning German intelligence operative.
The movie, debuting at the Zurich Film Festival, narrates the story of Ernst Schrämli, portrayed by newcomer Dimitri Krebs, who is a gifted yet struggling singer in St. Gallen and often butts heads with those in power. He harbors a strong dislike for the compulsory military service in neutral Switzerland during wartime, and his ambition lies in becoming a renowned singer in Berlin.
In a turn of events, the naive Ernst forms a bond with a captivating Nazi spy (Fabian Hinrichs), who offers him something he’s long yearned for: a sense of paternal protection. This connection, however, comes with an unexpected perk – Ernst is given a chance to earn easy money and secure a German visa in return for sharing military secrets with his new acquaintance.
For decades, I’ve been drawn to the gripping tale of a young, innocent conspirator who was ultimately found guilty of espionage and treason, and sentenced to death. Back in 2006, while I was still honing my craft at film school, I penned an initial script treatment of this captivating narrative.
“I’ve never had a project that was with me for such a long time,” Krummenacher tells EbMaster.
In 2015, he resumed his investigation on the story, delving deeper into his research. With permission, he managed to obtain military court records and legal documents. Additionally, he discovered several personal letters of Schrämli, which provided profound glimpses into his emotionally vulnerable nature.
Krummenacher ended up co-writing the script with Silvia Wolkan.
The director expresses his long-held desire to create a film centered around this character,” he emphasizes, noting that the young man’s poignant story moved him deeply.
As a cinephile, I mused that Ernst was a free spirit, seemingly out of sync with his era and locale. If fortune had smiled upon him in these modern times or during periods of peace, perhaps he would have ventured to Berlin, immersing himself in the artistic scene, or pursuing other passions. Alas, fate denied him the opportunity for such a life.
At a young age, he was seeking his path. Judging from his letters, it seems he wasn’t fully cognizant of the potential outcomes of his actions. It appears he saw a chance to improve his life, yet he didn’t give much thought to the possible repercussions.
As a passionate cinephile, I aimed to embody the essence of Schrämli’s literary work, capturing his quest for liberty and yearning for a brighter future. In essence, this film is a portrayal of an individual who dares to dream amidst a society that stifles such aspirations.
Due to Schrämli’s actions and his ultimate end, “he effectively vanished entirely,” Krummenacher points out. “He was wiped out – there’s no mention of him or that incident in textbooks. I was moved by this, and the fact he had to pass away so young.
Krummenacher discovered the perfect protagonist in Dimitri Krebs, an artist residing in Zurich who is both a talented musician and an untrained actor, giving a remarkable performance in his first film appearance.
Initially, Dimitri hadn’t set foot in the world of acting; he was completely unfamiliar with movies and acting as a profession. This is how the director puts it.
Krummenacher collaborated extensively with casting directors Nina Moser and Dana Grünenfelder to choose suitable actors for the movie; however, discovering the ideal main actor remained challenging.
Over time, we’ve conducted numerous auditions for that part, considering nearly everyone capable of speaking Swiss German, from seasoned actors to acting students. As we progressed, my intuition grew stronger that I desired a new face, an actor I hadn’t seen before.
The character stands out; he was an anomaly during his time and within that society. Therefore, I was drawn to portraying someone who doesn’t quite conform to societal norms or the film industry.
Afterward, Krummenacher embarked on a quest to discover new elements. Upon the counsel of his long-time friend and movie’s composer, Björn Magnusson, he reached out to Krebs, a nearby drummer, who showed willingness for collaboration.
His appearance in real life contrasted significantly from his portrayal in the film. Essentially, he was more like a rebellious type – upon first meeting him at the audition, he sported blue hair. This required a bit of imaginative thinking on my part, envisioning him in various outfits and hairstyles. However, he impressed me. He possessed the charisma I was seeking.
As we prepared for filming, Krebs worked closely with acting coaches Barbara Fischer and Giles Foreman. With their guidance, his performance significantly improved. He’s an apt learner and picked up the role swiftly. It was a significant risk given he appears in almost every scene and the part is complex for any young actor, especially when working alongside seasoned professionals. However, I’m pleased with that choice.
The film’s cast also includes Luna Wedler, Stefan Gubser, Flurin Giger and Robert Hunger-Bühler.
Due to the delicate nature of the topic and the limited knowledge many Swiss people had about the war’s occurrences, funding the project was a challenging task, the filmmaker points out.
Despite Switzerland maintaining neutrality during the war, Ernst Schrämli’s story casts a harsh shadow over the country’s historical account. For instance, it’s revealed that about 90% of Swiss weapon exports were sent to Axis powers, as pointed out by one of the film’s key characters.
The circumstance that Schrämli ended up being convicted for espionage and treason due to aiding the Germans during their war effort might seem hypocritical today. As Krummenacher points out, the original German title of the film, “Landesverräter,” can be interpreted as either a single traitor or multiple traitors.
Even in retrospect, it’s challenging to pass judgment on events from many years ago when the circumstances were vastly different, he notes. “In essence, it was a tiny nation under constant threat from multiple directions. Thus, I understand the necessity of making compromises to ensure survival. However, those compromises were heavily skewed in favor of the other party. And while Switzerland was impoverished before and during the war, it flourished afterward, suggesting that they profited significantly from these deals.
Schrämli was the initial individual among seventeen Swiss citizens, found guilty of espionage and treason, who were subsequently labeled as “traitors” and put to death by a firing squad – marking the sole lethal discharge carried out by the Swiss military throughout the entire conflict.
The film titled “The Traitor” was created collaboratively by Contrast Film based in Zurich, Germany, along with Letterbox Filmproduktion from Hamburg, Amalia Film in Munich, Swiss Radio and Television, Swisscom’s Blue Entertainment, ZDF/Arte, and the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation.
In Munich, Krummenacher, together with his producing partner, Gwendolin Stolz, are presently engaged in establishing a fresh independent production firm named Lanigiro Hot Club. They plan to debut it towards the end of this year.
The company plans to either independently create or collaborate on the production of Krummenacher’s projects, along with films directed by other filmmakers.
Our preference is to collaborate with individuals whose company we enjoy, whose creative vision resonates with ours, and who share our ambition to produce unique films that stand out in the German market. We’re ardent fans of genre cinema, a passion that unfortunately seems underrepresented in Germany.
Krummenacher, who thrives on exploring different creative realms, is presently engaged in creating and scripting numerous ventures, among which are a chilling horror film and a heartwarming family-oriented production.
He has worked on films such as the 2015 mystery-thriller “A Shadow Falls Like a Veil,” which was screened at Berlinale, and the 2022 hit children’s film “The Robber from Hotzenplotz,” an adaptation of the timeless novel by Otfried Preußler.
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2024-10-02 15:18