both demons and humans

Aliza 2022-04-22 07:01:03

I first knew about this film because of the ghost video of "I'm coming to Hebei Province". After reading it, there are two things that shocked me the most. First, Hitler has always been the image of a paranoid murderer and a war machine in my eyes. At the beginning of the film, when Traudl Humps went to the interview, Hitler first reassured his dog to prevent it from hurting people, and soothed her emotions. He personally helped her turn on the lamp, pull out the chair, and told her "Don't be nervous, I'll come out during the dictation. Lots of mistakes, you can't be more wrong than I am." Just gently tell her when she misses almost every word: "I suggest doing it again." Hitler is truly a great person Charm, how gracious he is to that young girl, how could people not love him? When Berlin was about to break down and was at stake, he had countless opportunities to escape and make a comeback, but he was determined to live and die with Berlin. Nationalsozialismus is their belief, without Nationalsozialismus there is no meaning of life. This scene is very similar to Xiang Yu, who refused to cross Jiangdong by the Wujiang River back then, which is very emotional. Even though Hitler and the Nazi party he led have committed many crimes, there are still so many people who support the Third Reich and are willing to sacrifice their lives to defend the country. The reason can be seen in the movie. Second, Traudl Junge, as Hitler's secretary, was forgiven by the Soviet military and the German people after the war because he was young and ignorant of the world situation. This is a very rare political situation. She worked as a secretary in various companies after the war, and didn't die until this century, which is why this film should have been made.

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Extended Reading

Downfall quotes

  • Adolf Hitler: General von Greim, I appoint you to Commander in Chief of the Air Force and General Field Marshal. A large responsibility rests on your shoulders. You must shake up the entire air force. Many mistakes have been made, so be ruthless. Life never forgives weakness. This so called humanity... is just priests' drivel. Compassion is a primal sin. Compassion for the weak is a betrayal of nature.

    Joseph Goebbels: The strongest can only be victorious by eradicating the weak.

    Adolf Hitler: I have always obeyed this law of nature by never permitting myself to feel compassion. I have ruthlessly suppressed domestic opposition and brutally crushed the resistance of alien races. It's the only way to deal with it.

    [Linge enters with a folder in hand]

    Adolf Hitler: Apes, for example, trample every outsider to death. What goes for apes goes even more for human beings.

    [Hitler reads the folder]

    Adolf Hitler: Himmler, in Lübeck, has made an offer to surrender to the western powers through Count Bernadotte... according to a report by English radio.

    [finishes reading]

    Adolf Hitler: Himmler... Of all people, Himmler! The truest of the true... This is the worst betrayal of all! Göring, yeah; he was always corrupt, of course. Speer, yeah: an idealistic, unpredictable artist. All the others, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah!

    [puts folder down]

    Adolf Hitler: But not Himmler. Has he gone crazy?

    [stands up]

    Adolf Hitler: He claimed authority by saying I was sick, perhaps already dead!

    [pause]

    Adolf Hitler: Please leave me alone with Lord von Greim and Frau Reitsch.

    [Everyone except the following stands up]

    Adolf Hitler: Oh, and bring me Fegelein.

    Heinz Linge, Kammerdiener: My Führer, we don't know where he is.

    Adolf Hitler: But he's Himmler's adjutant. He must be here.

    General der Infanterie Wilhelm Burgdorf: We haven't seen him for days.

    Adolf Hitler: I want his report at once!

    [Everyone leaves, and Goebbels is about to step out]

    Adolf Hitler: Please stay, Doctor.

  • Martin Bormann: [reading folder in hand] My Führer, following your decision to stay in Berlin, do I have your approval as Vice Chancellor to immediately take charge of the entire Reich with the necessary power and authority? If I receive no answer by 10 p.m., I will assume that you have been incapacitated. I will serve the well-being of our people and fatherland.

    [closes folder and puts it down]

    Martin Bormann: He's betraying Germany... and you!

    Walter Hewel: Göring's concern isn't unjustified. If our communication system breaks down, which could happen at any time, we'd be cut off from the world; we could no longer pass on orders.

    Joseph Goebbels: I see it differently. Göring wants to seize power. I never trusted that mob he gathered at Obersalzberg; it stinks of a coup.

    Adolf Hitler: That failure. That sponger... A parvenu! A lazybones!

    [Albert Speer returns while Hitler rants offscreen]

    Adolf Hitler: How dare he declare me unable to act? Tomorrow he might declare me dead!

    Albert Speer: Hello, Frau Junge.

    Traudl Junge: Herr Speer. How did you get into Berlin?

    Albert Speer: It wasn't easy, but I must speak with the Führer.

    Heinz Linge, Kammerdiener: I'd wait here if I were you.

    Adolf Hitler: The Luftwaffe... What did he do with it? That was reason enough to execute him! That morphine addict... helped to corrupt this country! And now this...

    [Hewel looks down in disappointment]

    Adolf Hitler: He betrayed me of all people! Me of all people!

    [pause]

    Adolf Hitler: I want Göring to be deprived of power and removed from office. If I don't survive the war, that man is to be executed at once.