DOWNFALL
I feel as if I should be angry with that child, that...
naive young girl. Or that I must not forgive her...
for not recognizing the nature of that monster.
For not being aware of what she was getting into.
And especially that I went along without thinking.
Because I wasn't a fanatical Nazi. I could have said, in Berlin:
"No, I'm not doing it. I don't want to go to the Führer's headquarters."
But I didn't do that. I was too curious.
I also didn't realize...
that destiny would take me somewhere I didn't want to be.
But, nevertheless, I find it hard to forgive myself.
The ladies are here.
It's confirmed. –They can pass.
"Wolfsschanze" The Führer's Headquarters
November 1942 Rastenburg, East Prussia
Sit down, ladies.
One moment. The Führer is feeding his dog. He'll see you in a minute.
Can you tell us... How are we supposed to address the Führer?
The Führer speaks to you first and you reply: Heil, mein Führer.
And the Nazi salute? –That won't be necessary...
since the Führer isn't looking for a soldier, but for a secretary.
Act as normal and calm as you can.
I'll see if he has time for you.
Mein Führer, the ladies from Berlin are here.
Thank you, ladies, for coming in the middle of the night.
Sometimes, during a war, one is not in control of time.
Can I ask your name? -Margarethe Lorenz. Heil, mein Führer.
Where are you from? -From Fulda. Heil, mein Führer.
And what is your name? -Ursula Puttkammer. Heil, mein Führer.
No need for that. Where are you from?
Frankfurt am Main, mein Füh...
Hannah Potrovsky, born and raised in Berlin.
In Pankow, to be precise.
Hedwig Brandt from Crailsheim, Swabia.
And you are? -Traudl Humps. I'm from Munich.
A lady from Munich.
Fräulein Humps, shall we start then?
My Blondi won't hurt you. She's very intelligent.
She's much smarter than most people.
First, sit down, please.
Don't be nervous. I make many mistakes during dictation.
You won't make nearly as many.
You're very young.
How old are you? -22, mein Führer.
My fellow German countrymen and women...
...fellow party members.
It is, I think, rather remarkable...
that, after 20 years of service, a man still stands in front of his supporters...
...and that in all those 20 years, his program has never needed modification.
I suggest we try it again.
I did it. He hired me.
Berlin - April 20, 1945 Hitler's 56th birthday
Two and a half years later
Take cover.
Continue. Hurry. Get that off the street.
Take cover.
That's artillery fire.
Don't be silly. Where would it be coming from?
You're right. Those aren't planes, it's artillery.
It's the Russians. What a birthday present.
Burgdorf, where is that artillery fire coming from?
Happy birthday, mein Führer.
Downtown Berlin is under fire.
Shells have hit near the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag.
Where did they come from? -We don't know yet.
I have Koller on the line. -Give me Koller.
Koller, do you know Berlin is under artillery fire?
No. -Can't you hear the shooting?
No, I'm in Wildpark-Werder. -Berlin is in chaos.
Apparently, the Russians captured a railway bridge over the Oder.
The enemy has no railway artillery near the Oder.
It's not long-range artillery.
The anti-aircraft defense near the Zoo-Bunker reports they're calibers of...
...10 to 12 centimeters. The Russians have positions near Marzahn.
That's only 12 kilometers from the center. Are the Russians that close?
They should hang the entire Luftwaffe leadership.
This is unheard of.
The Russians are 12 kilometers from the city center.
Nobody told me anything. I had to ask.
Maybe it's long-range artillery, after all.
That railway bridge over the Oder... -Nonsense.
You shouldn't do that, Fräulein Braun.
He already eats nothing but cake all day long.
Don't be so strict. It's his birthday.
He deserves something nice. He has so little fun.
I'll bring up some more bottles.
There's a huge crowd.
I'm so glad that you support him in these difficult times. He appreciates you enormously.
What do I do for him? -Cheer him up.
His generals always bring him their troubles. He doesn't want to hear it anymore.
You'd be troubled, too.
The city center is already being shelled.
I hope it doesn't rain down during his birthday celebration.
Nothing will happen. –Still, it seems risky.
