"For the past 12 years, Germany has been ruled by a man who was born in an idyllic Alpine republic known as Austria and who actually wanted to be an artist." "But after being turned down by the art academy he became a National Socialist." "The man's name is Adolf Hitler." "Without a doubt, the Fuehrer created quite a furore among his people." "Millions of men went to war for him." "Millions of women want to have his child." "But I don't really want to tell you the story of Mr. Hitler." "I want to tell my story." "In the last 5 days, I was as close to Hitler as a Jew could ever be." "At this very moment, 1 January, 1945, I am right below him." "The Fuehrer isn't feeling well today." "But I'm not doing well either." "Heil myself!" "Heil myself!" "Hear it?" "My story which I'm going to tell you now is true, so true that it may never appear in a history book." "The story goes like this:" "On December 25th, 1944, the Reichsminister for Total War, Dr. Joseph Goebbels, had a great idea." "Put me through to Reichsminister Himmler..." "Rubbish!" " What's his name?" " Take cover, Reichsminister!" "Fine, I'll give you the Jew, if he's still alive!" "I said "alive"!" "It isn't that Dr. Goebbels didn't often have great ideas." "Yes, Reichsminister." "But this idea was greater than all his other great ideas." "TOP SECRET" "The total war was just about totally lost." "Everyone in the 1,000-year Reich realized it... except for some." "Camp Commander Banner?" "Prepare prisoner Grunbaum for transport." "Grunbaum." " Yes, Grunbaum..." "Adolf." " Adolf?" "Yes, Adolf." " Understood?" " Heil Hitler." "18 phone calls, 163 stamps and 1.7 kilometres of red tape later, Dr. Goebbels' great idea was put into effect." "Out of 100,000 people, perhaps even millions, whom they had turned into numbers, they searched for one man." "They searched for me." "Prisoner... 8-4-4-9-3, step aside!" "Within 5 seconds you'll be standing straight, or you'll all be shot!" "Stand at attention!" "An actor." "What's your name, bastard?" " Professor Adolf Grunbaum." " Come with me." "Back to work!" "Did they want to shoot a film with me?" "Maybe they suddenly remembered that Adolf Grunbaum once had been a star" "No, for that master race I was nothing but a weakling, a coward," "a... worm." "Unworthy of living!" "But today of all days, everything seemed to change." "KISS THE FASCISTS WHEREVER YOU MEET THEM!" "MEINFUHRER" "THE TRULY TRUEST TRUTH ABOUT ADOLF HITLER" "Which doorbell?" "M. B..." "Martin Bormann's office." " Is there a code?" " Rubbish." "Heil Hitler." "We're bringing Reichsminister Goebbels the Jewish prisoner Adolf Grunbaum." "Rottenfuhrer Puffke!" "Heil Hitler." "Is Reichsminister Goebbels scheduled to see a Jew today?" "No, Oberscharfuhrer." "I need orders and Form S12 IV to permit Obersturmbannfuhrer..." " SS Untersturmbannfuhrer Lt. Col. Banner." "... Untersturmbannfuhrer ...to enter with the Jewish prisoner." " That's an order!" " Yes, sir, Oberscharfuhrer." "S12 IV..." " What do you want at this hour, Puffke?" " Heil..." "Reichsminister." "SS Ober..." "Unterobersturmbannfuhrer Banner is here with the prisoner Adolf..." " Israel Grunbaum." " Good." "Get him a coffee and a ham and cheese sandwich." "I want him at Bormann's office in 15 minutes..." " Alive!" " Yes, sir!" "Dr. Goebbels..." " Yes?" " Oberscharfuhrer Moltke needs Form S12 IV..." " Rubbish!" "Dismissed!" " Heil Hitler." "Knock it off, Puffke!" "Damn it!" "Heil Hitler." "Heil Hitler." "Heil Hitler." "Heil Hitler." "Here he is." "Blondie, stop it!" "Heel!" "Get him out of here." "I have no time for this mutt." "Professor Grunbaum, how nice to see you." " Where did we dig you up?" " In Sachsenhausen." "Sachsenhausen?" "I thought we'd put you up in Terezin." "It's our nicest camp." " Weren't you artistic director?" " We were resettled." "Please, finish eating, Professor." "And have a seat." "The idea of the Final Solution..." "You shouldn't take it personally." "If I'd known that you..." "Oh, well." "Professor Grunbaum..." "We need you." "The Fuhrer needs you." "The German people need you." "Our military situation is precarious, but we'll never surrender." "Our enemy will be rudely awakened by the wrath of a humiliated people." "Our Volkssturm will blow them away like dust." "Understand?" "Of course, sir." "On January 1st, 1945, in 5 days, the Fuhrer will lead a parade through glorious Berlin, and hold a historic speech to a million people, just like he used to." "He'll bring everyone to tears. 