The document provides an analysis of the 2004 German film "Der Untergang" (Downfall) about the final days of Hitler's rule from his bunker in Berlin in 1945. It was directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel and was based on two books about this time period. The film aims to recreate key events and locations from this time authentically but also explores themes like German victimhood, the demonization of enemies, and the humanization of Hitler and Goebbels. Reviews had mixed reactions, with some praising the historical narrative but others criticizing how it portrays Nazis.

1. Der Untergang
Icon: Defeat
Richard McKenzie
10 May 2012 © University of Reading 2006 www.reading.ac.uk

2. Der Untergang
• 2004
• Made in St Petersburg, (Leningrad), Russia
• Set in last few weeks of war
• Director
– Oliver Hirschbiegel
– Born 1957
• Bunker set created in studio to give film claustrophobic feel
• Based on 2 books
– Der Untergang: Hitler und das Ende des Dritten Reiches Joachim
C Fest (2002)
– Bis zur letzten Stunde: Hitlers Sekretdrin erzählt ihr Leben Traudl
Junge mit Melissa Müller(2003)
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3. Der Untergang
• Traditional Elements
– Filmography of amnesia
– Clean Wehrmacht
– Nazis “Other”
– German victimhood
– Enemy demonised
• Novel Elements
– Hitler and Goebbels shown as fascinating characters
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4. Reviews
• „Grand historical narrative of violence and self
destruction“ Karin Bauer (3, Bauer, 2011) (Bauer, Karin, (2011)Introduction,
In:Seminar: A Journal of Germanic Studies Volume 47, Number 1, February pp 1-9)
• „Hitler für die Kinder von CNN, Big Brother und
Political Correctness.“ Georg Seeβlen Filmportal.de
(http://www.filmportal.de/df/c4/Artikel,,,,,,,,EED2B3634BF7DB6AE03053D50B377EB2,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,.html
accessed 22/3/11)
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5. Authenticity
• 20th April medal
parade on 56th
birthday
• 22nd April outburst at
officers
• Murder of Goebbels
children
• 30th April Hitler’s
suicide
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6. Amnesia
• Traudl
– Observer and not involved
– Hitler’s personal secretary
• Dr Schenk
– Humanitarian working for
survival
– KZ Doctor at Dachau
• Himmler
– Trying to resist Hitler by
negotiating with West
– Head of SS
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7. Who were the Nazi’s ?
• “Other” Hitler,
Himmler
• Capable of
murdering own
children
• Fanatical
• Not like us
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8. German Victimhood
• Traudl
• Women
• Children
• Berlin
• Families
• Ordinary Germans
• “clean” Wehrmacht
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9. The Enemy
• Russians to be
feared by women
• Uncontrolled and
drunken
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10. Hitler and Goebbels
• Attractive
• Terrifying
• Human
• Capable of being
loved
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11. Conclusion
• “By […] playing on the viewer's sympathy for the young and
innocent, and failing to deal honestly with the broadly supported
national program which brought about this traumatic Untergang, […]
Hirschbiegel [has] delivered a riveting portrait of Hitler, but a
sanitized history of Nazi Germany.” Steve Hochstadt (243, Hochstadt, 2005)
Hochstadt, Steve, (2005) (Film Review In: German Studies Review, Vol. 28, No. 1 (Feb.,), pp. 241-243)
• „Der Faschismus hat keinen Untergang, der Faschismus ist
Untergang.“Georg Seeβlen
(http://www.filmportal.de/df/c4/Artikel,,,,,,,,EED2B3634BF7DB6AE03053D50B377EB2,,,,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,.html accessed 22/3/11)
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12. Course Conclusion
• Denazification in West
– Germany occupied
– Nuremburg Trials
– Collective Guilt
– Fragenbogen – Persilschein
– Many Nazis retain their roles in judiciary and government
– Heimatvertriebene
– Growing recognition of Holocaust from 1960’s on
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13. Course Conclusion
• Anti Fascism in East
– Germany liberated
– Removal of National Socialist judges and teachers
– Socialists not responsible for war
– Capitalism = Imperialism = Fascism
– W Germany = Fascism
– Hierarchy of victimhood
– Little recognition of Holocaust
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14. Course Conclusion
• Part of ongoing public Vergangenheitsbewältigung
• Films contradict national discourses about war
• Films have laid down a number of fundamental national myths
– German suffering
– Lost paradise in the East
– Nazi’s different from us
– War = loss and catastrophe
– Allies little involved in defeat of Germans
• Films support national amnesias
– Confused discourse about Holocaust
– “Clean” Wehrmacht
– Strong resistance movement
– War a male experience
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