Just do like everybody else, Frau Jung, and let the Führer take care of it.
That Himmler, such a pompous buffoon.
Party bosses, everywhere. They make me so sick.
The Führer started "Clausewitz" today.
Berlin on the front lines. He won't be able to keep the city.
If the Führer stays here, the Reich will go down with him.
We have to talk him out of it. Talk to Hewel.
He's the only diplomat with any influence on him.
Hewel tried everything. It's useless.
Talk to your sister-in-law, then.
Why not? You're married to the sister of Eva Braun.
We must try everything. Berlin is almost surrounded.
You're still young. You'll be a father soon.
Do you want to die here? -Absolutely not.
Gentlemen, the Führer.
Everything out, quickly. We're leaving in two hours.
What's going on? -We're leaving.
"Clausewitz" has started.
All the ministries and departments are leaving Berlin.
And who's going to look after the people and the soldiers?
Don't ask me, professor. -This is insane.
Professor.
I won't allow the evacuation of my office.
Is that so? –The food supply will collapse.
A good soldier can always find food.
And when there's fighting all over the city, where does he get it? The population.
It's irresponsible. -It's an order from the Führer.
As a department head, I report to the SS and to Himmler.
But as a doctor, I'm part of the Wehrmacht and they're not leaving yet.
Keep that in mind.
The professor stays in Berlin. Get him the proper papers.
We're leaving.
Everything for Germany. Heil, mein Führer.
Führer, I... Heil, mein Führer.
They're in such a hurry to get away from here.
The brown nosing is the worst.
They say "Sieg Heil," but they think "Lick my... you know what."
Mein Führer, I beg you to leave Berlin. It's not too late yet.
Too late?
Hewel, come here for a moment.
I'm sure you agree we should contact the Allies...
...and start conducting politics. -Certainly. We need politics.
Politics? I don't do politics anymore.
I'm fed up with it.
When I'm dead, you'll have plenty of time for politics.
It's OK, dear Himmler. My loyal Heinrich.
It's OK. Just go.
He has no strength left.
What did you expect from a vegetarian teetotaler?
Seriously, though, Fegelein. I'm taking control now.
Berlin will fall in a few days.
When the Führer's dead, who will the Allies negotiate with?
Why do you think they'll negotiate with you?
The Nazi state and my SS are needed to maintain order.
One hour with Eisenhower and he'll feel the same way.
The first contact has been made. -Careful, that's high treason.
Fegelein, I have other concerns.
Should I give Eisenhower the Nazi salute, or shake his hand?
Look at that.
The best guests always arrive late.
Leaving already, gentlemen? I wanted to talk to you.
The scorched-earth orders... -I really have to go now.
Come and see me one day in Hohenlychen.
I'm going north to help with the battle of Berlin there.
You know, Speer... There's an advantage to those bombings.
It's easier to clean up debris than to demolish everything ourselves.
When the war is won, reconstruction will be quick.
We've spent thousands of hours together with these models.
You're a true genius, Speer.
Yes, absolutely. Only you and I know that the Third Reich would be inconceivable...
...with only warehouses and factories. Skyscrapers and hotels.
This Third Reich will be a treasury full of art and culture...
...that will survive thousands of years.
We see, before us, the ancient cities, the Acropolis...
...medieval cities, with their cathedrals...
...and we know that the people need that.
Yes, Speer.
That was my vision...
...and it still is.
Mein Führer, if you want to realize these plans, you must leave Berlin.
Eva, you say something.
He's the Führer. He knows what's best.
You must leave Berlin. The Russians almost have us isolated.
I can't do that, my child.
I would be like a lama priest with an empty prayer wheel.
I have to solve the problem, here in Berlin, or perish.
Speer...
...what do you think?
You have to be onstage when the curtain falls.
Reload.
Go away. Leave me alone.
How old are you? Twelve? And you? Fourteen?
Why are you here? To play at war? Go home.
Who are you? What do you want? -I want my son. Alive.
You should be proud. He destroyed two tanks.
The Führer will decorate him for it today.
You're young. Which front did you fight on?
I... haven't had the honor yet.
Consider yourself lucky. Send the children home.
