Lieutenant Hubert Gruber

Lieutenant Hubert Gruber
'Allo 'Allo! character
First appearance	Pilot: "The British Are Coming"
Last appearance	"A Winkle in Time" "The Return of 'Allo 'Allo!"
Portrayed by	Guy Siner
Information
Occupation	Army officer (Lieutenant)
Nationality	German

Oberlieutenant Hubert Gruber, generally known only as Lieutenant Gruber, is a fictional character from the British sitcom series 'Allo 'Allo! and is portrayed by Guy Siner.

Gruber is the aide-de-camp to General von Klinkerhoffen, and lives in the local château. Later, he also becomes the unofficial assistant of Colonel von Strohm, after Captain Hans Geering goes missing in Series 3.

Gruber is an Oberleutnant in the Panzer division in the Wehrmacht (evidenced by the rose-pink piping on his uniform and single gilt star on the silver epaulette), although in very early episodes he wears the rank of Lieutenant, and a white Waffenfarbe, which is for the infantry. The rank Oberlieutnant can be translated to 1st lieutenant. He is the recipient of the Iron Cross 1st Class, Iron Cross 2nd Class, War Merit Cross 2nd Class, with Swords, Eastern Front Medal, General Assault Badge and the Wehrmacht Long Service Award.

He uses an armoured car, which he often refers to as his "little tank" and is driven by the unseen character "Clarence". The tank is named Hubert in the last series.

Gruber comes from Baden-Baden, and attended art school in his youth, but was expelled. Prior to the war, he worked as a window dresser, and as an assistant in an art gallery in Cologne. Later his artistic talent comes useful, when he is ordered by Colonel von Strohm to make copies of the Fallen Madonna with the Big Boobies by van Klomp, and The Cracked Vase with the Big Daisies by Vincent van Gogh.

In the final episode, in the scene that takes place after the war is over, Gruber is revealed to have married Private Helga Geerhart and fathered six children with her. He has become a successful art dealer, owns an international auction house and employs Colonel von Strohm as his driver.

Although Gruber never admitted his sexual orientation, his camp mannerisms and characteristics are those of a stereotypical gay male, who has an obvious attraction towards René (the owner of the town café). Gruber often finds René in embarrassing situations, for example by walking into a room and catching René in his underpants.

Nevertheless, in the last episode of the series, we discover that Lieutenant Gruber has married Helga Geerhart, with whom he has had six children after the war. However, in The Return of 'Allo 'Allo!, it was specifically made clear that Gruber was intended to be gay.