Acting
Tim Roth's hypnotic, slippery con-man charisma
Direction
Herzog's dream-logic approach to historical horror
Practical Effects
Actual strongman Jouko Ahola—no CGI, just real iron
Director
Werner Herzog
Tim Roth
Herschel Steinschneider / Erik Jan Hanussen
Jouko Ahola
Zishe Breitbart
Udo Kier
Count Helldorf
Max Raabe
Master of Ceremonies
Gustav Peter Wöhler
Alfred Landwehr
Renate Krößner
Mutter Breitbart
Alexander Duda
Heinrich Himmler
Hark Bohm
Richter
André Hennicke
Detektiv
Juris Strenga
Teacher
Joachim Paul Assböck
Sturmführer
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Erik Jan Hanussen was a real Jewish psychic who coached Hitler in public speaking—then 'predicted' the Reichstag fire and was murdered by SA thugs in 1933.
Herzog cast actual Finnish strongman Jouko Ahola after seeing him win World's Strongest Man twice; Ahola had never acted before and spoke no German.
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