We'll defend this position to the last man.
What position? This isn't a position, it's a trap.
The Russians will come from two sides and you won't be able to get out.
We'll shoot back. -With what?
We'll use flak as artillery.
The Russians will arrive with several armies, tanks and heavy artillery.
Do you really think you'll last even five minutes?
We have sworn it to the Führer.
Don't you understand? The war is lost. It's over.
Go away. Right now.
If you're still here when the Russians arrive, you'll all be dead.
The 9th Army must retreat or they'll be decimated...
The 9th Army will not retreat. Busse must fight where he stands.
Führer, then the 9th Army is lost.
We'll push back the Soviet armies in the north and east...
...with a ruthless, mighty attack.
With what units, mein Führer?
Steiner will attack from the north and join the 9th Army.
The 9th Army is unable to move.
The enemy outnumbers us ten times.
Wenck's 12th Army must support them.
The 12th Army is approaching the Elbe. -Then it must turn around.
Then the western front would be open. -Do you doubt my orders?
I think I've made myself clear.
I've reconciled myself to it.
I will remain in the capital.
It is neither possible nor will it be permitted...
...for these cultureless barbarians to conquer Europe.
I am the final bulwark against it.
The fight for Berlin will decide the fate of Germany.
Only here, moral victory can be achieved.
If the Führer must die, it will be in the ruins of Berlin.
He owes it to world history. His historical role must be played out here.
Mohnke, you're here. -Mein Führer.
"Clausewitz" started today. Berlin has become a front city.
You will be the commandant of the Reichs Chancellery defense.
We'll fight until the last man in Berlin.
There are still three million civilians here. They have to be evacuated.
I understand your concern, Mohnke. But we have to be ice cold.
We cannot worry ourselves for so-called citizens.
With all due respect, what will happen to the women and children...
...and the thousands of wounded and elderly?
In a war such as this, there are no civilians.
The Führer has lost all sense of reality.
He's moving divisions around that no longer exist.
Steiner's group has been scattered, yet Steiner must attack. Madness.
But why don't you tell him that? -He doesn't listen to reason.
Something has to happen. -Are you crazy? He'll throw us out.
We're soldiers. We took an oath.
Does that mean we can't use our own brains anymore?
And that's coming from you? An opportunist? A ruthless careerist?
I beg your pardon?
Where were you? -None of your business.
The most successful tank hunters of the Berlin Hitler Youth stand before you.
I'm proud of you.
This boy took out two tanks using anti-tank shells.
His name is Peter Kranz. -So you're Peter.
I wish my generals were as brave as you.
Good, good.
You've made history.
And when Germania rises from these ruins...
...you will be the heroes.
Heil, to you.
I don't know about you, but I prefer air raids.
What will happen to us? -I could go if I wanted to.
But everybody is deserting him. We can't all go, can we?
I can't go either.
I wouldn't know where to go.
My parents and all my friends warned me...
Don't get involved with the Nazis.
What should I say: "Hello, I made a mistake"?
"When things went wrong, I admitted my mistake."
Life will go on.
What do you think, Colonel? -We have to go.
Where to? -I don't know.
Wherever we're needed.
Let's go upstairs. We'll party.
Come on.
Come, children.
We should have fun today.
Wherever the enemy goes, all they'll find is destruction.
That's the death sentence for the German people.
No power, no gas, no drinking water, no coal, no transportation.
If you destroy all the infrastructure...
...our country will go back to the Middle Ages.
This order denies the people any chance of survival.
If the war is lost, what does it matter if the people are lost too?
The German people's primary needs of life aren't important right now.
On the contrary, we'd do best to destroy them ourselves.
Our people proved to be weak...
...and according to the laws of nature, they should die out.
They're your people. You're their Führer.
What remains after this battle...
...is only the inferior. The superior will have fallen.
Come along. You have to dance.
Care to dance, Fräulein Braun? -I'd love to.
Excuse me? -Of course.
What is it?
We have to leave Berlin, Eva. You must convince him.
Or else, come with me.
You'll die.
Can somebody play some music? I want to dance.
Dance.
Do you have a request? -A swing.
Traudl.
