The movie Downfall and the stories behind Hitler's last days

[Excape Goat]

I thought the movie was great. Much of the movie was based upon Traudl Junge's book and interviews she did with a documentary in 2002. People were surprised at what she said, especailly about parts that the word Jews were never mentioned in Hitler's inner circle and Hitler being a father figure adored by his own staffs many years later. The r3eason for this post has nothing to do with the rights and wrongs of the movie and how Junge felt toward Hitler in 2002. When her book the docu that followed were released, people was susprised at her story and what Hitler was liked in the eyes of his inner circle.

However, when I was in college back in 1992, my Danish professor showed us a documentary on the last days of Hitler. The film showed many interviews of Hitler's staff. Most of the people were rank and file officers and/or non-military personals who worked and spent the last few hours with Hitler at the Bunker. I am sure Junge was not in it since she chose to remain silent under the late 1990s. Basically, the documentary was saying the same thing at what Junge said about Hitler 10 years later. The people talked about Hitler as if he was Lincoln and the fall of Berlin was tragic event. So when I saw the movie Downfall, I already knew what Ms. Junge was about to say. Frankly, I am surprised at why her book and the docu were so shocking.

[Doctor Stamen]

I'm just posting to say it is a great film, and that you almost feel sympathy for Hitler as his world crumbles away. And then you think, 'Hold on a minute, this is Hitler, a complete tit.' and then you think about Eddie Izzard on the Dress to Kill dvd.

It's good to see a film where someone like Hitler is presented as a human being and not a 2 dimensional monster.

[aloisius]

about parts that the word Jews were never mentioned in Hitler's inner circle and Hitler being a father figure adored by his own staffs many years later.

I seem to remember Hitler saying in the movie

“at least it will be remembered that I fought Jewry with an open helmet. I have rid the german people of this poison”

[DoyleG]

Traudl Junge did do a couple of interviews about working with Hitler in the World at War series.

[Excape Goat]

However, when I was in college back in 1992, my Danish professor showed us a documentary on the last days of Hitler.

I was 100% sure that it was the summer of 1992. i forgot to mention that Denmark just beat West Germany at Euro 1992 so I spoke to my professor about the game. It was a summer course.

[johan neeskens]

I thought the movie was great. Much of the movie was based upon Traudl Junge's book and interviews she did with a documentary in 2002. People were surprised at what she said, especailly about parts that the word Jews were never mentioned in Hitler's inner circle and Hitler being a father figure adored by his own staffs many years later. The r3eason for this post has nothing to do with the rights and wrongs of the movie and how Junge felt toward Hitler in 2002. When her book the docu that followed were released, people was susprised at her story and what Hitler was liked in the eyes of his inner circle.

However, when I was in college back in 1992, my Danish professor showed us a documentary on the last days of Hitler. The film showed many interviews of Hitler's staff. Most of the people were rank and file officers and/or non-military personals who worked and spent the last few hours with Hitler at the Bunker. I am sure Junge was not in it since she chose to remain silent under the late 1990s. Basically, the documentary was saying the same thing at what Junge said about Hitler 10 years later. The people talked about Hitler as if he was Lincoln and the fall of Berlin was tragic event. So when I saw the movie Downfall, I already knew what Ms. Junge was about to say. Frankly, I am surprised at why her book and the docu were so shocking.

Who says they were shocking in the first place? Maybe the Germans themselves who understandably still don't know how to deal with their past, but I don't think the film or the documentary have gone down badly anywhere else.

I think the world has gone through several stages in coming to terms with the war. At first people saw it as a struggle of good v evil, now we are able to take more distance and analyse better. It is good for us to realise that Nazi's weren't monsters, and as such to understand what human beings just like us are capable of.

[yossarian]

Who says they were shocking in the first place? Maybe the Germans themselves who understandably still don't know how to deal with their past, but I don't think the film or the documentary have gone down badly anywhere else.

I think the world has gone through several stages in coming to terms with the war. At first people saw it as a struggle of good v evil, now we are able to take more distance and analyse better. It is good for us to realise that Nazi's weren't monsters, and as such to understand what human beings just like us are capable of.

I'll disagree with you only on semantics......the Nazis were monsters....but sadly human beings are capable of being monsters.

[bigredfutbol]

It was a very good movie. They really worked on getting the details right, from what I could see. It just 'felt' real.

[Belgian guy]

I think it's irrelevant if all the details were correct. The movie works because they were able to recreate the tense atmosphere that must have existed in that bunker in those last days of Hitler's life.
I also never got the criticism from some people that this movie was to sympathetic for Hitler. I did not feel anything then contempt and horror for the man, even in this portrayal of his last days. In the end he was just a sad old man, a grotesk caricature of the image he (succesfully) sold to his people years before.

[Excape Goat]

I felt the same way about the movie. Hate to say.... this movie was the kind where you knew the ending, but you kept wishing that it might turn out in a different ending. When I was watching, I actually felt sorry for Hitler.... but of course, nothing to do with politics. At that moment, I was so into the movie.