10 Mind-Blowing Facts About Quentin Tarantino Films

9. German-Born Til Scheweiger Only Agreed To Be In Inglourious Basterds Because It Meant Killing Nazis

In Inglourious Basterds, Til Scheweiger plays Sergeant Hugo Stiglitz, one of the few non-Jewish members of the Basterds. Though Stiglitz is a rather quiet character, he's incredibly brutal, killing at least thirteen German officers. In one of the films more memorable scenes, Stiglitz stabs a member of the Gestapo in the face through a pillow. He also has a massive knife which he frequently sharpens. Interestingly, the knife bears the motto €œMeine Ehre heiŸt Treue", which means €œLoyalty is my honor€ in German €“ the motto of the SS. Before Inglourious Basterds, Til Schweiger consistently refused to indulge roles that required him to wear a Nazi uniform or the Nazi insignia. It was only when Tarantino told him that the role would involve killing Nazis, not portraying a loyal one, that Scheweiger broke this life-long career stipulation.
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Commonly found reading, sitting firmly in a seat at the cinema (bottle of water and a Freddo bar, please) or listening to the Mountain Goats.