Herman Dietrich

"Only our mission for the Führer matters."

- Herman Dietrich

Oberst Herman Dietrich was a German Nazi Commanding Officer in charge of the excavation by Rene Belloq of the Ark of the Covenant in Cairo, Egypt.

Biography
Dietrich was assigned the task of finding the Ark by SS officer and member of Hitler's inner circle, Eidel. Eidel explained the Führer's interest in the artifact and specifically needed Dietrich for his acquaintance with archaeologist Rene Belloq. Despite Dietrich's misgivings over how much the Frenchman could be trusted, Eidel informed the colonel that that would be something he'd have to deal with, as any other parties interested in finding the Ark would be.

After meeting with Belloq in Marseilles, France, Dietrich and the archaeologist traveled to Berchtesgaden, Germany for a debriefing with Hitler at his mountain retreat before finally making their way to Cairo where the excavation was already in progress.

Dietrich and his fellow Nazi commander Major Gobler were unaware that the excavation was being done in the wrong place, until Belloq noticed the a group of diggers a good distance away from the main digsite. They descended upon the diggers led by Sallah and claimed the Ark for themselves, sealing Marion Ravenwood and Indiana Jones inside. When Belloq protested Marion's imprisonment, as he wanted her for himself, Dietrich replied that the girl was of no concern to him; and that Belloq appears to have forgotten that only the mission to his Führer matters.

When Indiana and Marion escaped, Dietrich, Belloq, and Toht were in a car escorting the truck transporting the Ark to the nearest airport, and were caught up in a skirmish with Indiana Jones' successful effort to capture the truck. Eventually, the Nazis caught up with Indy and the Ark at sea, and transported it to a remote island between Crete and the mainland of Greece, aboard the U-boat Wurrfler. Dietrich, being a Nazi, asked Belloq if it's really necessary to hold a Jewish ritual to reveal the Ark's contents, to which Belloq asks him if he prefers the risk of opening an empty Ark in front of Hitler. There was a tense moment when Indy desperately wanted to blow up the ark with a bazooka, but the archaologist was convinced by Belloq to surrender rather than destroy a monumental piece of history.

Dietrich watches on as Belloq performs his ritual at the Tabernacle, and is at first enraged when he sees only dust and sand in the Ark. The anger turns to surprise and wonder when the spirits are released. Dietrich too witnesses the transformation of the spirit to the Angel of Death and like the others is absolutely terrified. As he's screaming in fear, Dietrich is killed when the fires eminating from Belloq shrivel up his head. His collapsed remains are later swept up and destroyed by the resulting whirlwind.

Behind the scenes

 * Dietrich was portrayed by actor Wolf Kahler in Raiders of the Lost Ark.


 * In Lawrence Kasdan's original script for Raiders, Dietrich's name was "Shliemann," and he did not die when the Ark was opened. Instead, he and a few of his men survive and pursue Indy and Marion through tunnels in mine carts. This was cut, and the mine chase recycled for Temple of Doom. In Campbell Black's novel, his death is never explicitly described.


 * There were plans by Hasbro for a 2009 action figure of Dietrich, but the toyline was cancelled before one could be made. Dietrich's only other piece of tie-in merchandise is an unpainted metal miniature released in a set containing both characters from Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

Appearances

 * Raiders of the Lost Ark novel
 * Raiders of the Lost Ark
 * Raiders of the Lost Ark comic
 * LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures