Taglines: April 1945, a nation awaits its…
In April of 1945, Germany stands at the brink of defeat with the Soviet Armies closing in from the west and south. In Berlin, capital of the Third Reich, Adolf Hitler proclaims that Germany will still achieve victory and orders his Generals and advisers to fight to the last man.
“Downfall” explores these final days of the Reich, where senior German leaders (such as Himmler and Goring) began defecting from their beloved Fuhrer, in an effort to save their own lives, while still others (Joseph Goebbels) pledge to die with Hitler. Hitler, himself, degenerates into a paranoid shell of a man, full of optimism one moment and suicidal depression the next. When the end finally does comes, and Hitler lies dead by his own hand, what is left of his military must find a way to end the killing that is the Battle of Berlin, and lay down their arms in surrender.
Downfall (German: Der Untergang) is a 2004 German-Italian-Austrian historical war drama film depicting the final ten days of Adolf Hitler’s rule over Nazi Germany in 1945. It was based on several histories of the period. The film was directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel, and written and produced by Bernd Eichinger. The film received critical acclaim upon release and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
About the Story
The film begins with an excerpt from the documentary Im toten Winkel (2002), featuring the real Traudl Junge expressing her guilt and shame for admiring Hitler in her youth. The film continues showing Hitler (Bruno Ganz) hiring Junge (Alexandra Maria Lara) as his secretary at the Wolf’s Lair in East Prussia in November 1942.
The story resumes on 20 April 1945, Hitler’s birthday, during the Battle of Berlin. An artillery blast wakes up Traudl, Gerda Christian and Constanze Manziarly in the room they share. Down in the Führerbunker, Hitler is informed by Wilhelm Burgdorf that Berlin is under attack and then by Karl Koller that the Red Army has advanced to within 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) of central Berlin.
At Hitler’s birthday reception, Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler and his SS adjutant Hermann Fegelein plead with Hitler to leave the city, but Hitler refuses. Himmler leaves to negotiate surrender terms with the Western Allies behind Hitler’s back. In another part of the city, a group of Hitler Youth members are bolstering defenses. Peter, one of the members, is urged by his father to desert but refuses.
In yet another part of the city, SS physician Ernst-Günther Schenck convinces an SS general to allow him to ignore an evacuation order and is then requested by Brigadeführer Wilhelm Mohnke to bring any available medical supplies to the Reich Chancellery. Meanwhile, Hitler discusses his new scorched earth policy with his Minister of Armaments, Albert Speer, while Eva Braun holds a party that is broken up by artillery fire.
The next day, while his unit is fighting the Red Army forces, General Helmuth Weidling is summoned to the bunker to await execution for allegedly ordering a retreat to the west. After explaining to Hans Krebs and Burgdorf that it was a misunderstanding, Weidling is promoted by Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel to oversee Berlin’s crumbling defences. Hitler orders an attack from Felix Steiner’s unit to stem the Soviet advance – army groups which at this point only exist on paper.
Later, Hitler is informed by Krebs and Alfred Jodl that Steiner could not mount the attack, allowing the Red Army to further advance closer to Berlin. Dismissing everyone from the room except for Keitel, Jodl, Krebs and Burgdorf, Hitler flies into a furious rage against what he perceives are traitorous actions against him and finally acknowledges that the war is lost. However, he is determined to stay in Berlin to the end, even if it means killing himself.
After seeing conscripted civilians of the Volkssturm needlessly gunned down in battle, General Mohnke confronts Joseph Goebbels, their commander, about the slaughter. Goebbels tells Mohnke that he has no pity for the civilians, as they chose their fate. Hitler loses his sense of reality and orders Field Marshal Keitel to find Admiral Karl Dönitz, whom Hitler believes is gathering troops in the north, and help him plan an offensive to recover the Romanian oil fields.
Continue Reading and View the Theatrical Trailer
Downfall (Der Untergang) (2005)
Directed by: Oliver Hirschbiegel
Starring: Bruno Ganz, Juliane Köhler, Thomas Kretschmann, Ulrich Matthes, Heino Ferch, Corinna Harfouch, Alexandra Maria Lara, Matthias Habich, Birgit Minichmayr, Charlotte Stoiber
Screenplay by: Bernd Eichinger
Production Design by: Bernd Lepel
Cinematography by: Rainer Klausmann
Film Editing by: Hans Funck
Costume Design by: Claudia Bobsin
Music by: Stephan Zacharias
MPAA Rating: R for strong violence, disturbing images and some nudity.
Distributed by: Newmarket Films
Release Date: February 18, 2005
Visits: 153
