Hitler talks about the Battle of Berlin is a scene in the extended edition of Downfall that is rarely used in parodies.
In Downfall[]
Hitler is talking about the situation in Berlin not being as bad as it seems. He goes on to say how they should fill some armies with civilians if necessary. Joseph Goebbels starts speaking and says that if the Soviets are stopped and defeated in Berlin it would be a good example for the rest of the world and they would start to take notice. Hitler ends by saying that only and only in Berlin where such a thing could take place.
In Downfall Parodies[]
This scene is rarely used in Downfall Parodies, mainly because not much happens in this scene other than Hitler and Goebbels talking, but it is frequently used for voice-overs in gaming videos.
Parodies that include this scene usually use the mondegreen "Activision," said by Goebbels or Hitler's mention of San Francisco. Most videos featuring the scene, however, just have Hitler and Goebbels talking, or part of it is cut out to be mixed with other scenes.
This scene is much more known for Hitler's seemingly "shocked" expression when the scene is paused at a specific frame where Hitler is talking. This "shocked" expression of Hitler is frequently used in many parodies.
Transcript[]
German transcript and English translation | ||
---|---|---|
Speaker | German | English |
HITLER | In Berlin sieht es schlimmer aus, als es ist. | In Berlin it looks worse as it is. |
Die Divisionen müssen auf jede Weise aufgefüllt werden. | The divisions must be filled by any means. | |
Zur Not mit Zivilisten! | Even with civilians! | |
GOEBELLS | Wenn die Sowjets vor Berlin zurückgeschlagen werden, so wäre das ein großes Beispiel. | If the Soviets get beaten at Berlin, it would set a big example. |
Die ganze Welt würde aufhorchen. | The entire world would hear about it. | |
HITLER | Wenn es wirklich stimmt, dass in San Francisco unter die Allierten Differenzen entstehen, und sie werden entstehen... | If it is really true, that the Allies' differences show up in San Francisco, and they will show up... |
...dann kann eine Wende doch nur eintreten, wenn ich diesem masslos gewordenen, proletarisch-bolschewistichen Koloss entgegentrete. | then a counter-attack can only come into place when I stand up against this massless, proletariat, Bolshevik colossus. | |
Schlage ich hier erfolgreich und halte ich die Hauptstadt... | If I successfully win here and hold the city center... | |
...dann kommen die anderen doch zu der Überzeugung, dass es nur einer sein kann, der den Bolschewiken Einhalt zu gebieten in der Lage ist. | ...then the other [Allies] would be convinced that there can be only one man who can stop the Bolsheviks in this situation. | |
Und das bin ich! | And that is me! | |
Wenn ich diese Schlacht gewinne, dann verspreche ich mir davon nicht für meinen persönlichen Namen, nicht für meinen persönlichen Ruhm... | If I win this battle, then I will not expect to use it for my personal name, nor for my personal fame... | |
Es ist für die Geschichte! | It is for history! | |
GOEBELLS | Geht die Sache gut, ist es sowieso gut. | If this plan goes well, then all will be good. |
Geht sie nicht gut, wird Europa bolschewistisch werden. | If it does not go well, then Europe would become a Bolshevik state. | |
In fünf Jahren spätestens wäre der Führer eine legendäre Persönlichkeit, und der Nationalsozialismus ein Mythos, weil er durch den letzen großen Einsatz geheiligt wäre. | Five years later at the most, the Führer would become a legendary personality, and the Nazi movement a myth, because he would become sanctified through this last great mission. | |
Alles Menschliche, das man heute an uns kritisiert, das wäre dann mit einem Schlag abgewischt. | Anything inhumane that people would criticize us today for, would then be swept away. | |
HITLER | Nur hier in Berlin, nur hier kann alles gerettet werden. | Only in Berlin, only here, can it all be saved. |
Und den letzten Mann dafür einzusetzen, das ist unsere Pflicht! | And it is our duty to utilize the last man! |
Trivia[]
- This scene also features Hans Krebs, Wilhelm Keitel, Wilhelm Burgdorf, Heinz Linge, Alwin-Broder Albrecht, three unknown Wehrmacht officers, and an unknown SS officer from a later extended edition scene who have no lines. One officer behind Hitler's right next to Burgdorf's face isn't shown, instead, it's his stomach. It could possibly be Rudolf Weiß.
- Many Untergangers believe Hitler's mention of San Francisco in this scene is a mondegreen, but he actually says "San Francisco," referring to the United Nations Conference on International Organization.
- This is one of two scenes in which film Hitler predicts changes in world politics after his death. He mentions the political differences and difficulties between the Allies and indirectly predicts the upcoming Cold War – even though he assumes that a real war will break out at some point and the western democracies will fall against the Soviet Union, as he later states in a dialogue with Mohnke.