THE STORY
Silent Night is based on a true event that took place on Christmas Eve of 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge. It is the remarkable story of Elisabeth Vincken and her 12-year-old son, Fritz, who gave refuge to three American GI’s and three German soldiers who have stumbled onto her cabin during a blinding snowstorm. An uneasy truce is established between the two groups after Frau Vincken insists that the soldiers leave their weapons outside and for the sake of the child, celebrate the true spirit of Christmas for one brief evening. The warriors have given their word yet the tension dangerously mounts between the two antagonists; the devil-may-care American private Jimmy Rassey and the honor-bound German Officer, Lieutenant Hans Klosterman. These war hardened men have little respect for each other yet they must find a way to relinquish their duty and trust one another if they are to avoid blood shed and some find peace on this Christmas eve.

THE CHARACTER
Lieutenant Has Klosterman is not easy to read. His personality is hidden behind military code. Immensely proud of his lineage, Klosterman’s life is the military. . Duty, rightness, honor and dignity are the foundation of this character. I was infused him with the spirit of the knights of the Middle Ages. Even though Klosterman abides by Frau Vincken’s request to leave their guns outside, he constantly maintains his aloofness and distance. He cannot allow himself to let go and be personal with the Americans because he knows that tomorrow he might have to face them as the enemy and the trigger may need to be pulled. He becomes the main source of tension between the two groups of soldiers. He is also the architect of the movie’s climax. But as inscrutable as he is, he too is changed dramatically by the events in Frau Vincken’s cabin. He allows his demeanor to crack permitting his true self and suffering to emerge, showing his all too human side. Having done that, he is able to make a decision that is proper and decent in order to save Elisabeth and the Americans from a life and death situation. In righting a wrong, he goes against his duty to the fatherland, but his action is noble and dignified.

My journey through Silent Night was an interesting one. When I first read the script I realized that this was going to be a very special project. I was immediately drawn to the character of Leutnant Hans Klosterman.

I would have to speak German in some of the scenes so I asked my dad to coach me for the audition. On that day I was well prepared and gave a very strong reading. The director and producers like my interpretation very much but they wanted me to read for some of other German roles. But I couldn’t I had my heart set on Klosternman. Though all the characters were interesting he was the only one that I felt lived with in me. So I said no...

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