Major Von Hapen

Major von Hapen was a major villain in both the novel and film Where Eagles Dare. In the film he was played by Derren Nesbitt.

Biography
Von Hapen was a Waffen-SS officer in charge of all the Gestapo activities in southern Germany. His offices were in the Schloss Adler. He was a calculating and naturally distrustful man, who had a rocky relationship with Colonel Paul Kramer, who he accused of trying to discredit him with his superiors in Berlin.

Kramer kept much from him, including the importance of General George Carnaby; all von Hapen knew of Carnaby was that he was an American general. Kramer never told the Gestapo major that Carnaby was one of the chief coordinators of planning for the second front. When General Julius Rosemeyer arrived, he took an instant dislike to von Hapen and requested that Kramer keep him out of the loop where Carnaby was concerned. This made von Hapen suspicious of the two.

While at the Zum Wilden Hirsch, von Hapen flirted with a waitress named Heidi Schmidt, and was then introduced to her newly arrived cousin, Maria Schenck, who he took an instant liking to. He escorted both women up to the Schloss Adler by cable car. When Heidi disappeared, a suspicious von Hapen went to see Maria, and the two discussed her hometown of Dusseldorf, where von Hapen had been a university student. He found holes in Maria's story, and eventually concluded that she was a spy. Rushing to tell Colonel Kramer, he found him in the Golden Hall and held everyone there at gunpoint.

A man introducing himself as Major Johann Schmidt explained he and a lieutenant had uncovered a plot to assassinate Hitler. Everyone present was involved, and Schmidt had the names of the conspirators in his pocket. Von Hapen demanded them. As Schmidt walked over, Mary entered. Distracted by her entrance, von Hapen left himself open, and was shot dead by the lieutenant.

Trivia

 * In the original book he is named Captain von Brauchitsch and survives.