During the Second World War Nazi Germany carried out Operation Bernhard, producing counterfeit British banknotes using prisoners. Counterfeiting as economic warfare sounds like a thriller, but the history is darker.
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The technical ingenuity cannot be separated from the forced labor behind it. The operation involved technical forgery, coercion and plans that changed over time; not every commonly repeated scheme was fully carried out.
Questions about quantity, circulation and economic impact need careful documentary support rather than cinematic assumptions. Claims about how much damage the operation caused deserve careful evidence.
The experiences of prisoners forced into the operation are central to the story, not incidental technical details. Prisoners' experiences must remain central, not decorative details.
How much damage can counterfeit notes actually inflict if a currency's banking system and public confidence remain intact?