15 cameras will record this historic event on celluloid, and just a few days later, the film will be shown at hundreds of cinemas." "Millions of people will heed his call and liberate Europe from its corrupt governments." " How does that sound?" " Me..." "I'm just an artist." " But a victory march through the ruins of Berlin..." " Rubbish!" "We'll expose those lies about Berlin!" "The enemy's bombs bounced right off us." "Berlin is as glorious as ever!" "Staged reality, dear Professor." " A speciality we both have in common." "You'll be amazed." " I don't understand." "Have you forgotten your great success in teaching the Fuhrer voice and breathing techniques?" "You will practise that speech with him, Professor." "You will rekindle in his heart that fire of 1939." "You and nobody else." "No one can do it better than... a world-renowned Jewish actor." "Heil Hitler." " Adolf Grunbaum is here, my Fuhrer." " Professor Adolf Grunbaum." "How are you doing?" "Heil me." "Yes, sir." "Heil Hitler." "Heal me... if I have a chance of being healed at all." "I'm not doing well." "I've become a great burden to the German Reich." "I'm no longer the Fuhrer that God chose me to be." "I'm a case." "A hopeless case." "A critical case." "I sense them calling emergency meetings behind my back, and developing contingency plans." "And now they've sent for you, Professor." "Why?" "What for?" "What did they tell you about me?" "Not much." "Dr. Goebbels asked me to help you with a speech." "A speech?" "What speech?" "The New Year's speech in the Lustgarten." "No, I refuse to speak." "By no means." "The thousand-year Reich could fall a thousand times, as long as I'm not fit..." "A huge parade to the Lustgarten?" "Then..." "Berlin is still standing?" "In its old glory?" "As I've been told?" "You may have bombed us, but you'll never hit us!" "Your bombs may rain down on us, but they don't burn us." "Tell them I don't need you." "I don't need a teacher!" "I don't need anybody!" "And by no means a Jew!" "Get out of my sight!" "Get out!" " You say the Fuhrer is ill?" "Mentally?" " Emotionally." "A broken man." "He'd like to believe your news of triumph, but he can't." "How dare you say that about our Fuhrer!" " You arrogant Jewish..." " Professor, what do you mean?" "You want the Hitler you had in 1939, in 5 days, but I'm not your man." " I don't quite understand." " I won't accept ajob I can't..." "That's enough!" "You have one foot in the gas chamber!" "Shut your shameless Jewish gob!" " As you wish." "Bring me back to my camp." "I refuse the job." "Why so sensitive, Professor?" "Do you really want to die?" "Don't put on a show for us." "You world-renowned actor!" "I'd love to put on a show for you, but we have no contract." "Am I to go on living after my family is gassed?" "Should I pay for my life" " by lying to you?" " As a student, I saw you in the role of Macbeth in Bonn... in 1921." "It was an enormous performance!" "What do you want from me?" " Have a seat." " I want my family out of the camps to live with me, then we can discuss it." "Agreed." "Heil Hitler." "Good day." "That isn't what we had in mind with the Final Solution." "What will Reichsminister Himmler say about this?" "Please let us in on your secret plan, Reichsminister." "Don't we have the world's best actors and directors?" "And they're Aryan:" "Liebeneiner, Harlan, Ruhmann, Minetti." "Why him?" "We need someone to rekindle the Fuhrer's greatest strength:" "Hatred." "Why should I give him someone he loves?" " Papa!" " Ben!" " Papa!" " Adam!" "Look how you've grown!" "Jakob!" "Jakob!" "..." "My sweet girl." " Is everything okay?" " Yes." "You'll be happy to know that everyone gets their own bed." " No, Adolf, don't do it." " God Almighty gave us this chance." "Maybe He wants us to survive." "Since when do you believe in God?" "Okay, but I'm sure that He doesn't want you to help Hitler." "I'm only going to teach him." "Stop splitting hairs!" " Why should you do it?" " So we can lie here together." "Every hour we share is like a gift." "What do you expect me to do?" "I don't want you to sell your soul." "Hitler is shattered." "I saw him." "He's a broken man." "I don't have a plan yet, but let me play it by ear." "Play?" "He's destroying us, and you want to play with him?" "Adolf, you're terrifying me." "Are you alone with him, or does someone guard you?" "You stay out of this!" "Adam!" " The sets look magnificent." " Really?" "Yes, you will be thrilled." "Do you need any help?" "Call me." " Thank you." " Gentlemen." "We put up two facades here to give you an impression." "Fabulous." "Allow me to show you the exact route, Reichsminister Goebbels." "The government district essentially looks like this now." "The red-marked buildings are in ruins." "Exact bombing damage, however, can change from one hour to the next." " I know." "Get to the point." " The..." " Just a moment." "What is this?" " My town mansion?" " The building was hit 10 days ago and burned to the ground." "And my custom-made suits?" "My paintings?" "My children's stuffed animal collection?" "Why didn't anyone tell me?" "Am I only surrounded by cowards?" " Please, continue." " The Fuhrer leaves the Reich Chancellery here." "He is greeted by a group in traditional dress." "Then we get into the cars and turn left onto Wilhelm Street." "The eastern side of the street will be rebuilt with sets." "Rubble removed." "Walls like these will be erected." "Of course, I need the crowds here to conceal the whole thing." "At least a million people will be there." "By the way, Leni Riefenstahl" " will be positioning the cameras." " Very good." "We drive along Behren Street." "Compared to Unter den Linden, it is in good condition." "The speaker's platform will be placed in front of the Alte Museum." "Rows of flags on the right, flags on the cathedral." "The sunlight from the southwest." "As it used to be." "Yes, as it used to be." "Tell me, you professional actor, why are you here?" "I want to work with you." "How are