"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 recognising 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 realise... 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' headquarters of the Führer" "November 1942 Rastenburg, East-Prussia" "Sit down, ladies." "One moment." "The Führer is feeding his dog." "He'll see you in a short while." "Can you tell us..." "How are we supposed to address the Führer?" "The Führer first speaks to you and then 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 relaxed as you can." "I'll see if if he has time for you." "Mein Führer, the ladies from Berlin are here." "Thank you 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." "Where are you from?" "From Fulda." "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, Schwaben." "And you are?" "Traudl Humps." "I'm from Munich." "A lady from Munich." "Shall we start then, Fräulein Humps?" "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 German fellow-countrymen and women fellow party members." "It is, I think, rather special... that, after 20 years of service, a man still stands in front of his supporters and that in all those 20 years, his program never needed to be modified." "I suggest we try it again." "I did it." "He hired me." "Berlin - 20 April 1945 Hitler's 56th birthday two and a half years later" "Take cover." "Hurry." "Continue." "Get that off the street." "Take cover." "That's artillery fire." "Don't be silly." "Where would it be coming from?" "You're right." "These are no planes, this is artillery." "It's the Russians." "What a birthday present." "Where is that cannon fire coming from?" "Happy Birthday, mein Führer." "The city centre of Berlin is under fire." "Grenades have hit near the Brandenburger Tor 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 chaotic." "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 defence near the Zoo-Bunker reports they're 10 to 12  cm calibres." "The Russians have positions near Marzahn." "That's only 12 kilometres from the centre." "Are the Russians that close?" "They should hang the entire Luftwaffe leadership." "This is unheard-of." "The Russians are at 12 kilometres from the city centre." "Nobody told me anything." "I had to ask." "Maybe it's long-range artillery, after all." "That railway bridge over the Oder..." "Nonsense." "That Himmler, such a pompous buffoon." "Party bosses, everywhere." "They make me so sick." "The Führer starts 'Clausewitz' today." "Berlin as a front city." "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?" "Food supply would 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 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:" "Leave Berlin." "It is 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 good, dear Himmler." "My loyal Heinrich." "It's good." "Just go." "He has no strength left." "What did you expect from a vegetarian teetotaller?" "Seriously, though, Fegelein." "I'm taking control now." "Berlin will fall in a couple of 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 order..." "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 will be over, reconstruction will be quick." "We spent thousands of hours together with these replicas." "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..." "We see the medieval cities..." "the cathedrals and we know that the people need that." "Indeed, 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 on the stage 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 still young." "At which front did you fight?" "I haven't had the honour yet." "Count yourself lucky." "Send the children home." "We'll defend this position to the last man." "Which position?" "This is not 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." "What with?" "With the anti-aircraft guns." "The Russians will arrive with several armies, tanks and heavy artillery." "Do you really think you'll last even five minutes?" "We promised the Führer." "Don't you understand?" "The war is lost." "Coward." "Go away." "Right now." "If you're still here when the Russians arrive, you'll all be dead." "The 9th army had to retreat or they would have been decimated..." "We won't retreat the 9th army." "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." "Using which units?" "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 been clear enough." "The Allies will see that only we can stop the Bolsheviks." "We have to keep Berlin and make a deal with the Americans." "Mohnke, you're here." "Mein Führer." "Today, 'Clausewitz' started." "Berlin will be a front city." "You will be the commander of the defensive circle around the citadel." "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 cold as ice." "We can't spend any energy on so-called civilians." "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 one, there are no civilians." "The Führer has lost all sense of reality." "He's moving divisions around that no longer exist." "Gruppe Steiner 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?" "A ruthless careerist?" "I beg your pardon?" "Where were you?" "None of your business." "The most successful tank hunters of the Berlin Hitler-Jugend 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." "Very good." "You've made history." "And when Germania will rise 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, Herr Oberst?" "We have to go." "Go where?" "I don't know." "Wherever they need us." "Let's go upstairs." "We'll party." "Come on." "Come, children." "We should have fun today." "Wherever the enemy goes, all they find is destruction." "That's the death sentence for the German people." "No power, no gas, no drinking water, no coal, no traffic." "If you destroy everything, 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 that the people are lost too?" "The primary necessities of life of the German people aren't relevant, right now." "On the contrary." "We'd best destroy them ourselves." "Our people turned out 