Herman Dietrich

"Only our mission for the Führer matters."

- Herman Dietrich

Oberst Herman Dietrich was a German and a Nazi commander in charge of the 1936 excavation by Rene Belloq of the Ark of the Covenant in Cairo, Egypt.

Biography
Herman 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 Gestapo agent Major 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. Being a Nazi, he asks Belloq if it really is necessary to hold a "Jewish ritual" to reveal the contents of the Ark, to which Belloq asks him if he would prefer the risk of opening an empty Ark in front of Hitler in Berlin. There was a tense moment when Indy threatened to blow up the Ark with a bazooka in a desperate attempt to rescue Marion Ravenwood, but the archaeologist was convinced by Belloq to surrender rather than destroy a monumental piece of history.

Dietrich and Toht watched on as Belloq performed his ritual at the Tabernacle, and was at first enraged upon finding only sand in the Ark. His frustration turned to surprise and wonder as ghostly apparitions began to emerge from the Ark. Dietrich was not sure what to make of the experience; as an angelic spirit turned to face them, and suddenly transformed into a decaying, corpse like entity, baring its fangs and howling at them. Dietrich and the others became frozen to the spot with terror, as a fireball rose from the Ark and engulfed Belloq, using him as a conduit to shoot forth firebolts to strike down the assembled Nazis. As he trembled in fear, Dietrich was killed when the fires eminating from Belloq hollowed his skull. His collapsed remains were then swept up and incinerated by the following firestorm.

Personality and traits
Dietrich was a known member of the Wehrmacht, a sect of the Nazi Party that made up mostly of the army.

Behind the scenes

 * Dietrich was portrayed by actor Wolf Kahler in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Kahler also played another Nazi officer named Dietrich in the 1985 movie, The Dirty Dozen: The Next Mission, though the officer's rank is a General and the full name is Sepp Dietrich, named after the real life SS General.


 * 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.


 * Dietrich doesn't appear in either LEGO game until The Desert Chase. His death in the first game is different than the movie, his head and Toht's heads shrink in their bodies. In the second game it is possible Dietrich lived because after Belloq turns into a lightning monster, he sends Dietrich flying away and the game never mentions Dietrich after that.
 * In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure, Indy can bypass Helmut by mentioning that he is "Gestapo ... Dietrich's successor"


 * In English, Dietrich's surname means skeleton key or ruler.

Appearances

 * Raiders of the Lost Ark novel
 * Raiders of the Lost Ark
 * Raiders of the Lost Ark comic
 * Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure

Non-canon appearances

 * LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures
 * LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues

Notes and references
Herman Dietrich Herman Dietrich ヘルマン・ディートリッヒ