you going to work with me?" "You asked me that once in 1928, before we logged 20,000 air miles on your triumphant march." "Remember Nuremberg, in front of Town Hall?" "Or Wilhelmshaven?" "Dresden, Station Square?" " You had the people in your hand." " That was 16 years ago." "I was in my prime." "Do you expect nature to pass me by?" "5 months ago, a bomb exploded less than a metre away from me." "My right ear is deaf, and my nerves are damaged." "But those traitors didn't reckon with my guardian angel." " I'm indestructible." " You're afraid." "You don't believe in yourself, or that you'll win the war, despite what they tell you." "Deep down inside, you feel insecure, weak." "So that's how you see me?" "The Fuhrer... sent by God?" "You godless creature!" "With this little finger, I could crush you like an ant!" "That Jew should be executed!" "My inner strength, my inner fire is hotter than ever before!" " In my German Reich, disgraceful schemers like that are..." " Rubbish!" "The Fuhrer must suffer before he can awaken." "If you can't take it, see to the war outside." "Alright, Grunbaum." "I'll give you a chance." "What will we start with?" "Take off your uniform." "Jacket, trousers, shoes..." "I had them send a track suit." "Breathe in deeply." "Fill up both your lungs." "Stand up straight." "Try to outgrow your stance." "You're bigger than your stance." "Please, no stretching." "Grow from the inside." "Now relax." "Thank you." "Now close your eyes." " Please, close your eyes." " No, I won't." "That way you can feel deep down..." "Yes, but I never close my eyes." "Out of principle." "Not even when I sleep." "I don't quite understand." "Does a tiger close its eyes when it walks through the jungle?" "Does a soldier close his eyes in battle?" "No." "Or else he's a dead soldier." " You must reach your inner self." " That's none of your damn business!" "Your modern methods are only good for weaklings!" "Nine... ten." "Thank you." "Warm?" "Did you ever box?" "No other sport stimulates such an aggressive and decisive attitude, while molding supple muscles of steel." " "Mein Kampf. " What about you, Professor?" " No, I'm afraid not." "Although I was often beaten up as a child. 5 or 6 boys would" " wait for me on my way home." " Why don't you fight back?" "Why doesn't the Jew fight back?" "Why do you let us deport you?" "Aren't you angry?" "Don't you have any guts?" "Are you cowards?" "Stay here, Dr. Morell." "It's just a little knockout." "Yes, sir." "Herr Hitler?" "Can you hear me?" "Linge!" "Linge, go in and check on the Fuhrer." "Heil Hitler!" "Is everything okay?" "Yes... yes." "The Fuhrer... is relaxing." "Ah, Herr Hitler!" "Thank goodness." "I thought..." "I'm so sorry." "I've never done that to anyone..." "Actually, I couldn't even hurt a fly." "Brigadier Rattenhuber!" " Don't jump to the wrong conclusion." " What conclusion?" " I just wanted to..." " Come in!" " Heil Hitler." "You called for me?" " Two cups of strong coffee." "The Turkish coffee you get at the black market." "Yes, my Fuhrer." "I'd like you to relive a moment that enraged you." "Feel that rage again." "Feel it crawl into your body." "Feel it in your legs." "Feel it in your stomach." "Feel it in your chest." "Very, very good." "Now let it go." "Your rage and contempt vanish." "You can relax again." "Everything is soft and peaceful." " Your body is heavy..." " Enough!" "I'll have him buried" " in cement..." " Don't!" "I agree with Rattenhuber." "I know the Fuhrer." "I know how sensitive he is." "You don't believe the Fuhrer is man enough to ward off that Jew," "Reichsminister of Defence?" "Don't worry so much." "My dear Speer, you are too sensitive." "Now relive a memory that made you happy." "Feel the happiness growing inside your body." "Your fingers start to tingle." "And perhaps your feet do, too." " May I ask what makes you so happy?" " My beloved father gave me a slingshot." "He said, "Shoot down one of those crapping pigeons!"" "I aimed, and bull's eye." "The pigeon fell at my father's feet." "He rapped me on the head and said, "Pure luck, my boy. "" "Yes..." " Enter." " Heil Hitler!" "Professor, what happened to you?" " He fell... on the stairs." " Oh really?" "Sorry, Professor..." "Yes?" "Fraulein Flori?" "Alright, let's begin." " Professor, can I offer you a coffee or anything else?" " Brandy, if that's okay." "Yes, well." "Could I hear your report?" "The Fuhrer received me with disapproval." "After his initial resistance," "I convinced him to do the exercises." "We had a short... boxing match, which loosened us up." " A boxing match?" " Yes, that's right." "For goodness sake!" "Fraulein Flori," " can't you type more quietly?" " More quietly?" "How?" " Go on." " We had a discussion about trust." "Trust?" "Jakob, look at this!" " How did it go, Adolf?" " Quite well, actually." " Well?" " I knocked him out." "It was a good first day." " What did you do?" " Knocked him out like Max Schmeling." "Me... your husband." "And no one saw it." "Come here." "Come on." "Want to have some fun?" "Come on." "What are you thinking, Grunbaum?" "You want to kill him?" "I have to." "Don't I?" "When?" "When?" "Benny, come back here!" "Jakob!" "Come on!" " Come on!" " Come on, Judith!" "Come on!" "Thank you, Father." "Thank you, Father." "15... 