The Counterfeiters

The Counterfeiters Die Fälscher Movie Poster Country Austria Germany Directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky Release Date March 22, 2007 Language English French German Hebrew Russian Studio Magnolia Filmproduktion Aichholzer Filmproduktion Beta Cinema Studio Babelsberg Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF) Distributor Universum Film (UFA) Filmladen Main Cast Character Actor Salomon Sorowitsch Karl Markovics Adolf Burger August Diehl Friedrich Herzog Devid Striesow SS-Hauptscharführer Holst Martin Brambach Dr. Klinger August Zirner Atze Veit Stübner Kolja Sebastian Urzendowsky Hans Arndt Schwering-Sohnrey Rosenthal Werner Daehn

The Counterfeiters is a 2007 Austrian-German movie directed by 2007. and is based on a real event and deals with the largest money counterfeiting program of the National Socialists during World War II, Aktion Bernhard. Master forger Salomon Sorowitsch is arrested by Commissar Herzog in 1936 and sent to the Mauthausen concentration camp but comes to terms with the circumstances. He receives preferential treatment from his tormentors, making small drawings, portraits, and later entire murals for them. In 1944, he is transferred to Sachsenhausen - and fears that he will now have to die. But Herzog has other plans for him. Sorowitsch was to take part in a secret operation to counterfeit enemy money, imitating British pounds and American dollars. He gets help from other imprisoned specialists: Adolf Burger, Kolja Karloff, and Zilinski are among them.

On February 24, 2008, the film won the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film which was the first Oscar ever for an Austrian entry.

The following weapons were used in the film The Counterfeiters:

Pistols

Walther P38

SS-Hauptscharführer (Master Sergeant) Holst (Martin Brambach) and SS-Sturmbannführer (Major) Friedrich Herzog (Devid Striesow) can be seen using Walther P38 pistols with black grips. At the end of the movie, Salomon Sorowitsch (Karl Markovics) and Adolf Burger (August Diehl) handle Herzog's Walther.

Walther P38 with black grips - 9x19mm

Holst executes a KZ inmate with his Walther.

Friedrich Herzog spins a 9x19mm cartridge around next to his P38.

A view of the Walther's top side.

Herzog's pistol lies on a table next to Sorowitsch.

Adolf Burger brandishes the pistol.

Submachine Guns

MP40

Most members of the Waffen SS are armed with MP40s.

Maschinenpistole 40 - 9x19mm

An SS-Schütze (Private) with an MP40 in the background.

Another MP40 held by an SS-Unterscharführer (Sergeant).

Three KZ inmates holds their captured MP40s.

Rifles

Karabiner 98k

The Karabiner 98k is used by some Waffen SS guards.

Karabiner 98k - 7.92x57mm Mauser

The police officer to the left holds his Karabiner.

Self liberated KZ inmates armed with captured Kar98ks.

Mauser Rifle

A German policeman is seen with an unknown Mauser rifle.

The rifle is seen to the right. It has a rear sight surrounded by wood and a grasping groove.

Another distant view of the rifle reveals the under-mounted sling swivels. It also has a slightly longer barrel campared to the Karabiner 98k.