Gertrude (Burkhalter) Linkmeyer

Gertrude (Burkhalter) Linkmeyer is a fictional character that appeared in five episodes of the sitcom Hogan's Heroes. She was played by Kathleen Freeman in four episodes, and by Alice Ghostley in one episode ("Watch the Trains Go By"). (Ghostley also played a different character in "That's No Lady, That's My Spy".) The character's name is spelled varyingly in the credits for each of her five appearances as "Mrs. Linkmyer", "Gertrud Linkmeyer", "Gertrude Linkmaier", "Gertrude Linkmeyer", and "Gertrude Linkmeier".

Gertrude Linkmeyer is the married sister of General der Infantrie Albert Burkhalter. She has at least one child from her marriage to Otto Linkmeyer, namely her daughter Lotte Linkmeyer. Other known relations include her mother, with whom she is currently living with her daughter, a niece-in-law named Frieda, at least two sisters-in-law, and a brother-in-law, Captain Kurtz. Little else is known of Gertrude's background, other than that her husband Otto has been missing in action (MIA) while voluntarily serving at the Russian Front during Operation Barbarossa in 1941. A couple of years later, Gertrude is legally a war widow, although she still prefers to think of her husband as "Missing". However, as her brother Albert frequently reminds her, missing at the Russian Front places very little doubt. Anxious to see that his sister is provided for, and possibly to get her off their mother's hands, Albert sets out to pair her off with just about any officer in the Weirmacht he can find, eventually settling on Wilhelm Klink, the commandant of Stalag 13.

Frau Linkmeyer's on-again, off-again attraction to Klink is a source of near-panic for the Kommandant. However, he occasionally weighs the thought of being married to her against the advantage of being General Burkhalter's brother-in-law.

Hogan tricks Klink in one episode where Klink agrees to meet Frau Linkmeyer in town and takes a drink of schnapps. Hogan asks Klink if he wants to see two Frau Linkmeyers, after which Klink pours the alcohol back into its bottle.

Another time Hogan suggests that Klink marry Gertrude. Klink threatens to have Hogan shot - and adds that no court martial in the world will find him guilty!