1... 16." "Heinz!" "Heinz!" "Heinz Linge!" "Heil Hitler!" "I am in urgent need of clean pyjamas." "Also, get me a plate of potatoes with sour cream." "I want my limousine outside in 45 minutes with my chauffeur." "Now?" " It's 2 a. m." " 2 a." "M?" "So what?" " The early bird catches the worm." " Yes, my Fuhrer." "Yes?" " Heil Hitler!" " Heil Hitler!" "Get out!" "Goodness gracious!" "What?" "I mean, Heil Hitler!" " What does he want?" " No!" "It's out of the question!" "Tell him the car is being repaired." "Yes, damn it!" "Heil Hitler." "What?" "Being repaired?" " This is a bad joke." "A Jewish joke." " By no means." "It was sent to the Reich Glass Works 10 days ago to have" " bullet-proof windows..." " An incredible scandal!" "The Fuhrer is without a car!" "That defies explanation!" "I'll have you executed, Kempka." "Yes sir, my Fuhrer!" " Obergruppenfuhrer Rattenhuber gave the order." " Rattenhuber!" "That traitor." "I smell a conspiracy." " They want to depose me." "Destroy me." " No, my Fuhrer." "You hadn't used the car since August, and he thought..." "Thinking..." "is the Fuhrer's privilege." "Time to go!" "Heil Hitler!" "This way!" "Who does Goebbels think he is?" "How dare he write a speech for me!" "Grunbaum, it will take a while." "Heil." "Have a seat." "You can browse through the "Volkischer Beobachter. "" "It's good you're here." "What the hell is going on?" ""TOTAL WAR SUCCESSFUL"" "Professor Grunbaum..." "Professor Grunbaum!" " What's wrong with your voice?" " We can begin now." "Our Reichsminister Himmler is here from the front." " Heil Hitler." " Yeah, yeah." "Germans!" "It is all over!" "Darkness will envelop us." "There will be no sun to warm us." "It will be the downfall of the German people!" "Is that what you want?" "It's a strong beginning." "Quite powerful." "People will stop breathing." "Their hair will stand on end." "But if there's hatred in your voice like now, your listeners will ask," ""Why does he hate me?" I listened to your recent radio speeches." "Your tone has become more and more enraged and aggressive." "The people are still behind you." "But they don't feel loved." "We must begin the speech with a declaration of love." "No one has ever told me that before." "No one!" "You grow..." "The top of your head touches the sky." "Your feet are firmly rooted to the ground." "And once more, breathe in deeply." "After you breathe out, let yourself go." "Tension is drained from your body." "You feel only warmth around you." "Very good." "Relive once more that feeling of happiness you felt yesterday." "Think of your father again who gave you the slingshot." " Completely relive that feeling." " Have a seat." " Let me fix the loudspeaker." " Your beloved father puts his hand on your shoulder." " No!" "Don't touch me, Father!" "He shouldn't touch me." "Tell him that." " Tell him to stop it." "Tell him!" " Please, don't touch your son." "Do you know how often my father beat me?" " No, I don't." " Every day." " "Come here, Adolf. " - "I didn't do anything wrong, Father"" ""35." "Now count!" "Come on, one, two... "" ""One, two, three, four five, six... "" "What's up?" " I feel so sorry, Herr Hitler." " Wipe your ass with your sympathy!" " My father Alois..." " Dr. Goebbels!" "Yes?" "The beatings, the injustice, his arbitrariness only hardened me." "They made me the man I am today." " The Jew tried to kill the Fuhrer." " But you loved your father?" "My father was a miserable creature, a wretched worm who couldn't help but beat a defenceless child." "The genes... your genes." " My genes?" " Jewish genes." "My father's father was allegedly a Jew." " I'm sorry to hear that." " That deceitful Jewish depravity jumped from my grandfather to my father." "Don't take it personally, Grunbaum." "I have nothing against Jews, as long as they leave me alone." "I recognize progress." "His entire state of being is more stabilized, powerful." "But his expressive power has by no means reached the level we require." "One." "Six." "Heil Hitler." " Benny." " Thank goodness." " Guess what your papa did with Hitler today." " You had a quarrel?" " You had a pillow fight?" " You played theater?" " No, all wrong." " You killed him?" "Almost..." "I almost killed him, but then I had a better idea." "I left him alive... so nothing will happen to us." " And I feel glad about it." " You're too cowardly to do it." " And now you sell it to us as a trashy play." " Adam!" " You're a cowardly humanist, just like everyone expects of you." " Adam!" "Germany..." "Much softer." "Enter." " Heil Hitler." "Reichs..." " Alright." " The Jew, Professor Grunbaum, wants to see you." " Get on with it." "Ah, Professor Grunbaum?" "Did you fall out of bed?" " I had terrible nightmares." " That's obvious." "You looked better after leaving Sachsenhausen." " Camp life..." " is better than its reputation." "Which is why I'm here." " Yes, have a seat." " I..." "Working with Herr Hitler is a big burden to me." "I draw strength from the belief that I am doing magnificent work." "I never had any doubts." "I am investing my entire personality and professionalism in this project." " I toss and turn at night." "I'm unable to eat." " Yes!" "Wouldn't some kind of compensation