German Lionheart (Let's Kill Hitler)

Deutsche Löweherz, translated to English as German Lionheart, is a German war film commissioned by the government of the Socialist Republic of Germany to present an accurate recount of the life of FDJ Cadet Richard Müller.

The film was written and produced by Bernd Eichinger and directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel. The duo also went on to create Der Untergang (Downfall), another historical film depicting the days leading up to Adolf Hitler's assassination. Löweherz introduces child actor Xavier Schmidt as Richard Müller, a cadet of the Free German Youth who becomes martyred after his death at the hands of Nazis. The film was released on July 5th, 1997, the 50th anniversary of Müller's death.

The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

Plot
The film begins in the year 1934 in the city of Gera, Nazi Germany. A couple are in a Nazi registration office, registering the birth of their first child. The Nazi official asks what the child's name is to be. The new mother replies that his name is to be Richard Ludwig Müller. The official states that everything is in order. He salutes the parents, and they reciprocate before hurrying out of the room.

Fast forward to 1937. At the age of three, young Richard's parents begin teaching him in secret about communism, instilling the ideology within him. Richard understands and readily absorbs this.

Another jump in time to 1939. Five-year-old Richard is now being taught the tenets of Nazi ideology. He is told by his parents to perform the Nazi salute to all his teachers and friends at school, but to never lose his faith in communism. At school he is seen with his classmates saluting the Nazi flag.

In yet another jump, Richard's parents are rejoicing. The Führer has been assassinated and chaos has erupted in Berlin as communists struggle to seize power. Richard's parents and their associates begin planning a revolution in Gera.

The montage continues with shouts of 'Rot Front!' as the communist revolutionaries rise up against the Nazi administration of Gera in 1940. They succeed, and the mayor and city council surrender. The North German flag is raised to the top of the town hall's flagpole. Nazi flags and symbols are torn down and blown up.

Finally, in 1943, Richard is registered by his parents with the Freie Deutsche Jugend (FDJ), North Germany's newly formed youth organisation. Richard is assigned to the new 5th Kinderkader. He is given his first uniform. He tries it on and shows it off before his parents. They applaud loudly.

The next day is the first meeting of the 5th Kinderkader. Richard meets Kadermentor Colonel Alfred Gauss of the German Red Army. Richard and his new comrades elect their Kaderleiter after several icebreaker and physical activities. Reinhard Neuburg is elected. Gauss begins teaching the Kader military formations. He makes references to Ancient Rome and Napoleonic France. Richard is thoroughly interested.

To be completed

Cast

 * Xavier Schmidt as Richard Müller
 * Samuel Schmidt as 5-year-old Richard
 * Dieter Schmidt as 3-year-old Richard
 * Marian Zimmerman as Richard's mother
 * Robert Jaeger as Richard's father
 * Felix Weiss as Colonel Alfred Gauss
 * Walther König as Cadet Reinhard Neuburg
 * Sebastian Voigt as Gruppenleiter Johann Luitpold