It's all so unreal.
It's like a dream you can't wake up from.
It keeps on going.
Gerda, I don't feel well.
Traudl, come.
I'm at my command post.
I did not move my command post.
To the west? How so?
I'm 1000 meters from the enemy. -General.
So, General?
I'm to be shot. -What? Why?
They think I moved my command post to the west.
Be sensible, General. -Come with me.
Schenck. -Mohnke.
I'm under the chancellery. I'm commandant of its defense now.
I need aid. -That will be difficult. Everything's gone.
My adjutant and I are the only ones here.
You're a doctor, aren't you? -Yes, an internist.
Commandeer a car and bring all the medication...
...that you can find to me.
I'll do my best. -Thanks. Hurry.
I must speak with the Führer.
About what? –I'm to be shot.
Wait here.
Your weapons, please.
Not here.
Guard Post 2. Understood.
General...
Not you.
What is this? Why am I to be shot?
You know that any evasive maneuver towards the west is forbidden.
Officers who don't obey must be shot.
What do you mean? My troops have been fighting for days.
My command post is a kilometer from the front line.
Continue.
Do you see this? I forbid you to take that tone with me.
And now, do whatever you feel you must.
It's best if you tell this to the Führer yourself. Come along.
You can't pass, Colonel. –Orders from Brigade Führer Mohnke:
I have to get into the hospital. We need medication.
There's nobody left. They all took off.
And the wounded? -How should I know?
I'm going to have a look. You stay here.
Be very careful. There are lots of Russians here.
See that? That's where the Reich ends. Behind it is Russkie-Land.
May I?
He's damned stubborn. Why doesn't he let me do that?
Am I supposed to tie him up? What was I to do?
I'm disabled. Do you want your son to be, too?
Don't shout at me like that.
He wanted to be part of the Hitler Youth. Just like thousands of others.
He wants to defend himself, and avenge himself.
Yes, look at me. You make me shit.
You've suffered, but you could fight.
We could do nothing when it rained bombs.
We had only our fear and our rage.
Arming children wasn't my idea. The Führer said...
The Führer... He's sent entire armies to their graves.
Now he lets children fight against two million Russians. He's gone insane.
Coward.
Peter, stay here. Let us talk.
What would you have me do? Tell me.
My compliments.
I should have been back by now. Are you sure the Führer still needs me?
Drink. -Führer's orders.
You made a big impression on the Führer.
But you don't think Steiner will attack, do you?
I doubt whether Steiner is able to do anything...
...but you probably know that better than I do.
If Steiner doesn't attack, Berlin is lost.
The Führer was impressed with your report.
He puts you in command of the defense of Berlin.
I'd have preferred to be shot.
Fall back.
Let them get closer.
Tank alert.
Easy. Wait, kid. They're still too far.
Stay in the bunker, ladies.
Is that German artillery I hear? -I'm afraid not.
But hasn't Steiner's attack started?
You have to go as fast as you can. Time is running out.
But the Führer has the situation under control.
Steiner's attack will make all the difference.
The Führer says it will change military history.
Everybody but the Führer knows that's a fantasy.
I wonder if he even believes it himself. –Why would he play games?
What does he have to lose?
I don't believe a word of it.
The enemy has made a breakthrough.
They took Zossen and are advancing towards Stahnsdorf.
They're at the city's northern border, between Frohnau and Pankow.
In the east, they've reached Lichtenberg, Mahlsdorf and Karlshorst.
When Steiner attacks, everything will be alright.
Mein Führer...
Steiner...
Steiner didn't have sufficient forces.
The attack did not happen.
The following stay in the room: Keitel, Jodl, Krebs and Burgdorf.
That was an order. Steiner's attack was an order.
How dare you ignore my orders?
Is this what it's come to?
The military, everybody lied to me. Even the SS.
The generals are no more than a bunch of disloyal cowards.
I can't allow that...
Cowards, traitors and incompetents. –Mein Führer, that's outrageous.
The generals are the scum of the German people.
No sense of honor.
You call yourself General because you spent years at the academy...
...where you only learned to use knife and fork.
For years, the military obstructed me.
