Welcome back to Movie Recap. Today I'm gonna show you a 2004 German-language
historical war drama film called Downfall.
Spoiler ahead. Seat back, relax and enjoy.
The film starts out with a short clip from a documentary where the real life Traudl Junge
speaks about how even though she feels like she should be angry with her younger self
for becoming Hitlers secretary, it is very hard to forgive herself.
The narrative begins in November of 1942. Traudl Junge and four other young women, are
arriving at Führer's Headquarters Wolf's Lair in Rastenburg, East Prussia. The women
are met by Hitler's valet, Heinz Linge. After he gives the women an introduction, Hitler
emerges from his office and proceeds to individually ask each woman her name and where she is from.
Traudl Junge is the first woman chosen to have her secretarial skills tested and is
eventually chosen to be Hitlers personal secretary.
The story jumps ahead to April 20th, 1945, Hitler's fifty-sixth birthday. In Berlin,
inside the Führerbunker, Traudl Junge is awakened by the bombardment of Soviet artillery
from above. A furious Hitler storms out of his office and asks his Generals to inform
him where the gunfire is coming from. General Wilhelm Burgdorf informs Hitler that Central
Berlin is currently under fire from Soviet artillery but he doesn't know where its coming
from. Burgdorf gives Hitler a phone connected to General Karl Koller, who informs Hitler
that the artillery battery is only twelve kilometers away. After finding out the Soviets
are much closer than he was told, Hitler yells at his Generals for not informing him and
that he had to find out this news for himself.
Above ground in the Reich Chancellery, many head Nazi figures gather for Hitlers birthday
reception. At the party, SS General Hermann Fegelein informs SS General Heinrich Himmler
that Hitler is ordering the evacuation of all German military offices by initiating
Operation Clausewitz. Himmler says that Hitler will take the whole Reich down if he remains
in Berlin. He suggests that Fegelein speak to his sister-in-law, Eva Braun, to see if
she can convince Hitler to leave the city. Soon after, Hitler enters the room and is
greeted with a salute and "Sieg Heil" from everyone.
The film jumps over to the evacuation of the SS Führungshauptamt. It also introduces a
parallel story surrounding Professor Dr. Ernst-Günter Schenck an SS colonel and doctor, still in
Berlin. Upset by the orders to evacuate, Dr. Schenck argues with SS General Tellermann
that because he is both a colonel for the SS and a doctor for the Wehrmacht, he should
not be ordered to evacuate so that he can stay to take care of the sick. Tellermann
finally agrees and issues Schenck an authorized permit to stay in Berlin.
Back in the Reich Chancellery, many of the remaining generals are giving their final
goodbyes to Hitler. When Himmler says goodbye, he begs Hitler to leave Berlin and suggests
getting in touch with the Western Allies but Hitler refuses and leaves. As the generals
are getting into their cars to evacuate, Himmler tells Fegelein that he thinks Hitler has finally
lost it and that since Berlin will fall in the next few days, he is going to have to
take it in his own hands. At the same time, Albert Speer arrives at the Reich Chancellery
to talk with Hitler.
Overlooking a model for the proposed "Welthauptstadt Germania", Hitler praises Speer on his genius
for realizing what Germany will become once they win the war. Fegelein and Traudl Junge
speak up urging Hitler to leave the city before it is too late but he refuses again. Speer
backs him up by telling Hitler that he must be on stage when the curtain falls.
The film cuts away to the streets of Berlin and the civilians trying to leave before the
Russians capture the city. Another parallel story is introduced surrounding a boy named
Peter Kranz and his small outfit of Hitler Youth soldiers manning a FlaK 88. An older
man, who is missing his left arm, walks up to the group of kids and is identified as
Peters father. He tells Peter and his fellow soldiers that they are too young to fight
and to stop. After several minutes of arguing, the group of soldiers tells Peters father
that they will fight until the very end because they swore an oath to The Führer. Peter calls
his father a coward and runs away.
In his war room, Hitler refuses the plea from General Alfred Jodl to begin the retreat of
the 9th Army. Hitler states that General Felix Steiner will be able to counter-attack the
Russians once his men arrive in Berlin. He also orders SS General Wilhelm Mohnke to defend
the city at all costs. Mohnke requests the evacuation of civilians but Hitler refuses.
