The Axe of Wandsbek

1934 Hamburg Adolf Hitler is about to visit the city Hamburgs executioner falls ill and is unable to deliver the sentence of four communists who are awaiting capital punishment in jail Fearing that this would spoil Hitlers visit SS leader Footh offers a local bankrupt butcher Albert Teetjen 2000 Marks in order to carry out the verdict The broke Teetjen agrees and follows suit When his neighbors hear of the execution they shun him His wife cannot tolerate her husbands deed and puts an end to her life Eventually Teetjen also commits suicide