Fluent in German, English and French, he has worked in numerous European and American films, including the Oscar-winning "Sundays and Cybele" (1962), and the original 1965 version of "The Flight of the Phoenix" (1965). Other films include the comedy-drama "The Secret of Santa Vittoria" (1969), where he played a German officer during the Second World War trying to find hidden wine in a small Italian town; Stanley Kubrick's "Barry Lyndon" with Ryan O'Neal (1975); Richard Attenborough's "A Bridge Too Far" (sharing a scene with Laurence Olivier, 1977); and "The Wild Geese" with Richard Burton (1978). Because of his stereotypical Teutonic look (blond hair and blue eyes), Krüger often performed in roles portraying German soldiers.