Outside of the war room, many of the generals express their concern that Hitler is going
crazy, stating that he is ordering army divisions that only exist on the map. Hitler makes his
way up to the surface to present awards to the Hitler Youth which happens to include
Peter. Back in the bunker, Traudl Junge and some of the other girls discuss how they can't
abandon Hitler like so many other people are doing.
Back in his office, Hitler tells Speer about his scorched earth plan and that he wants
to systematically destroy important industrial parts of the city before the allies arrive.
Begging for the mercy of the German people, Speer tells him it will only do harm to the
future of Germany but Hitler states that the only German people left are the weak and that
they deserve to die.
Meanwhile, up in the Reich Chancellery, Eva Braun and many other guests are having a party.
Fegelein grabs Eva aside and begs her to convince Hitler to leave but she refuses. Off to the
side, Traudl Junge tells her friend Gerda that the whole situation is unreal and is
like a bad dream. The whole party suddenly comes to an end when an artillery shell hits
right outside the building, sending debris through the windows. Everyone descends back
down into the bunker.
Up on the streets, General Helmuth Weidling is being accused for not holding his post
and for retreating. Even though he denies the accusations, he is ordered to report to
the bunker for execution.
Back in the SS Führungshauptamt, Dr. Schenck receives a call from Mohnke ordering him to
collect all the medical supplies he can find and to bring them to the bunker.
General Weidling arrives at the bunker as he was ordered to, asking why he is to be
shot. General Hans Krebs informs him that orders are that any general who retreats is
to be shot on spot. After Weildling tells him that he hasn't moved at all, Krebs informs
him to speak with Hitler about it.
Dr. Schenck arrives at a military hospital to get the requested medical supplies but
it has been abandoned and cleaned out except for dead bodies. Schenck also discovers a
group of elderly and sick patients who have been left for dead.
Back in the bunker, General Wilhelm Keitel informs General Weidling that his report has
impressed Hitler and not only will he no longer be shot but that he has been promoted to the
commander of Berlin's defense. Weidling states that he would rather have been shot. On the
other side of the bunker, Fegelein pleads to Traudl and Gerda to leave and informs them
that what Hitler has told them about a possible victory is false.
In the war room, General Krebs informs Hitler that the Russians have pushed the German lines
even further into the city and that General Steiner wasn't able to gather enough soldiers
for a counterattack. Hitler orders everyone leave except Keitel, Jodl, Krebs and Burgdorf.
Hitler yells at them for disobeying a direct order and that his entire military has been
lying to him. Hitler states all of his generals are cowards and traitors and that because
of their incompetence, they have lost him the war. Hitler leaves the war room and tells
Traudl that she can leave if she wants but she refuses to. The rest of the remaining
generals argue over what to do now that Hitler has given up.
Eva, Gerda and Traudl talk a walk just outside the entrance of the bunker to grab a smoke.
Eva talks about how she hates Adolf's German Shepard, Blondi and abuses the dog whenever
Hitler is not around. Bombs start to fall again and they retreat inside the bunker.
On his way back to the bunker with medical supplies, Dr. Schenck runs into a group of
soldiers about to execute a small group of old men for not helping defend the city. Schenck
pleads to the soldiers to spare the old men's lives but they are shot anyway. Schenck leaves
and finally arrives at the bunker with the supplies and is shocked to see how many wounded
civilians are there.
Meanwhile, Joseph Goebbels' wife and six children arrive at the bunker to stay with him under
the care of Traudl. The Goebbels children dress up and present a song to Hitler. After
the children leave, Hitler discusses the best ways to commit suicide with Eva, Gerda and
Traudl, giving them each a cyanide capsule.
Now April 23rd, Eva and Mrs. Goebbels each write letters to their families informing
them that the war is almost over and that they plan on staying with Hitler until the
end. Meanwhile, Hitler orders General Keitel to link up with Admiral Karl Dönitz to capture
more oilfields for offensive maneuvers once they push back the Russians.
Hitler receives a message from Hermann Göring stating that he wishes to take command of
the Third Reich since Hitler can no longer do anything from Berlin. After declaring Göring
a failure and a traitor, he orders him to be executed. Meanwhile, Albert Speer arrives
at the bunker and pleads with Traudl and Mrs. Goebbels to reconsider staying with Hitler.
Speer meets with Hitler to say his goodbyes. He also begs that Hitler spare the German
people and not take everyone down with him but once again, Hitler refuses. Speer then
informs Hitler that he has personally ignored and even defied many of his orders for some
time. Upset, Hitler rejects a handshake and tells Speer to leave.