be appropriate?" "I see." "You want to be paid." "You want to barter, the way you people always do." "Alright, Professor." "What did you have in mind?" "I thought we could reach an agreement." "In return for my work, you could free all the prisoners in Sachsenhausen." "You impertinent, filthy Jew." "So you want to blackmail us?" "Send me back if you like." "That's just what I'll do!" "Rattenhuber!" "Moltke!" "Bormann!" " They're still sleeping." " Get him out of here!" "Deport him!" " Yes sir, Reichsminister..." " Get out!" "Come in, Professor." "My Fuhrer, may I speak to you?" "Of course, Reichsminister." "Briefly." "In just a few minutes my Grunbaum will be here." "How's it going?" "Were you able to incorporate my written ideas?" "You wrote a good first draft, which I re-wrote, of course." " My work with Professor Grunbaum has opened new horizons." " I'm pleased." " The emotional depth will move the German people." " My Fuhrer, there's a slight change in schedule, so to speak." "Veit Harlan" " will be your new voice instructor." " By no means!" "Harlan may be a great artist, but I won't accept a new instructor." "Veit Harlan especially interrupted work on the film "Kolberg. "" "No, no, no!" "I'm afraid the Jew..." "Professor Grunbaum had to discontinue his work." " He is no longer available." " Not available?" "What do you mean?" "We're trying to save the thousand-year Reich here!" "I know." "I was on my knees, begging him to continue his work with you, but he was indisposed." "He's on holiday." " With his family." " I want my Jew!" "Dead or alive!" "Alive, of course." " And cheery." " My Fuhrer, I can't..." "By 10 a." "M!" "Either the professor is here, or you can hold your speech all by yourself." ""Do you want total war?"" "Everybody out!" " Heil Hitler!" " Heil Hitler!" "I have orders to take prisoner No. 84493 and his family back to the New Reich Chancellery." " Can I see your papers?" " We received the order by phone." " Your rank?" " Inspector." " Inspector, I cannot hand over prisoners without valid papers." " It's an order, Unter..." " Oberscharfuhrer!" " Oberscharfuhrer Moltke." "I have explicit orders to take them to Sachsenhausen, and nowhere else." " They must go to the New Chancellery!" " No, they don't!" " Without Form Q512, I cannot obey your orders." " SS Officer Moltke, the order comes from the Fuhrer himself!" "Hitler speaking." "Heil you, too." "It's 10 a. m." "And I'm still waiting." "It's been 20 seconds now." " Heil Hitler!" "What's up?" " Where is he?" " Who?" " The Jew." "On the way." " Where to?" " Hopefully here." " There was a problem with a form." " A form?" " Form 512, my Fuhrer." " Abolish it!" "Yes, sir, my Fuhrer." "No prisoner is handed over without Form Q512!" "Come in, please!" "Heil Hitler!" "Sachsenhausen is too big." "Reichsminister Himmler and I offer you" " an alternative camp." " Pick one of these..." "Either Sachsenhausen, or you can send me back." "Pick a card." "Alright." "Come in!" "I'll be with you in a minute." "Have a seat." " At least he didn't say Auschwitz." " You really want to give it to him?" "Of course." "We still need him." "We need a Jew?" "That's new to me." "You'd better explain." "I'm seriously worried about the Fuhrer." "To be honest, I no longer see him as our Fuhrer." "Interesting." "I'm listening." "I've come to realize you and I alone will have to lead the Reich to victory," "Reichsminister of the Interior." "I'm shocked." "How will this happen?" " Grunbaum blows up the Fuhrer." " No!" "With a bomb under the lectern." "It will detonate at a set time." "Our cameras will film everything." " How?" "There's always a guard by him." " He has a helper in the building crew." " Jews are building the bomb." " Who knows?" "Nobody, and it better stay that way." "Don't panic." "Staged reality, my good man." " What?" " My profession." "It's our bomb." "The cameras will catch the Jew planting the bomb." "I see." "But it will go off, won't it?" "A malicious, underhanded assassination, carried out by the man our Fuhrer trusts blindly." "Your "Final Solution of the Jewish Question" and all our policies of ethnic cleansing will suddenly appear in a new light." "You were going on a trip, Professor?" " Why such tasteless questions?" " Up on the wrong side of the bed?" "My family and I were on our way back to the camp." " Camp?" "A holiday." " Yes, Sachsenhausen." "Really?" "Do you have any children?" "Adam, Judith, Jakob and Benny." "How nice." "My God, the Fuhrer is crying like a wimp." " Yes, not now." " You tore me open." "You opened my insides." " I'm bleeding." "I'm bleeding!" " I'm at your disposal." "Alright." "But don't go easy on me." "On your knees, please." "Support yourself with your hands." "Now bark." "Bark, please." "Yes." " Heil Hitler." " Heil." " Any news?" " No, everything's great." "He's making tremendous progress." "Nothing that might trouble us?" "Yes, from your very centre." "You call that "tremendous"?" "He's making a fool of the Fuhrer." "I demand to know what your plans are, Reichsminister." "He isn't being made a fool of." "Those are modern acting techniques." "Yes, very good, Herr Hitler." "Through your centre." "Breathe in..." "Don't force it." "I have to tell you a story, Grunbaum, so