John Banner: An Interesting Person and Story

John Banner
Feldwebel (Sergeant) Hans Schultz (John Banner) is Klinks bumbling, highly unmilitary sergeant of the guard. Schultz is a basically good-hearted man who, when confronted by the shenanigans of the prisoners, will simply wegschauen (look away), repeating I hear nothing, I see nothing, I know nothing! or, more commonly as the series went on, simply I see nothing, nothing! in order to avoid becoming involved in any way. This eventually became a catch phrase of the series.
Over time, the Schultz character was expanded by Banner and the shows writers. In War Takes a Holiday, viewers learn that, before the war, he owned a famous German toy factory, and that he longs for nothing more than to return to his previous profession. In the episode, Klink and Schultz discuss what they will do after the war. Schultz says he will go back to the Schatzi Toy Company. Klink is impressed, since it was the largest toy company in Germany, so he asks, Do you think your boss will give you your old job back? and is flabbergasted when Schultz says, Why not? I am the boss!
John Banner (January 28, 1910, (Vienna) – January 28, 1973, (Vienna)) was a Jewish Austrian actor. Ironically, he is best known for his role as a German soldier, the comedic Sgt. Hans Schultz on the television situation comedy Hogans Heroes. On this show, he had this famous saying "I know nothing! Nothing".
Banner was born in Vienna, Austria. Because of his Jewish heritage, he was transported to a concentration camp before being released out of occupied Germany. Fortunately for him, Banners time in the concentration camp was during the early stages of Nazi rule, when Jewish extermination policies were not yet fully implemented.
In 1938, Banner, a trim 180 pounds, worked with an acting troupe in Switzerland and found he could not return to his native Austria because he was a Jew. He went to America and though unable to speak a word of English was hired as a Master of Ceremonies. Banner learned his words phonetically and soon mastered the English language.
Before Banner came to acting, he studied law for two semesters. His feature film credits include over 40 films and his first was Pacific Blackout. He was usually cast as a Nazi spy because of his accent and teutonic features. This was especially hard for Banner whose family had been wiped out in Nazi Concentration Camps.
He told TV Guide in 1967 that he saw Shultz as a representative of goodness in every generation.