In 2025, the largely untold story of Helmuth Hübener hits the big screen with Truth & Treason, a powerful drama that brings to life a bold chapter of teenage resistance in Nazi Germany. The film, opening October 17, centers on Hübener’s daring stand against oppression and speaks across time to the dangers of authoritarianism.
A Teenager Who Defied Tyranny
Born in Hamburg in 1925, Helmuth Hübener was only 16 when he began quietly resisting Hitler’s regime. Using a shortwave radio, he secretly received BBC broadcasts—information banned under Nazi rule—and began drafting anti-Nazi pamphlets. Together with two friends, Karl-Heinz Schnibbe and Rudi Wobbe, he distributed hundreds of leaflets over several months. Their defiance drew the attention of the Gestapo, and in 1942 all three were arrested and tried on charges that included high treason. Hübener took full responsibility for the operation. On October 27, 1942, at the age of 17, he was executed by guillotine—the youngest German resistance fighter to face such a fate.
From Obscurity to Cinematic Story
Hübener’s story first entered the public consciousness through a novel by Günter Grass and later found wider exposure via academic works and theatrical productions. Over the decades, it has become a touchpoint for exploring moral courage under totalitarianism. The upcoming film Truth & Treason (produced by Angel Studios) draws on this legacy, dramatizing how one teen resisted a regime built on lies.
Matt Whitaker, director and co-writer, previously created a documentary titled Truth & Conviction on Hübener’s life. That earlier version was more journalistic in tone; the new film builds on those facts to deliver a cinematic, emotionally resonant portrait.
Key Differences Between Fact and Film
While the film remains anchored to real events, it includes certain dramatic liberties. For instance, Karl-Heinz Schnibbe’s sentence is heightened to suggest a greater risk of execution, and a fictional girlfriend is introduced to enrich the emotional narrative. These changes aim to sharpen conflict and deepen viewer engagement.
One compelling subplot involves Hübener’s local LDS branch president, Arthur Zander, who joined the Nazi Party and even posted antisemitic signage on the church’s door. After Hübener’s arrest, Zander recorded “excommunicated” on his church membership—though decades later, the Church officially restored his membership and recognized his heroism.
The Film & Its Creators
Truth & Treason features British actor Ewan Horrocks as Hübener, alongside Ferdinand McKay as Schnibbe and Daf Thomas as Wobbe. The film is directed by Whitaker and written with Ethan Vincent, backed by Angel Studios and Kaleidoscope Pictures.
With a runtime of about 2 hours and 3 minutes, it is rated PG-13 for violence, thematic content, and some blood imagery.
Why This Story Still Resonates
Hübener’s struggle holds enduring relevance in an age of misinformation and authoritarian pressures. His moral clarity—forming resistance in the face of a regime that systematically devalued truth—strikes a chord today. As one academic involved in publicizing his story observed, falsehoods in modern political systems can threaten the very foundations of free societies.
Even those unfamiliar with the Latter-day Saints tradition have connected with the film’s universal themes of courage, conscience, and defiance of tyranny. Actor McKay described the narrative as “David vs. Goliath,” affirming its timeless, cross-cultural appeal.
Legacy and Memory
Hübener’s name endures in Germany: a school in Berlin, a street in Hamburg, and plaques commemorate his courage.
Among those influenced by his legacy is Ralf Grünke, a church spokesperson in Germany, who recounts how a photograph of Hübener long hung in his childhood room. He credits the young resister’s example with shaping his moral compass in an era of rising hate and political polarization.
In the film’s poignant final scenes, Hübener asks his friends never to forget him. Generations later, his story survives—reminding us that standing for truth can matter, even when the cost is highest.
