The Robbery of the Third Reich

In spring 1941, Glavonja and Kaluz pull off a series of bank robberies in Belgrade, earning a notorious reputation across Europe. Their first major venture ends in a costly failure, testing their bravado and nerves. They are arrested and confined, marking an abrupt halt to their early double life.

With World War II escalating, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia is occupied by Germany and Glavonja and Kaluz become German prisoners. They navigate the new power dynamics under occupation, learning to survive through shifting loyalties. Their fortunes turn as the occupiers reimpose control over Belgrade.

The Germans seize control of Belgrade’s villas, including one inhabited by a colonel and his wife. The colonel struggles to open a hidden safe and enlists Glavonja and Kaluz to help, triggering a bold escape. They seize the opportunity to forge documents declaring them Hitler’s relatives and heroes, securing entry into elite circles.

Armed with forged German documents, they claim to be Hitler’s relatives and great heroes of the Reich, allowing them entry into the upper echelons of German society. They travel to Berlin convinced that prestige and work await in the heart of the Reich. Their impersonation works far beyond expectations, opening doors to exclusive circles.

In Berlin, their elaborate ruses let them slip among officers and officials while they conduct a string of operations that appear effortless to onlookers. The illusion buys influence, time, and opportunity, feeding their appetite for power. Yet every move carries the risk of exposure and brutal punishment.

The exhilaration of success is tempered by the fragility of appearances; forged identities grant access but demand constant vigilance. The duo learns that deception can protect them or sink them, depending on the misstep. Their confidence grows, even as the danger intensifies.

A new run-in with the authorities forces them back into brief imprisonment, reminding them that survival depends on remaining steps ahead of the system. The confinement is short, but the fear of exposure lingers afterward. They resume their double life with heightened caution.

Across Europe, the duo’s bond deepens as they lean on each other for schemes, leverage, and survival. The shared pursuit of opportunity hardens their reliance on one another while threatening to erode personal ethics. Their partnership becomes both strength and vulnerability.

The narrative centers on a core question: how long can two men maneuver through a system designed to punish lies, even when those lies are born from necessity. The film invites contemplation of the moral ambiguities of living by cleverness under occupation. They weigh the costs of deception against the need to endure.

Even as forged identities grant access to prestige, the danger of exposure increases and the balance of risk shifts. Their previously smooth exploits become more fraught, demanding sharper nerves and bolder gambles. The line between maneuvering and overreaching grows thinner.

The two are briefly imprisoned again, a stark reminder that triumphs built on deceit are never permanent. They manage to gain release and resume their dangerous game, but the consequences of their ruses linger. The episode underscores the fragile nature of survival built on false identities.

The film closes with a meditation on how improvisation and cleverness shape destinies in wartime. It considers the costs of deception, the price of survival, and the moral ambiguities of living among façades. The bond between Glavonja and Kaluz endures even as the world remains dangerous and unsettled.