Hans Litten

Hans Litten, born on June nineteenth, nineteen oh three, was a prominent German jurist and lawyer known for his courageous defense of political opponents during the tumultuous years of the Weimar Republic. Between nineteen twenty-nine and nineteen thirty-two, he became a fierce advocate for workers' rights, representing those who stood against the rising tide of Nazism.

One of Litten's most notable acts of defiance occurred during a trial in nineteen thirty-one, where he subpoenaed Adolf Hitler to testify as a witness. The three-hour cross-examination left Hitler visibly shaken, a moment that would haunt the dictator, who later forbade any mention of Litten's name in his presence.

However, Litten's bravery came at a grave cost. Following the Reichstag fire, he was arrested alongside other progressive lawyers and leftists. His life thereafter was marked by suffering, as he endured years of torture and relentless interrogations in various German concentration camps. His situation deteriorated further after being transferred to Dachau, where he was isolated from the outside world.

Tragically, after five years of unimaginable hardship, Litten took his own life. Despite his significant contributions, he remained largely overlooked for decades, as his political beliefs did not align neatly with the narratives of either the West or the Communist propaganda in the postwar era. It wasn't until two thousand eleven that he received broader recognition, thanks to the BBC's portrayal of his life in the film 'The Man Who Crossed Hitler.'