It is set during the Tyrolean Rebellion against Napoleon, about which Trenker had previously made another film "The Rebel" in 1932. However Adolf Hitler, who had been an admirer of the previous film, was apparently displeased feeling that the parallels between Napoleon and the Third Reich meant that the film glorified and potentially incited popular revolt against the regime. To restore himself to favour, Trenker published a novel "Captain Ladurner" which was overtly pro-Nazi.