Peter, who has left his unit and been fleeing from the approaching Russians, is able to
make it to his home to find his father and mother waiting for him.
During dinner, Hitler appoints General von Greim as the Commander in Chief of the Air
Force with order to reorganize and correct the mistakes that have been made. He tells
von Greim that he must be ruthless because compassion is for the weak and a betrayal
of natural selection. During this dinner, Hitler receives a report that Himmler has
offered Germany's surrender to the western allies. Upset that his most loyal general
has betrayed him, Hitler orders Himmler to be executed and for Fegelein to report to
the bunker to be promoted in place of Himmler.
Hitler has a meeting with General Ernst-Robert Grawitz who is requesting to leave Berlin
so that he and his family can escape but is denied. After Grawitz is dismissed, Otto Günsche
informs Hitler that Fegelein has left the bunker and cannot be found, upsetting Hitler
even more. Meanwhile, at home, Grawitz kills himself along with his entire family and Fegelein
is executed for treason once he is found.
Back in the war room, Hitler is informed that the Russians have advanced even further and
that Berlin no longer has any air support, stopping any more supplies from reaching the
remaining army. However, Hitler still has hope that General Walther Wenck will be able
to rescue Berlin. After Hitler leaves the room, the remaining generals discuss that
Wenck lacks the manpower to do anything to the Russians but they cannot surrender.
Traudl Junge then reports to Hitler so that she can write his last will. Hitler states
that since WWI, all of his thoughts and actions have been dictated by his love and loyalty
to the German people. As Traudl is typing it up, Goebbels informs her that Hitler has
ordered him to leave Berlin but he cannot do it and will need her to write up his will
too. Meanwhile, Hitler then has a small ceremony where he marries Eva.
Later on, Hitler is informed that neither General Wenck nor any other army division
will be able to rescue Berlin. Hitler tells them that he cannot surrender and that neither
can any of his generals. Hitler informs Otto Günsche that he and Eva will commit suicide
and that he is to make sure that the Russians will never be able to find his body.
Dr. Schenck and Dr. Werner Haase are ordered to the bunker where Haase gives Hitler instructions
on how to commit suicide. Meanwhile, Dr. Schenck is forced to wait with a bunch of drunken
soldiers who have given up any hope of victory but later witnesses Hitler giving Blondi a
cyanide capsule.
Meanwhile, Eva and Traudl talk about the approaching end. Eva gives Traudl one of her best fur
coats and makes her promise to try and make it out of the bunker alive. Hitler then has
his last meal with Traudl and a few others, and then informs them that the time has come.
He gathers around Traudl and his remaining friends, including the Goebbels, to wish them
goodbye. Mrs. Goebbels attempts one last time to convince Hitler to leave Berlin but he
refuses, stating that millions of people will curse him tomorrow. Hitler and Eva retire
to their room and commit suicide. Otto Günsche then informs the remaining generals that Hitler
is indeed dead and his and Eva's bodies are carried to the surface where they are doused
with gasoline and burned.
General Krebs has a meeting with the Russian generals informing them that Hitler is dead
and that Germany will not accept unconditional surrender. However, the Russian generals tell
him that they must.
Later on, Mrs. Goebbels gives all of her children a sedative and poisons them while they are
asleep. She and her husband commit suicide not long after, along with Generals Krebs
and Burgdorf. General Weidling orders the Germany Army to cease fire. Traudl Junge,
along with a few other women, is able to make it out of the bunker dressed as soldiers.
Dr. Schenck informs the women that they don't have to be taken prisoner because the Russians
aren't looking for them. Traudl is joined by Peter, who is now orphaned after his parents
committed suicide and the two of them are able to pass through the Russian army.
Some of the remaining SS soldiers, along with Dr. Schenck, are hiding from the Russians
in a building. When they finally hear the news that Germany has officially surrender,
the majority of them commit suicide in order to remain loyal to Hitler but Dr. Schenck
is able to make it out of there alive.
After getting through the Russians, Traudl and Peter find a bicycle and escape from Berlin.
The film ends by revealing the fates of each individual after the war. The last clip is
the real life Traudl Junge talking about how even though she wasn't aware of the extent
of the concentration and extermination camps until after the war, she still feels like
being young isn't an excuse and that it would have been possible for her to find things
out. Prof. Ernst-Günther Schenck was played by Christian Berkel who will later display
Fritz Shimon Haber in Haber, 2008.
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