you can understand me." "My hatred of all that is sick and inferior, of ridiculous creatures..." "My father didn't only beat me when I did something wrong." "And I was often a real rascal." "No, he'd hit me without warning, arbitrarily and frequently." "Sometimes in the middle of the night." "I once heard my father stomping up the stairs." "I tried to escape through the window." "Bombs." "The Chancellery is on fire." "But it was so narrow that I had to get undressed and climb out naked." "But I got stuck." "When my father arrived, I was covering my private parts with a handkerchief." "My father laughed loudly at me, and told my mother to come." "That feeling of being ridiculed was much worse" " than 1,000 beatings." " A child is never ridiculous." "It's the father." "It's cowardly and ridiculous to hit a defenceless child." "You're right." "My father was ridiculous." "It's despicable to maliciously assault defenceless people." "My people were maliciously assaulted and sent to camps." "Is that a strength of German character?" "Or are you playing your father's role?" " Impertinent!" " We'll pay them back." "Darkness will envelop us." "There will be no sun to warm us." "It will be the downfall of the German people." "Is that what you want?" "No!" "Hardened by deprivation and defeat, we want our people to bathe and get a tan at the Adriatic Sea." "We want to build a European empire of inner and outer hygiene." "The German soul is a clean soul." "And we are proud of that." "Yes." "We must unite our strength and look ahead." "We aren't just big talkers." "You'll see." "Your work" " will enthral millions and end the war." " And the camp?" "Don't worry." "You'll stay here." " We agreed that you'd free Sachsenhausen." " Of course we did." " We're an elite of honour." " What did you do?" "We began evacuating the camp four hours ago." " Can you prove it to me?" " We filmed it, but it'll take three days to develop the film material." " You don't believe me." " As my father used to say," ""It's no sign of mistrust to ask for proof." "It's smart. "" "I want proof by 8:30 a. m." "Tomorrow." "Or Hitler will have to do without me." "Aren't you friends with what's-his-name?" "That Jew Kurt Gerheim." "He went to see his mother after being released." "There's a telegraph apparatus." "You can phone him tomorrow." "Enjoy your dinner." "We have something to celebrate." "Your father succeeded in doing the impossible." " What?" " Tell us, Papa." " Let him eat." " No, no." "Our camp is being disbanded." "The prisoners are being released." "Sachsenhausen is no more." " Says who?" " Goebbels." " Holy are the believers." " I talked to Kurt Gerheim." "The prisoners are free." "Really, Adolf?" "This place was hit by two bombs today." "The war won't last much longer." "Did you really talk to Kurt?" "Adolf!" "They sent him a telegram." "We'll phone tomorrow." " Are you really that naive?" " How do you know it isn't true?" "You believe them?" "They seem to need me." "Otherwise they wouldn't be doing all this." "You... of course." "You're a crazy megalomaniac, just like he is." "Come on, Blondi." "Come on now." "Come on, Blondi." "Come on, Blondi." "Come on." "Oh, Blondi." "Be a good dog, Blondi." " Kurt?" "..." "This is Adolf Grunbaum." " Hello, how are you?" " Yes..." "Fine." " Good, and how's the family?" "They're all here with me." "Is it true that Sachsenhausen has been disbanded?" " The camp?" "Was everyone released?" " Yes, of course." "Just imagine." " Really?" " Yes." " And you can speak freely?" " Of course." "Just imagine." "They opened the gates yesterday and gave everyone clothing." " They're still releasing people." " You're overwhelmed." "We danced, and we cried." "Some of us did look a bit worn out, you know?" " I've never experienced you like this." " I'm overjoyed." "I'm absolutely overjoyed." "I can't tell you how moving it is." "I'm glad." "What's going to happen to all of you now?" "Life goes on." "We're free, and we can do what we want." "You're right." " What play do you want to put on with me?" " "Othello. "" "You'll be Othello, and I'll be lago." "The traitor. "The Moor has done his duty. " You know?" "That's from "Fiesco," Kurt." "We'll put that on, too." "I'm afraid I have to go now." "Take care, my friend... and..." "Very moving, Gerheim." "Satisfied?" "Yes, thank you." "Just two more days." "Come in, come in." "Here we pushed back the US 6th Battalion." "The 14th British submarine fleet sank off the coast here." "The British military base in Rotterdam was wiped out by our JU-87B-2 and 88A-4." "The Russians suffered a mighty defeat near Frankfurt an der Oder." "They're licking their wounds down in Poland." "And how did you sleep, Professor?" "The Final Solution of the Jewish Question was not completely my idea." "I had other plans." "Why not send the Jews to the desert?" "Madagascar, for example." "Come on." "I also slept very poorly." "I couldn't stop thinking about how the ceremony in two days will be staged." "Please, have a seat." "Take my chair." "If it's fixed, I'll drive my limousine through the crowd to the Lustgarten," " just like I used to." " That's what I heard, too." "We'll drive through an unscathed Berlin, and our victory procession will pull up at the