Hogan’s Heroes is probably the most misunderstood television comedy series in history. Although to modern eyes it looks insensitive, back in the 1960s it’s intention was to make fun of the Nazi state. When Werner Klemperer signed up for the series there was only one stipulation in the contract – Colonel Klink never, ever ends an episode as the victor.
The series was also diverse for its day, featuring an African-American enlisted man in a mixed race prison camp, something that never actually existed. In fact, you would never find British, French and American prisoners housed together at all.
As for the cast
Werner Klemperer was born in Germany to famous conductor Otto Klemperer, a Jew who had converted to Catholicism, but then returned to Judaism.
Robert Clary (still alive at 95) was a French Jew who survived Buchenwald Concentration Camp by singing to the SS guards.
John Banner was an Austrian Jew who was in Switzerland when Austria was annexed by Germany. He left for the United States.
Leon Askin was an Austrian Jew who fled Austria for the United States in 1940 after he was beaten by Nazi gangs
Howard Caine was an American Jew from Tennessee who served with the U.S. Navy in the Pacific Theater.
As such, pretty much everyone in the production knew what they were doing – making fun of Nazis.