Inglourious Basterds Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Fredrick Zoller
Zoller in cafe
Vital statistics
Name Fredrick Zoller
Gender Male
Allegiance Nazi Germany, Wehrmacht
Title/Rank Senior private
Nationality German
Fate Killed by Shosanna Dreyfus
Portrayed by Daniel Brühl
“Who wants to send a message to Germany?”
Fredrick Zoller

Private Fredrick Zoller was a Wehrmacht marksman who became a war hero after killing at least 250 enemies in three days. Joseph Goebbels decided to turn his exploits into a propaganda film, called Nation's Pride, in which Zoller stars as himself. He was nicknamed by his comrades "the German Sergeant York".

Biography[]

Frederick Zoller was born in Germany. He joined the Wehrmacht during WWII. He's famous for his war exploits in Sicily, against the Allied forces.

Story[]

Chapter Three - GERMAN NIGHT IN PARIS[]

A couple of days before the premiere, he met a French girl who owned a cinema, whom he immediately became infatuated and smitten with, by the name of Emmanuelle Mimieux (who was actually a Jewish girl whose family was killed 4 years earlier). He meets her again next day in a bistro, where he tells her of his war exploits.

Later that day, he "invites" her, via Major Dieter Hellstrom, to a restaurant where many Nazi politicians and officers were relaxing and talking politics. He presents her to Joseph Goebbels. He manages to convince the minister to move the film premiere to her cinema.

Chapter Five - REVENGE OF THE GIANT FACE[]

At his film premiere, Zoller is seen hanging out with Goebbels, Francesca and Emil Jannings. In the lobby, Goebbels shows Zoller a special ring he gave to Jannings, adding that the young soldier might be next to receive one. Zoller then introduces Jannings to Shosanna. The young German soldier is then seen signing autographs to three BDM girls on the lobby promenade.

Later, Zoller is present in Hitler's lounge, behind Goebbels and Hitler. Willing to see Shosanna, he goes to the projector room where she was. There he does what he does best, "annoy her", but Shoshanna coldly rejects his advances, angering him and resulting in him breaking into the room. Feeling disrespected and tired of Shosanna's cold behavior, he explodes in a fit of rage, telling her about all the things he's done for her, yet she does does not return his favors. Shosanna reveals to him that they don't have much time left and tells him to close the door. Zoller becomes confused and goes to close the door, but he's tricked by Shosanna and is shot in the back three times by her. Shosanna looks out of the window at Frederick on the movie screen, seeming to show some pity for him, thinking that he's just a scared young man trying to survive. Upon hearing that Zoller is still alive, she then turns to Fredrick, walks over to him and, seemingly showing remorse because of her deed, turns him over. However he then reveals that he was armed, mortally wounding her before he administers a ‘coup de grâce’, finally killing her. Zoller succumbs to his wounds shortly after. Their bodies were cremated when the cinema burned to the ground.

Personality[]

Zoller, although a model soldier, is seemingly uncomfortable with all the praise surrounding his military exploits (as referenced in his modesty in response to admiration, and reaction to a propaganda film he stars in). He falls infatuated and in love with Shosanna, (who he knows as Emmanuelle) and tries to impress her by having the screening for Nation's Pride moved to her cinema. When spurned, he goes so far as to confront Emmanuelle with hostility in the projection room, upset that she doesn't share the same feelings for him he does for her. Zoller is also responsible for all the plot events of Inglorious Basterds, because he's the one who proposed the idea to have the premiere of his movie moved to Emmanuelle's cinema, making the two plots to assassinate the Nazi Leadership possible, thus he's indirectly responsible for their deaths. He also seems to be extremely courageous, even standing up to Hans Landa for Emmanuelle when he wants to talk with her. Even though he's seemingly uncomfortable of his military exploits, he does boast about them to Shosanna, most likely in an attempt to impress her. He also doesn't appear as merciless person, this is shown when he watches his own propaganda film and when he's forced to kill his only love, Shosanna.

Trivia[]

  • The character Fredrick Zoller was largely based on movie star Audie Murphy. After casting, Daniel Brühl was brought in for audition sessions for French actresses trying for the role of Shosanna.
  • At the premiere, Pvt. Zoller is in his full dress uniform with all his decorations. He wears the Knight's Cross with oak leaves, swords, and cut diamonds around his neck and the Iron Cross 2nd class on his chest. However, only the Iron Cross 1st class, which is missing, would be worn, as ONLY the ribbon of IC 2nd class would be worn in combat (from the second buttonhole, Rachtman's uniform is correct for someone who received IC 1st AND 2nd class), or, as soon as a soldier received the Iron Cross 1st class, on formal occasions also (from the small merit-clip, where Zoller wears his complete IC 2nd class with it's ribbon). So this scene suggests Zoller received the Knight's Cross without earning the IC 1st class, which would be impossible. He appears to be a member of the Großdeutschland Panzergrenadier division, an elite unit that fought almost entirely on the eastern front, based off of his shoulder-boards and cuff-title. However, this is impossible, as it never served in Sicily or anywhere near Italy, nor did it ever fight American troops.
  • At the premiere, Pvt. Zoller wears his Knight's Cross around his neck but when in uniform in all other scenes, he is without it. The Knight's Cross was one of the highest orders the Third Reich bestowed upon soldiers and when in any uniform Zoller would have worn it around the neck.
  • In keeping with the film's fairy tale vibe, Zoller's dressing is meant to portray him as a prince, but this time with a tragic twist.[1]
  • Zoller claims he killed 250 Allied soldiers in Sicily in three days. Shosanna killed 350 Germans in one night, 100 more than Zoller did.

Notable quotes[]

  • I'm more than just a uniform.
  • The only people who should be allowed in the room are the people who will be moved by the exploits on the screen.
  • Who wants to send a message to Germany?
  • So, I thought I’d come up here and do what I do best… annoy you. And from the look on your face, it would appear I haven’t lost my touch.
  • It’s been a pleasure chatting with a fellow cinema lover.
  • Most soldiers are someone’s son.

Behind the scenes[]

He was played by Daniel Brühl.

Daniel Brühl dubbed himself for the Spanish version of the film.

Daniel Brühl was offered the roles of Major Dieter Hellstrom or Staff Sergeant Wilhelm Wicki before being cast as Private First Class Fredrick Zoller.

Quentin Tarantino stated that he believes Frederick Zoller really did love Shoshana, and that their final encounter was tragic. He further explained that Zoller forcing his way into the projection room and threatening Shoshana represented Zoller fatally allowing his emotions to get the better of him at the worst possible moment.

Gallery[]

References[]

Advertisement