CODENAME ASHCAN is the story of the confrontation between the former German Nazi leaders and their American interrogators. From the 8th May 1945 until the 10th August 1945, the main Nazi leaders were detained in the former Palace Hotel in Mondorf-les-Bains in Luxemburg. It was renamed ASHCAN by the Americans and transformed into an ephemeral and secret prison.
It is the story of the metamorphosis of Nazi leaders from mere prisoners of war with ill-defined status, to defendants of the worst crimes in human history. It is the unknown story of the unique work in questioning the main civilian and military leaders of the Third Reich: Hermann Goering, Karl Doenitz, Wilhelm Keitel, Robert Ley, Hans Frank, Julius Streicher, Franz von Papen, Walter Warlimont… before sending them to Nuremberg to bring them to justice.
ASHCAN was a secret US Army Intelligence operation. Our docu-fiction is based on the classified reports written by the American interrogators.
A production by Creation and Memory, Nowhere Land Productions, Les Films de la Mémoire, Centre National de l’Audiovisuel Luxembourg, Théâtre National du Luxembourg, Triangle 7
With the support of: Conseil de la Transmission de la Mémoire de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, Tax Shelter of the Federal Government of Belgium, Decavi, Putman, Go West Invest
Additional Information
Career
Festivals and Awards
| Cinema Lab V2.0 Zapatoca | Colombia | |
| First Time Filmmaker Sessions | USA | |
| FLICKFAIR Los Angeles | USA | |
| Interdoc Moscou | Russia | |
| Miami Jewish Film Festival | USA | |
| Montreal International History Film Festival | Canada | |
| Prague International Monthly Film Festival | Czech Republic | 2nd Best Documentary |
| The Lift-Off Sessions | United Kingdom |
Watch Codename Ashcan on Vimeo
The Film
Film Reviews
Press Comments
Le Quotidien Luxembourg
Ce Codename Ashcan, une création mondiale sur le camp de prisonniers et d’interrogatoire pour haut dignitaires nazis à Mondorf-les-Bains, première étape qui donnera naissance aux procès de Nuremberg, est une réussite.
Le Soir
A travers la pièce, le film raconte cette incroyable histoire inconnue de l'interrogatoire unique des principaux dirigeants civils et militaires du IIIème Reich avant qu'ils n'aient été envoyés à Nuremberg pour les traduire en justice.
d'Lëtzebuerger Land
En superposant ainsi les niveaux de lecture et d’interprétation, le film de Willy Perelszejn est un document historique essentiel et fascinant, qui, contrairement à ce qu’on pouvait craindre d’un film historique sans images, n’est pas ennuyeux du tout.
Film Stills
Gallery
