Hogan's Heroes
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Fräulein Hilda is a fictional character who is Klink's second secretary for seasons 2 through 6 of Hogan's Heroes. However, despite her German blood, she would aid Colonel Robert Hogan and his men in exchange for candy, stockings and kisses from Hogan. She was played by actress Sigrid Valdis.

History[]

Hilda became the secretary at Stalag 13 after the departure of Helga, following Helga's marriage to a German officer (speculation), or her wanting to get better employment.

Hilda proves valuable to the underground as she would charm any German officer who would step into the camp.

She plays a small role in many of the team's missions and is generally respected among the men. The men did not try to woo her as they did other women.

Morals and Love Life[]

Like her predecessor, Helga, her motives for aiding Hogan and his men are never clearly stated in the series. It might have been because of Hogan's bribes, or she has some real affection towards Hogan, or possibly because she is actually sympathetic towards the Allies' cause.

Hilda did state during the series that she would rather receive an engagement ring from Hogan then all the other bribes he would give her, suggesting that she has some real affection for Colonel Hogan. Whether she has any real sympathy towards the Allies cause is unknown. However, in "The Schultz Brigade," Hilda is seen giving Newkirk the go-ahead to "assassinate" General Burkhalter-possibly a sign she might be working with the Allies. She does note on another occasion that she is engaged in inappropriate activity. When Hogan asks her for information on the weight of a German truck passing over a bridge that the Heroes have mined, she says, "I shouldn't be telling you this."

Klink, himself, is one of the many would-be-lovers of Hilda, though she is untempted by him. Once, he asks her out on a date. However, his car is not available at the time and therefore, the date never takes place.

Trivia[]

  • Hilda is the only female regular on the show during Seasons Two through Six. Therefore, Sigrid Valdis has a modest wardrobe which she has to supply herself.
  • Hilda is upon multiple occasions referred to as Helga, the name of her predecessor.
  • Sigrid Valdis (born Patricia Olsen) was married to Bob Crane on the stage of Hogan's Heroes.  Richard Dawson/Newkirk served as the best man.
  • There is speculation that Hilda is just more than a Secretary in love with Colonel Hogan--she is in fact the legendary British Spy "Nimrod". As a Secretary she has access to German plans and documents brought by Generals-such as Burkhalter of Hitler's Staff; indeed the plans for the secret Me XL-12 [disguised as a model plane kit] were in her desk; likewise she has access to Klink's switchboard and able to monitor and eavesdrop on his conversations. So secret was her identity that not even the clever Colonel Hogan realized her identity...thus Hogans Heroes rendered a deeper service to the Allied cause by distracting the Germans with their sabotage actions away from Nimrod.
    • The real spy Nimrod, however, was German-born Englishman Stefan Rosenberg, but of course, as he could not be in multiple places at once, it is theorized that Hilda may have been helping him with some of his work. Hilda, more likely, was working with Nimrod, rather than being Nimrod herself.
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