Sometimes I think Colonel Von Strohm is just as much in the thick of it as Rene, a sort of German Rene if you will. He starts off having to have Edith singing to him then both the captain and Helga try a bit of subtle blackmail to get him to share the future fortune from selling the painting of the fallen madonna with the big boobies. The he gets kidnapped with the one branch of resistance Rene has no contact with, Rene gets accused of colaboration and no one believes any story regarding Edith entertaining the Germans because of her singing. Rene also is in a sticky situation regarding having to save the colonel and be seen to murder him.