Character: Thomas Kramer
Actor: David Horovitch
Episode: The German Woman

Playing wartime internee Thomas Kramer in Foyle's War had a particular significance for actor David Horovitch.

"I am half Jewish myself and was born the day after the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima in 1945, just at the outbreak of peace. I am very much interested in that period.

"Thomas Kramer's character is a fresh way of looking at the events of the time. He's not Jewish but he's a good German, someone like Schindler, who had gone out of his way to support the Jews and had to flee Germany as a result. He's also an artist, a top musician, which was interesting.

"He is gentle but very strong and determined. He comes to England and marries an English wife and his history has taught him to be tough and to cope. Then something happens that all exiles and refugees dread - the knock on the door in the middle of the night."

Kramer is taken to the police station and accused of having a camera, against regulations. He is interned with other foreigners and his wife Elsie (Elizabeth Bell) suffers a heart attack.

"Some of the internment scenes were very moving," says David. "The set was very real and the story is harrowing and touching. It was emotive to shoot that kind of story, but it was satisfying because it was an interesting and enjoyable job.

"It's very odd because I've now done four pieces from the Second World War period. I did two voice-overs for radio - one on Hitler's holocaust and one on Rommel - and now I'm touring with a play called Copenhagen by Michael Frayn. It's based on a true story about the development of the nuclear bomb and the Nazis and I play Niels Bohr who was a Danish physicist, responsible for nuclear fission."

David's other credits include Safe House, 102 Dalmatians, Deceit, Great Expectations, Annie's Bar, The Sculptress and the role of Inspector Slack in many BBC Agatha Christie adaptations.

September 2002; Publicity Release