6th Sep 2021
The Late Inspector General - S1-E4
Other mistake: While the General is in Klink's office making the recommendation for Klink to be commandant of all German POW camps, he mistakenly calls Stalag 13, Camp 13 three different times. Camp 13 was referenced in the black and white pilot episode.
Suggested correction: Stalag is short for "Stammlager." "Lager" is the German word for "camp." (To avoid unnecessary discussions: depending on the context, "Lager" can also mean stash, cache, storage, warehouse, bedding or bearing, but in this context it is indubitably to be translated as camp). So "Camp 13" is absolutely correct in this context.
16th Nov 2017
Character mistake: In several scenes all over the show (though not always!), characters use the command "Raus!" to send somebody away from somewhere. Raus, short for "heraus" literally means "out" in the sense of "out of a building", which would be "aus einem Gebäude heraus" in German. Used as a command, it always means "get out", never "get away from there" or "get lost", in other words, the addressee must be inside of somewhere to be ordered "Raus." One example would be Schultz sending the prisoners away from general Burkhalter's car in S05E13.
Suggested correction: It doesn't take much research to debunk this claim. Also, John Banner, the actor that most often used the term in the show, was German-born and raised. I'm sure he would have spoken up if it were wrong.
Sorry, what is the "not much" it takes to debunk that claim? By the way John Banner was not born and raised in Germany but in what was then Hungary-Austria. I, on the other hand, AM German born and raised, so if you think you know more about my native tongue than me, by all means, educate me. As for why it wasn't corrected, my guess is this: Words like raus, schnell, was ist los, bitte or danke are rather well known even in the US, so the audience would be able to follow the dialog.
Sorry, John Banner was born in Poland. He was not German.
He was born in 1910 in the city once known as Stanislau, prior to being annexed by Poland in 1919. At the time of his birth, it was part of Austria-Hungary, and one of the official languages was German.
You're correct. I didn't read the IMDb page enough.
16th Nov 2017
Factual error: In several episodes, the fence around the cooler is visible, and hanging on it, a sign saying "Eingang verboten" meaning "no entry." The correct German term would be "Zutritt verboten." In German, "Eingang" is the opening where you enter a building, not the act of entering one.
Suggested correction: This is wrong. Translations all over show that the sign is not only correct, but images can be found of signs with the exact same wording in real places, with the English translation right under it.
Are you trying to tell a German national how his own language works here? Zutritt is correct. Eintritt is correct. Eingang in this context was NEVER correct since the advent of modern high German. I don't know where you propose to have seen these signs, but you definitely should check your sources, mate.
29th Sep 2016
Plot hole: Hogan has his men play romantic music over the radio. Earlier they were afraid of the radio in the observation post being detected. Elsewhere in the series, they try to avoid sending too long to avoid being homed in on - which is correct. Now, if they were to play a whole record at once, wouldn't the homing devices pick up on the transmitter at the camp?
Suggested correction: It is shown several times in the series that the detectors are brought out at specific times / events. With how much control they have over the camp they would know when those times were / more than likely be able to tamper with them. The other times they were worried were simply because either A. They were close to the scanning times or B. New ones got shipped in that they didn't have time to tamper with yet.
8th Dec 2018
German Bridge Is Falling Down - S1-E7
Continuity mistake: During his experiments to create explosives in the tunnels, Carter has a pretty extensive set of glassware on his workbench. Necessarily he would have to replace (most of) that after each explosion - not to mention various light bulbs, furniture and other non-blast-proof stuff by the way. A lot of that glassware is specialty equipment, it would not be easy to come by even one set of in peacetime for a free civilian. In wartime, for an allied prisoner (even with the heroes' connections) it should be nigh impossible, and totally impossible to have an inexhaustible supply of the stuff. So we can either assume a giant plot hole, or treat it (as I did) as a big continuity mistake.
Suggested correction: Considering they regularly get equipment of all kind air dropped from "London", a few laboratory instruments and containers would hardly be challenge.
Firstly, considering the number of explosions, it's not "a few" but more like "QUITE a few." Secondly, if they had had the option to receive airdrops at the time, they would just as have had them airdrop the explosives instead of the glassware for carter to blow up, wouldn't they? Or are you suggesting they would have more spare laboratory equipment in store than a wholesale laboratory outfitter, "just in case"?
11th Feb 2018
Plot hole: In several occasions throughout the story, e.g. S4E18, Hogan attends parties at Stalag 13 wearing an immaculate US dress uniform. Where did he get that? Dress uniforms are not part of the usual kit a bomber crew brings along with them on their missions.
Suggested correction: Considering they have a tailor (Newkirk) and are air dropped everything from explosives to penicillin, a Class A dress uniform would hardly be a challenge to make or receive.
Klink: "Hogan, where did you get that uniform?!" - Hogan: "Oh, I had OSS airdrop it together with our latest shipment of explosives and ammunition. We brought it in through our tunnel last night and stored it there."
I got it from the Red Cross.
Only a few high ranking intelligence officers are aware of Hogan's mission. Hogan's activities would under normal circumstances be considered fraternisation. While it might be true that he could theoretically obtain a class A uniform via the red cross, doing so would brand him as a collaborator and traitor.
