In the 1960 film , '' Sink the Bismarck ! '' , Lütjens ( played by Karel Štěpánek ) is portrayed as a stereotypical Nazi , committed to Nazism and crazed in his undaunted belief that the '' Bismarck '' is unsinkable . In reality , Lütjens did not agree with Nazi policies ; along with two other navy commanders , he had publicly protested against the brutality of anti-Semitic crimes during Kristallnacht . He was one of the few officers who refused to give the Nazi salute when Hitler visited '' Bismarck '' before its first and final mission , deliberately using instead the traditional naval salute . He was pessimistic of the chances of success of '' Bismarck '' s mission and realised that it would be a daunting task
Kristallnacht
Kristallnacht
Günther Lütjens