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." "May I?" "Go ahead." "What's wrong?" "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?" "As long as it swings." "Traudl." "It's all so unreal." "It's like a dream you can't get out of." "It keeps on going." "Gerda, I don't feel well." "Traudl, come." "I did not move..." "I did not move my command post." "To the west?" "How so?" "I'm at 1000 meters from the enemy." "General." "And, general?" "I'll be executed." "What?" "Why?" "They think I moved my command post to the west." "Be sensible, general." "Come along." "Schenck." "Mohnke." "I'm under the chancellery." "I'm commander of the citadel now." "I need help." "That will be difficult." "Everything's gone." "My assistant 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 you can find, to me." "I'll do my best." "Thanks." "Hurry." "I need to talk to the Führer." "What about?" "I'm going to be executed." "Wait here." "Your weapon, please." "Not here." "Guard post 2." "Understood." "General..." "Not you." "What's going on here?" "Why am I going to be executed?" "You know that any evasive manoeuvre towards the west is forbidden." "Officers who don't obey, must be executed." "What do you mean?" "My troops have been fighting for days." "My command post is a kilometre away from the front line." "Continue." "Do you see this?" "I don't want you to use 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, Oberst." "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?" "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 defence of Berlin." "I'd have preferred it if he executed me." "Let them get closer." "Tank alert." "Take it easy." "Wait, kid." "They're still too far." "Is it German artillery that 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 will make all the difference." "He says it will change military history." "Everybody, but the Führer, knows that's a fantasy." "I even wonder if he believes it himself." "Why would he be playing games?" "What does he have to lose?" "I don't believe a word of it." "The enemy made a breakthrough." "They took Zossen and are advancing towards Stahnsdorf." "They're at the northern city border, between Frohnau and Pankow." "In the east, they reached Lichtenberg, Mahlsdorf and Karlshorst." "If Steiner attacks, everything will be alright." "Mein Führer..." "Steiner..." "Steiner didn't have enough force." "The attack didn't take place." "The following stay here:" "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 came to?" "The military, everybody lied to me." "Even the SS." "The generals are no more than a bunch of disloyal cowards." "I don't allow that..." "Cowards, traitors and incompetents." "Führer, this is outrageous." "The generals are the scum of the German people." "No sense of honour." "You call yourself general because you spent years at the academy where you only learnt 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 will drown in their own blood." "Relax, 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 wrong." "I'd rather shoot a bullet through my head." "Do what you want." "The Führer wasn't serious about killing himself, was he?" "Frau Junge, Frau Christian." "Get changed." "In one hour, a plane will take you south." "Everything is lost." "Completely lost." "You know I'll stay with you." "You can't send me away." "I'm staying too, mein Führer." "Now what?" "Time to end this charade." "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." "He's 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." "It stopped." "Let's go for a walk." "Traudl." "Look here." "I'm lighting another one." "Let's go down again." "Where do 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 to go away from there." "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 on the run." "Traitors will be killed." "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 much nightwear." "That's 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 an 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 these 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." "Don't fool yourself." "We didn't force the people." "They gave us a mandate." "And now they're paying for it." "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 go say hello to uncle Hitler." "Do you remember the song?" "The best thing to do is to shoot yourself in the mouth." "You won't feel a thing." "You'll be dead right away." "I want to be a beautiful corpse." "I'll take poison." "If I have to die, at least without any pain." "That's definitely painless." "It paralyses the nervous system and the respiratory system." "A matter of seconds." "Can I have one too?" "Me too." "Himmler provided me well." "Thank you." "I would have liked to give you a nicer present." "Berlin, 23 April 1945." "Dear sister." "I'm sorry to write you this." "But this is how it is." "It could be over any moment." "First of all:" "Hermann isn't with us." "But I'm sure you'll see him again." "He'll get through this and he'll fight from Bavaria." "The Führer lost all hope of a good outcome." "Dear son." "I don't know if you'll receive this letter." "Maybe someone will allow me to send you a last greeting." "I stayed with daddy against his will." "Last Sunday, the Führer wanted to help me escape." "But you know your mother." "We have the same blood." "I won't even think about it." "Our ideology's going down the drain and with it, everything that made life beautiful and worthwhile." "After the Führer and National Socialism, there's nothing left to live for." "That's why I brought the children too." "They're too good for the life that awaits them." "God will have mercy on me if I bring them redemption myself." "I'll wear my bracelet with the green stone until the very end." "After that, I want you to always wear it." "Unfortunately, my diamond watch is with the watchmaker." "I included the address below." "I hope you're lucky enough to get it." "I want you to get it." "You'll also get the bracelet with