majestic Alte Museum." " Any objections?" " No, but I think I should tell you" " that the world outside no longer corresponds to your idea." " Why not?" "Berlin is in ruins." "Nothing but rubble." "Reichsminister Goebbels is having sets built for you." "Sets?" "Berlin is in ruins!" "The enemy is approaching!" "They lied to me!" "They think" "I'm stupid enough to run around in film sets." "My God!" "How was it?" "My performance?" "Fabulous." "Being dramatic suits me more than being comical." " I don't like what's going on." " It's going very well." "I have my own channels." "Thank you for having the courage to tell me the truth, Grunbaum." "Not everyone tells you the truth in troubled times." "Do you have this under control?" "I mean the Fuhrer's feelings." "And the Jew's feelings." "You know how powerful feelings can be." "We want them to get along, to be bosom friends." "Until death do them part." "At 2 p. m." "The Fuhrer will be led from his private rooms and taken to the make-up specialist by you, Reichsminister Dr. Speer." "Do we know who the make-up specialist is?" "Rosemarie Riefenstahl, a niece of our wonderful Reich filmmaker Leni." "A simple girl like the Fuhrer loves." "2:50 p." "M:" "Meet in the Blue Parlour." "Kempka, you park your car by the 4th Security Division in front of the Ehrenhof gate, and be ready to leave at 2:15." "The car now has bullet-proof windows." "But I read in your report that the top will be down." "It will be minus 4 tomorrow." " The top is always down for the Fuhrer." " But the top is no longer convertible." " We'd have to cut..." " Rubbish!" "The Fuhrer always has the top down!" "Gentlemen, it is the Fuhrer's wish that you, Professor, are near him during the drive and before the speech," " to practise with him." " Me?" "What ajoke!" "It's your idea, isn't it?" "To go down in history with the Fuhrer!" "You vain artist!" "Don't they call that stealing the limelight?" "Just a moment." "It's the Fuhrer's decision, isn't it?" "Professor, you can go now." "I'm very surprised by your new plans, Reichsminister." "You really want a Jew smiling in your cameras with the Fuhrer tomorrow?" "Playing with fire?" "That's it, gentlemen." "We'll see you." "Good luck." "Heil Hitler." " Is that you, Linge?" " No, my Fuhrer, it's me, Albert Speer." "Albert, come on in." "I'm in the bathroom." "You're relaxing, my Fuhrer?" "That's good." "Albert, I feel better than I've felt in ages." "I've regained my eternal youth." "That Jew does me good." "I'm pleased." "We all are." "What are you doing tonight?" " Tonight?" " New Year's Eve." " I'm sure you won't be alone." " No." "Fraulein Braun will dine with me." "She'll show me some of her home movies." "Have a seat, please." "Over there." "My Fuhrer, I have to pass on some terrible news." "As your friend, I want to express my dismay at being the first..." " Has something happened to Blondi?" " No." "Your Jew, the professor, is planning to assassinate you tomorrow." " No!" " He wants to plant a bomb under the platform." " How do you know?" " Reichsminister Dr. Goebbels told Reichsminister Himmler." "I wouldn't survive the loss of my beloved Fuhrer." "My feelings for you are no less intense." "Thank you." "Heil Hitler and Happy New Year." "Without love, human beings are vacuums." "Without love, the world is a hole." "Without Eva, I'm nothing but half a man." "You're the most beautiful." "You're my treasure." "My treasure." " Is everything fine for you?" " Yes." "You're comfortable?" "So you approve that I..." "Yes." "...enter..." " Just do it." "I can't feel you, my Fuhrer." " No?" " No." "Then I'll grow in size." "Yes." "I still don't feel you, my Fuhrer." "It's my fault." "What am I doing wrong?" "Nothing." "9... 8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1..." "Happy New Year!" "I'm so happy, Sweetie!" " Treasonous cockroach!" " What's wrong?" "You filthy rat!" "We were justified to gas every one of you!" "But you won't kill me!" " Not you!" " No..." " I don't want to." " Scheming coward!" " No bomb under the platform?" " Hitler!" " Who said so?" " Everyone." " My staff." "The Defence Minister." " So why am I lying here?" "Why would your people let me and my family sleep if they knew" " I'd kill you?" " Is that the real Hitler?" "Sure, you shmuck, there's only one." "How sweet, the children." "Greetings, Madam Professor." "I'm sorry to bother you." "I woke up and couldn't fall asleep again." "I'm so alone, and with it being New Year's Eve!" "It really moves me." "The international situation, all the dead... my speech tomorrow." "You're trembling." "It's cold here." "Come here." "Come here." "Thank you." "I'm sorry." "Maybe someone wants to get rid of me." " Or they want to punish me for..." " Shh..." "Forget those evil thoughts." "Close your eyes." " What are you doing?" " You see what I'm doing!" "But you can't..." " They'll kill us all!" " Don't just think of yourself!" "It's pointless." "He's just one." "The others..." "You aren't going to discuss whether a mass murderer..." "You're also killing a defenceless human." "He's an unloved child, too." "Thank you, Father." "Thank you." "Everything moves past you like clouds." "You watch your thoughts, how they move away..." "And breathe out." "Everything