Hubertus Ignatius Von Klement

Major Hubertus Ignatius von Klement is a villain appearing in both the novel and the film version of Von Ryan's Express. In the film he is played by Wolfgang Preiss.

Novel
Klement was a German officer in command of a prison train transporting Joseph Ryan and his companions following their recapture after escaping from the Italian P.O.W. camp. Styled himself "von Klement," however he wasn't a nobleman and the "von" was self-given. When the prisoners rebelled, he and his radio operator Private Pleschke were taken prisoner. However he was eventually released along with the train's pro-Nazi Italian engineer Marco.

Film
Von Klement was a German officer in command of a prison train transporting Joseph Ryan and his companions following their recapture by the SS after escaping from an Italian P.O.W. camp. Not long into their journey to Germany, the prisoners rebelled and killed all the Germans except for von Klement and his Italian girlfriend Gabriella. Also unlike in the book, there is no indication that the "von" in his name is false and he appears to actually be a nobleman.

Although Ryan's British opposite number Eric Fincham argued for killing von Klement, Ryan chose to let him live, keeping him and Gabriella tied up in their room aboard the train. Von Klement's uniform was worn by Chaplain Gregory Costanzo when impersonating a German officer.

Eventually, von Klement freed himself and Gabriella from their bonds while the train was stopped to take on water. Both were slain in their escape attempt by Ryan and Fincham.