the topaz pendant." "A birthday present from the Führer." "I owe some money to the Heise company." "There may be more debts, but no more than 1500 Reichsmarks." "All correspondence with the Führer must be burnt." "I'm sending you some food and tobacco." "The coffee is also for Lindner and Kathl." "The cigarettes are for Mandi, the tobacco for daddy, the chocolate for mummy." "I can't think of anything else." "That's it for today." "Dear sister, I wish you lots of happiness." "And remember, you will see Hermann again." "The warmest regards and a kiss from your sister." "Inge." "Listen, Keitel." "I want you to leave this evening." "Go to Dönitz and help him with the organisation." "Things have to be started up again." "I don't understand you." "We have no more oil fields." "That's catastrophic." "It makes any serious operation impossible." "When everything has been solved here, we must get the oil fields back." "Any questions?" "No, mein Führer." "Good." "Have a good trip." "...do you agree that I take charge with complete freedom of action?" "If I receive no reply by 2200 hours I'll assume you have been incapacitated." "I will then act on behalf of the country and the motherland." "That's high treason." "And betrayal of you." "Göring's concerns are not entirely unjustified." "If our communication system fails we'll be cut off from the outside world." "We won't be able to issue orders anymore." "I think Göring wants to seize the power." "I never trusted his clique on the Obersalzberg." "This looks like a coup." "The loser, the sponger." "A parvenu, a lazy bastard." "How dare he say I'm incapacitated?" "Hello." "How did you get into Berlin?" "It wasn't easy, but I must speak to the Führer." "If I were you, I'd wait a bit." "The Luftwaffe." "What did he turn that into?" "For that alone, he should be executed." "This morphine addict corrupted the country." "And now this." "He's betraying me." "Me of all people." "I want Göring stripped of his power, right away." "And, in case I don't survive the war he must be executed immediately." "What's going to happen to us?" "Is there any hope left?" "Frau Junge, leave from here before it's too late." "The Führer wants to stay." "We can't leave him behind, can we?" "He doesn't need anybody for what awaits him." "And least of all you." "But Herr Goebbels and his wife stay here." "And the children." "But the children..." "I have always believed that there was a way out." "Come in." "Albert." "Hello." "You have a fever." "Albert, I can't stand it anymore." "Why don't you leave with the children, Magda?" "Leave?" "And go where?" "I can arrange for you to be taken to Schwanenwerder by barge." "You can hide until everything's over." "It won't be long now anyway." "I thought about it." "My children cannot grow up in a world without National Socialism." "Think about it." "The children have a right to a future." "If National Socialism dies, there will be no future." "I can't believe you really want that." "Go now." "Come in." "I knew you'd come." "You wouldn't desert the Führer." "I've come to say goodbye to the Führer." "I'm going back to Hamburg tonight." "Of course, you must go." "Sit down." "I took some furniture you designed." "I couldn't leave it behind." "Please, you must not have eaten all day." "That's true." "It's very important that you came." "It shows him you're on his side." "Did he ever doubt that?" "Lately, he often thought you were against him too." "I always said you'd come and here you are." "I think he liked it that you advised him to stay in Berlin." "I also think it's best." "And, you know it may sound strange but I'm really happy here." "And I'm not afraid." "You came." "Mein Führer, I..." "It's good." "Let's sit down." "I had great plans for the Germans and the world." "Nobody understood me." "Not even my old brothers in arms." "The opportunities we had." "The whole world was ours to grab." "Too late." "I can only be proud for openly fighting the Jews and for cleansing the Lebensraum from the Jewish poison." "I don't find it hard to continue." "One brief moment and then eternal peace." "But please spare the people, mein Führer." "If my people cannot endure this ordeal I won't shed a tear." "They get what they deserve." "They called this fate upon themselves." "For months I have to tell you this for months I have sabotaged your orders for destruction." "I not only ignored your orders, but even acted against them." "I had to tell you." "This never compromised my personal loyalty to you." "So you're leaving." "Good." "Goodbye." "I wish you all the best." "Eat well, gentlemen." "Peter." "It's alright, son." "He has a fever." "Yes, but he's alive." "Loyalty and courage still exist in this world." "Ritter von Greim and Fräulein Reitsch, how good that the both of you arrived more or less unharmed." "Sit down." "We came under heavy fire, but still arrived in Gatow." "From there, we couldn't continue." "We flew in a Fieseler Storch, over the Russian lines and landed on the East-West axis, close to here." "Before landing, the Soviets had a go at us." "General Von Greim, I appoint you supreme commander of the Luftwaffe." "I hereby promote you to General-Feldmarschall." "A big responsibility rests on your shoulders." "You have to rebuild the Luftwaffe from scratch." "Many mistakes have been made." "Be ruthless." "Life doesn't forgive weakness." "This so-called humanity is religious drivel." "Compassion is an eternal sin." "To feel compassion for the weak is a betrayal of nature." "The strong can only triumph if the weak are exterminated." "Being loyal to this law, I've never had compassion." "Being loyal to this law, I've never had compassion." "I've always been ruthless when faced with internal opposition from other races." "And that's the only way." "Apes, for instance, kill all the odd ones." "And what applies to apes, must definitely apply to humans." "Himmler made an offer to surrender to the allied powers." "Via Count Bernadotte."