All you ever did is thwart me.
I should have had...
...all the high officers executed. Like Stalin did.
I never went to the academy.
But I conquered all of Europe on my own.
Traitors.
I've been betrayed and deceived from the start.
Such enormous betrayal of the German people.
But all these traitors will pay. With their own blood.
They'll drown in their own blood.
Calm down, Gerda.
All my orders have been ignored.
How can I be a leader under these circumstances?
It's over.
The war is lost.
But if you think this means I'll leave Berlin...
...you're mistaken. I'd rather shoot a bullet through my head.
Do what you want.
The Führer wasn't serious about shooting himself, was he?
Frau Junge, Frau Christian.
Get changed. In one hour, a plane will take you south.
Everything is lost.
Hopelessly lost.
You know I'll stay with you. You can't send me away.
Mein Führer, I'm staying too.
What now?
Time for this charade to end.
Do you want us to stop fighting? That's inconceivable.
The Führer doesn't want us to capitulate. No more November 1918. Ever.
But he doesn't want to be in charge anymore. He said: "Do what you want."
Nobody can replace him. The Führer is the Führer.
The Führer's confused. He'll recover.
Great. And then what?
No capitulation. That was never his intention.
We owe it to him. -Hollow phrases.
We have to act now, or it will be too late.
You're only looking after yourself. -Mind your words.
Damn.
We'll never get out of here alive. It's all over.
We've got to wait.
Even the Führer doesn't believe in it anymore. What will happen to us?
Günsche says there's a tunnel that goes under the Russian lines.
Why did you say you wanted to stay with him?
I don't know. Honestly.
Will we ever be able to buy bread again?
At the bakery, like before?
It stopped. Let's go for a walk.
Traudl.
Look here.
Ah, children, I'm lighting another one.
Let's go down again.
You know that statue outside? It would look good in my garden, by the pond.
Will you buy it for me if we get out of here?
My dear, I don't know who owns that statue.
It's state property, certainly. I can't put it in a private garden.
If you succeed at liberating Berlin, surely you can make a small exception.
Female logic.
You're very dirty. You can't wear this coat anymore.
You don't have to walk around like some old man.
This is my work uniform.
I can't wear an apron when I'm in front of a map with colouring pencils.
Mommy.
Ammunition. Fast.
Where's the medic?
Where did they come from? -Volkssturm. Drafted this afternoon.
They have to get out of the field of fire.
The Volkssturm is under the direct command of Dr. Goebbels.
I want them out of here. This is insane.
I'll take the responsibility.
I think this is wrong. -Great.
Stop. Lights out.
Stop. Stay where you are.
Stay where you are. -Alright, Germans.
Help. They want to kill us. -What is all this?
A Greifkommando. –You're kidding.
Stop it. Let those men go.
What's this? -You have no authority here.
These men are fugitives. Traitors are shot.
They're old men. Civilians. You can't do this.
Who's going to stop me? You maybe?
Stop it. That's enough.
Dismissed.
This man's a doctor.
Can you operate? -Not really.
Don't let the children take too many toys.
And not too many pajamas. They're no longer needed.
Herr Minister... -Frau Junge, my family will arrive soon.
Can you look after them for a moment? Thank you.
Brigade Führer, what can I do for you?
Your Volkssturm is easy prey for the Russians.
They have neither combat experience nor good weapons.
Their unconditional belief in the final victory makes up for that.
Herr Minister, without weapons those men can't fight.
Their deaths will be pointless.
I don't pity them.
I repeat: I don't pity them.
The people called this upon themselves.
This may come as a surprise to you, but have no illusion.
We didn't force the people. They gave us a mandate.
And now their little necks are being snapped.
Eva, you have to leave the Führer.
Don't be stupid. This is about life and death.
How can you say that? Where are you?
I decided not to die in Berlin.
Does my sister know where you are? -Think about it. I'll call you back.
Children, your room is to the right.
Wait for me.
Hello, Frau Goebbels. -Good to see you, Frau Junge.
Line up, children.
Helga, come. Line up.
Let's make ourselves look good and then we'll go say hello to Uncle Hitler.
Do you remember the song?