A celebrated historical discovery collapses when financial misconduct, misplaced expert trust, and crude forgery are exposed.
Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases
The Impossible Discovery
Gerd Heidemann believes he has found an extraordinary historical scoop. He begins pursuing the alleged diaries through Stern.
Key Events
The Claimed Literary Scoop — In 1981, Gerd believes he has found the literary and historical scoop of the century. Characters: Gerd HeidemannLocation: Germany
Reporter Pursues the Diaries — The Stern war correspondent pursues the alleged diaries as a major historical discovery. Characters: Gerd HeidemannLocation: Stern magazine
Secret Purchase Negotiations — Gerd and Stern management figures secretly negotiate to obtain the diaries. Characters: Gerd HeidemannLocation: Germany
Payments Begin — Payments begin to an unnamed seller for the alleged diary collection. Characters: Gerd HeidemannLocation: Germany
Two Years Of Financing — Over two years, the purchase is financed through secret payments totaling DM 9.3 million. Characters: Gerd HeidemannLocation: Germany
Money Behind The Legend
Secret payments over two years secure the alleged collection. The financial arrangement also enables Gerd to divert money toward his lifestyle and memorabilia.
Key Events
Two Years Of Financing — Over two years, the purchase is financed through secret payments totaling DM 9.3 million. Characters: Gerd HeidemannLocation: Germany
Sixty Volumes Acquired — The transaction supposedly secures sixty volumes of the historical diaries. Characters: Gerd HeidemannLocation: Germany
A Claimed Historical Span — The volumes are said to cover the period from 1932 through 1945. Characters: Gerd HeidemannLocation: Germany
The Special Flight Volume — The collection allegedly includes a special volume about a flight to the United Kingdom. Characters: Gerd HeidemannLocation: Germany
Money Diverted Personally — The larger proportion of the purchase money goes into Gerd's own pocket. Characters: Gerd HeidemannLocation: Germany
Credibility Before Publication
The collection appears extensive and historically important. Hugh Trevor-Roper initially verifies it, giving Stern confidence to publish.
Key Events
Extravagant Lifestyle — Gerd uses diverted funds to finance an extravagant lifestyle. Characters: Gerd HeidemannLocation: Germany
Memorabilia Collection Expands — The diverted money supports Gerd's collection of World War II memorabilia. Characters: Gerd HeidemannLocation: Germany
The Memorabilia Yacht — Gerd's collection includes a yacht associated with a prominent wartime figure. Characters: Gerd HeidemannLocation: Germany
Historical Review Requested — The alleged diaries receive expert historical examination before publication. Characters: Gerd Heidemann, Hugh Trevor-RoperLocation: Stern magazine
Initial Authentication — Hugh Trevor-Roper initially verifies the diaries as authentic. Characters: Hugh Trevor-RoperLocation: Stern magazine
The Forgery Revealed
The first extract is published before the material is exposed as crude forgery. The revelation destroys the apparent scoop and causes widespread dismay.
First Extract Published — Stern publishes the first extract from the alleged diaries. Characters: Gerd Heidemann, Hugh Trevor-RoperLocation: Stern magazine
Forgery Exposed — The published material is discovered to be a crude forgery. Characters: Gerd Heidemann, Hugh Trevor-RoperLocation: Germany
Criminal Forgery Identified — The crude forgeries are attributed to a criminal from Stuttgart. Characters: Gerd HeidemannLocation: Stuttgart
Historical Endorsement Collapses — The exposure discredits the earlier authentication and causes widespread dismay. Characters: Gerd Heidemann, Hugh Trevor-RoperLocation: Germany
The Scoop Becomes A Fraud — The supposed historical scoop is revealed as a major publishing fraud. Characters: Gerd Heidemann, Hugh Trevor-RoperLocation: Germany
Story Breakdown
The Apparent Scoop — Gerd Heidemann believes he has obtained an unprecedented historical discovery for Stern.
Reporter Finds Diaries — In 1981, Gerd believes the alleged diaries are the literary and historical scoop of the century.
Stern Pursues Story — The war correspondent brings the claimed discovery into Stern's publishing process.
Secret Financing — The alleged collection is obtained through confidential payments over a two-year period.
Negotiations Begin — Gerd and senior Stern management figures secretly arrange the purchase.
Millions Change Hands — The secret transaction reaches DM 9.3 million.
The Claimed Collection — The purchase is presented as a vast and historically significant archive.
Sixty Volumes — The transaction supposedly secures sixty diary volumes.
Historical Coverage — The volumes allegedly cover the years 1932 to 1945 and include a special flight volume.
Lavish Personal Spending — Much of the money is diverted from the transaction to support Gerd's personal interests.
Money Diverted — The larger proportion of the funds goes into Gerd's pocket.
Memorabilia Yacht — The money finances an extravagant lifestyle and a World War II memorabilia collection including a yacht.
Expert Validation — Historical endorsement temporarily makes the alleged diaries appear credible.
Historian Reviews Evidence — Hugh Trevor-Roper examines the diaries as an eminent historian.
Authenticity Endorsed — Hugh initially verifies the diaries, lending credibility to Stern's publication.
Forgery And Collapse — Publication triggers the discovery that the celebrated diaries are crude forgeries.
First Extract Published — Stern publishes the first extract before the deception is exposed.
Fraud Becomes Clear — The material is identified as crude forgery, causing widespread dismay and destroying the supposed scoop.
In 1981, Gerd Heidemann, a war correspondent and reporter with the German magazine Stern, makes what he believes is the literary and historical scoop of the century: the personal diaries of Adolf Hitler. Over the next two years, Heidemann and the senior management figures at Stern secretly pay 10 million German marks to a mysterious 'Dr Fischer' for the sixty volumes of 'Hitler's diaries'. However, to the dismay of all, it is discovered after the publication of first extract that the diaries are crude forgeries, faked by Stuttgart criminal Konrad Kujau.
