The First Untergangers, also known as Unterganger Pioneers, Proto-Untergangers, Pre-Untergangers, Zero-generation Untergangers, The First Ones, The Founding Fathers or The Forefathers are the first people to make video parodies based on the 2004 German film Downfall (Der Untergang).

HistoryEdit

BackgroundEdit

On 8 September 2004, Downfall premieres in Germany (Munich). It then premieres in the rest of the world, and on 18 February 2005 it premieres in Spain and USA.

On 14 February 2005 YouTube is born. Many people started creating accounts and began uploading videos.

SequenceEdit

On 3 February 2006, the Argentinian user jparedes uploaded La Caida (La versión No Oficial), a spoof of the dinner scene from the movie, with Hitler complaining about his food bill. The video featured the original German language with fake Spanish subtitles. This will be basis for the future all-to-familiar parodies.

On 19 July 2006, Jackson126 uploaded Mein Kampf um Mathilde which, unlike the previous video, was a humorous fan dub and did not feature any fake subtitles (most likely because Jackson126 is German).

A few weeks later, on 10 August, DReaperF4 uploaded Sim Heil, the first official Downfall parody, in Spanish, with an English version being uploaded on 30 August. Thus, the Downfall Parody meme is officially born.

On 7 June 2007, MOTURK49 uploaded Hitler gets banned from Xbox Live, which wil be the most watched Downfall Parody ever. Many more people begin to make Downfall parodies. Celeon999A, for example, became the first to make Downfall parodies in a series as a sequel to the Xbox parody.

In late 2008 and early 2009, several people begin to create series of these parodies. They will be later known as First-generation Untergangers.

CharacteristicsEdit

Unlike the next generations of Untergangers, the First Ones are scattered; they do not come together and form a community.

Almost all of the First Untergangers have stopped making parodies. Many have moved to uploading non-Downfall videos, have become dormant or simply are active on their channel, but don't upload anything.

Notable First UntergangersEdit

This list is incomplete

• jparedes
• Jackson126
• DReaperF4
• MOTURK49
• Celeon999A

External linksEdit

• Discussion on the first parody on Downfall Parodies Forum