24th Aug 2013
German Bridge Is Falling Down - S1-E7
Corrected entry: In the very beginning, the prisoners are all in formation for a count. Shultz completes the count at 15, reports it, and Klink calls Hogan over to talk. This leaves 14 in formation. Hogan says "Smoke if you have them". Unbeknownst to Klink, the men are in an arrow formation to point the way to the bridge for the bombers. The aerial shot from the planes shows at least 25 lighters lit. Where did the other 11 guys come from? With Hogan, his barracks only had 15 men who would've been in on it.
Correction: First, it's not true that only the men from Hogan's barracks are in on their operations. It's mentioned in several episodes that they've used other men during their missions. During S1E22 Hogan sends his people out to find a pizza recipe which is hardly the most inconspicuous thing to ask in a POW camp. During S1E27 Hogan asks Kinch if there's a Safe cracker among the prisoners in the camp, so he obviously has no problem recruiting people from outside his barracks. Second, the moment Hogan steps towards Klink, the prisoners break ranks and start to mingle. We simply have to assume that not only Hogan's barracks were ordered to fall out, but other barracks as well, (which would only be logical) even though it happens out of frame. The reason is obvious as well - it's hardly news that the producers of Hogan's Heroes were kept on a pretty tight leash budget-wise. Last but not least, it's true that Schultz counts to 15, but if you count yourself, you will find that not 15 but 19 people are in formation in front of the barracks in the first place. In conclusion, there is a valid mistake right there, but it's not the fact that the arrow consists of more than 15 people.
I stand corrected.
28th Sep 2016
The Informer - S1-E1
Corrected entry: In this episode, the German spy Hogan conducts around the Underground tunnels sees things (i.e., steam room, weapon manufacturing line, barber shop, etc.) that are never seen in the series again.
Correction: It is never made quite clear whether those were really supposed to be a thing or just part of an extremely elaborate plot to throw off the spy. Admittedly, if they were supposed to be part of the plot, the question how Hogan's men managed to set up such a complicated system in the time available would be a mistake in its own right.
8th Mar 2017
Corrected entry: On the cover of the plan for Operation Hannibal, the top line says. "SEHR GEHEIM" (Top Secret). But the plan is called Operation Hannibal (translated as "betrieb hannibal"). The title says "unternehmen hannibal (translation: Companies Hannibal).
22nd Feb 2017
Corrected entry: As the scene fades to the Höf Brau (with lighting that would violate black out rules in wartime Germany) passing vehicles can be seen to be modern (mid-1960's) cars rather than the more appropriate early 1940's German vehicles. And they're travelling at 1960's standards speeds.
Correction: Only the headlights of the cars are visible for less than a second, plus, the reporter presumes to accurately judge speeds of cars in a movie scene, which would be difficult at best. Furthermore the mistake depends on the assumption that speeds were significantly different inside closed settlements between 1940 and 1960, which they were not. Legally, in Germany, 40 km/h would be permissible in 1942 whereas 50km/h would be permissible in 1960. In California, the speed limit would have been between 25 and 30 mph, or 40-48 km/h respectively. Even in real life, accurately judging a speed difference of 8km/h would be almost impossible except in direct comparison. This mistake should probably be upheld in part, but either it must be rewritten without the speed stuff, or a comprehensible explanation must be given how the difference in speed is to be explained and judged.
2nd Feb 2015
Request Permission to Escape - S1-E32
Corrected entry: As Schultz goes to salute, the water stream goes up Klink's face to shoot over his head. When the camera cuts to Schultz, the stream now is aimed more directly at Klink's face.
27th Jan 2014
Corrected entry: The whole story line is a plot hole. The blueprints would be a top secret item, and as such, wouldn't accompany the item they depict (in this case, missiles). Klink carries the prints around as if they were ordinary papers for no other purpose than to be "borrowed", copied, and returned by the Heroes. For this, Klink would have been eliminated.
Correction: Not a plot hole. The rationale for the plans being present was probably because they were to be presented to the assembled general staff. That makes it a deus ex, not a mistake. It's often stated in the series how the Axis general staff considers Stalag 13 a particularly safe place, so there's no reason not to take top secret plans there. As a matter of fact, the safety is precisely the reason the demonstration is held in Stalag 13. As for the reason Klink carries the plans with him, that's not a proper plot hole either. Again, viewed from the German point of view, the plans were safe there, especially rolled up where nobody could peek at them. After all, no prisoner had ever escaped from Stalag 13. Fact is, the Germans have no clue that Hogan's men have ways to get those plans out of country. True, Klink probably shouldn't have put the plans down, but that's just his usual clumsy self, and as already pointed out twice, from his point of view he had no reason to suspect duplicity.
2nd Mar 2014
Funny Thing Happened on the Way to London - S3-E5
Corrected entry: When Hogan goes to shake hands with Baumann, he grabs and raises Baumann's arm to make the wrist gun fire upwards. As it fires, it takes Klink's hat off. Upon inspection, Klink's hat has only one hole, as if fired through from underneath. The gun fired at the peak of the hat, therefore, there should be a second hole about the level of the top of the eagle on the front of the hat.
25th Nov 2013
Reservations Are Required - S1-E15
Corrected entry: When LeBeau goes to get out under the wire, he raises an entire section of the wire on the inner and outer fences to do so. It can be seen that there is a bar on the bottom of the sections that he raises that suggests the sections are totally framed for the purpose.