drains from you." "You are one with yourself." "You are one with yourself." "You speak from your heart." "I want to thank you, Adolf..." "for all you have done for me." "You saved me." "Not just last night." "My Jewish friend!" "Don't!" " Let him go!" " You startled me, Speer!" " What's wrong with you?" " I've already told you." "Don't start up again with your tales of murder!" "We've cleared everything up." "Man to Man." "Heil Hitler." "2:00 p. m., my Fuhrer." "Time to go." "And do not leave my side." "My Fuhrer." " I'd like you to free my family at once." " But of course." "Elsa!" "Here!" "Adam!" "Jakob!" "Judith!" "I'm here!" " Up here!" "Benny!" " Adolf!" " Yes!" " Adolf!" "Papa!" "What are you doing there?" "I say, "Heel, Blondi," and she looks at me with the saddest eyes, and doesn't obey." "I can only try once, and if I fail, my authority will be lost forever." "I gather my strength and say very gently, "Heel, Blondi. "" " That..." " My Fuhrer..." " What have you done, you elephant?" " I'm sorry, I..." "You want to make me look ridiculous?" "You boneheaded amateur!" "You untalented potato!" "You've deformed the Fuhrer!" "You'll pay for this!" " Spare your voice..." "I won't spare a thing!" "I'll say what I want!" "No one can hush me up!" "No one!" "No one!" "Now do something, you fat-boobed dunce!" "I shall not stand before my people with half a moustache!" "I shall not stand..." "It's almost done." "The anaesthetic lasts about an hour." "Then I'll give you another injection." " What's that?" " An onion compress." "Take it away!" "I further recommend Siberia Salt Lozenges." "Linge, Siberia Salt Lozenges." "And by no means a convertible with the top down." "You have to use your voice very sparingly." "Can I hear it?" " Your voice." " Gone." "You must be kidding!" " Does this mean he can't hold his speech?" " No, Reichsminister!" "Do you know what's going on out there?" "1 million people, 12 film cameras and 3.5 million Reichsmarks are waiting" " for the Fuhrer's speech!" " I'm no sorcerer." "Sinoprinafin is all I can inject." "It contains 0.8 ml morphine." "It has to work." "Grunbaum!" "The professor." "My Fuhrer, I don't want to rush you..." "Germans!" "It is all over!" "Darkness will envelop us." "There will be no sun to warm us." "It will be the downfall of the German people!" "Is that what you want?" "No!" "No!" "Hardened by deprivations and defeat, we want our people to bathe and get a tan at the Adriatic Sea." "The German soul is a clean soul." "And we are proud of that!" "We must unite our strength and look ahead." "Let's not forget the many problems we have already solved!" "The Communists!" "The homosexuals!" "But most of all, we have solved the Jewish problem!" "Go on!" "Go on!" "Now!" "I thank you... for your blind trust in me." "As loyal Germans, you have followed me and made the world into sauerkraut." "Today our fatherland lies in ruins." "And all of you are Aryans, blond and blue-eyed, except for me." "And yet you cheer me." "Heil myself!" "Heil!" "Why do you do it?" "I am... a bed-wetter, a drug addict." "I can't get an erection!" "I was beaten by my father so often" " that I..." " Stay here!" "The bomb!" "So I torture defenceless people as I was once tortured myself." "I take revenge all over Europe on Jews, homosexuals and the sick for the agony I suffered when I was a child." "Every hate-filled half-pint can rule the world when millions follow..." "Heal your... selves!" "Heil myself!" "Heal myself!" "That was my story." "It's absolutely true." "I promise." "Okay, perhaps I exaggerated a few things." "It's possible." "You don't believe me?" "It will take 119 more days before the 1,000-year nightmare is over and the Fuhrer makes his escape by taking cyanide and shooting himself." "100 years from now, authors will still write about him, and actors and comedians will still depict him." "Why?" "Because we want to understand what we will never understand." "THE TRULY TRUEST TRUTH ABOUT ADOLF HITLER" "What do you know about Adolf Hitler?" " I don't know who he is." " Know who Adolf Hitler is?" "What do you know about him?" " He screams." " Nothing." "The ex-king." "He made people into sausages." "He preferred blondes with blue eyes." "Do you want total war?" "Who was Hitler?" " A dictator." " A Jew!" "Sexually frustrated." " Sick." " A drug addict, alcoholic." "Oh my gosh." " He did it with his cousin." " He had his little chick in the mountains." " Don't know." " He must have been a roofer." " A Nazi." " Goose pimples." "He was our Fuhrer." " I'd rather not say." " Unworthy of the German people." " He brought Germany forward." " I know quite a lot." " I want to forget him." " Leave me alone!" "We know all about him!" " What do you know about Adolf Grunbaum?" " Doesn't ring a bell." "Grunbaum?" " Should I know?" " Sounds like a Jewish name." " Adolf Grunbaum?" " An actor?" "No." "Adolf Grun?" "I don't know him." " Adolf Grunbaum?" " Don't know." " Grunbaum?" " A Jewish scholar maybe?" " I know nothing about him." " An opera singer in the 3rd Reich." "Should we know him?" "That was... what-d'ya-call-it?" " Who is he?" " No." "He was pretty well known." "A great striker." "Don't know him." "No." "He was my great-great-great-grandfather."