Hitler walks around the model of Berlin is a scene in Downfall commonly used in parodies.
Welthauptstadt Germania
Welthauptstadt ("World Capital") Germania was the name Adolf Hitler gave to the projected renewal of the German capital Berlin, part of his vision for the future of Germany after the planned victory in World War II. Albert Speer, "the first architect of the Third Reich", produced many of the plans for the rebuilt city, only a small portion of which was realized before World War II.
The title "Welthauptstadt" was chosen because it was felt that Berlin's architecture was at that time too provincial and that there was need to put Berlin on a par with and exceed the quality of other world capitals such as London, Paris and especially Rome.
Some projects, such as the creation of a great East-West city axis, which included broadening Charlottenburger Chaussee (today Straße des 17. Juni) and placing the Berlin victory column in the center, far away from the Reichstag, where it originally stood, succeeded. Others, however, such as the creation of the Große Halle (Great Hall), had to be shelved owing to the beginning of war. A great number of the old buildings in many of the planned construction areas were however demolished before the war and eventually Germany's defeat stopped the plans.
In Downfall
Hitler, as he gazes upon Speer's model of Hitler's Welthauptstadt Germania, tells Speer that the bomb raids on Berlin will aid the construction of the new city, which would be completed shortly 'after the war'. He praises Speer as being a genius, mentioning the two's realization of the importance of, instead of departmental stores and skyscrapers, a magnificent "treasure house for arts and culture" for the Third Reich that would "last the millennia". He then describe the architectural styles of the future city center, which he say the people would need. He proudly describes the whole plan as his vision, for the past as well as the present.
Fegelein, who have been watching Hitler for a distance, advises Hitler to leave Berlin in order to realize his 'vision'. Hitler falls silent. Fegelein then asks for Eva's favor to persuade him, but she is in complete support for the Führer. Traudl intervenes, saying that the Russians are getting close to cutting the whole city off.
Hitler passionately declined his secretary's suggestion, saying that he'd be feeling like a "lama priest spinning an empty prayer-wheel" - A prophesied man that couldn't realize the dream of his people. He stressed that he must "force an outcome in Berlin, or face his downfall." Traudl turned to face the floor. Hitler then turned to Speer to ask his opinion, in which he replied that Hitler "should be on stage when the curtain falls."
In the parodies
This is the only scene where Hitler and Fegelein see and talk to each other directly. The scene has seen quite a number parodies made out of it, as it contains, besides Hitler and Fegelein talking directly, a very exploitable mondegreen and the many possibilities of what the model could be.
The model appears frequently in the parodies, where it is sometimes known as Hitlerland, a theme park made as a "sort-of-Disneyland", the so-called Reich City, or simply another metropolitan city/"acropolis" Hitler plans to build. A Czech parody Majnuj vs Hitler states that the model is in fact a project of Hitler's own Minecraft city.
The Great Hall's dome was often called as a "boob-shaped dome" in sparx476's parodies, and gets broken every time Hitler touches it; we all know who was responsible. The model as a whole has also been portrayed as a boob-detection device in a few parodies. This is a reference to later scenes where Speer seems to be staring down at a lot of boobs, and also as he designed the city model. Adding to this is Hitler staring into the POV through a model arch, not unlike someone looking through an optical device. In nietzscheprime's last parody it was called the Tittyvision, developed by Speer with the quest for the perfect tits as his inspiration (perhaps Speer's Eye of Boob Detection had its limitations.)
Some other parodies cuts Hitler's part explaining the model off-screen, instead focusing on Speer staring at Traudl's boobs as Hitler babbles away. [1]
Hitler's mention of "lama priest" in the scene has been pointed out in some parodies, modegreened as "llama priest" and the like. This mondegreen later became the inspiration of TheSilverUniverse's Hitler's Llama Priest series.
Transcript
German transcript and English translation | ||
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Speaker | German | English |
HITLER | Die Bombenangriffe auf unsere Städte haben auch ein Gutes | The bombing attacks on our city have a good side. |
Es ist viel einfacher nur den Schutt wegzuschaffen, als selbst alles niederzureißen. | It's easier to clean up debris than to demolish everything ourselves. | |
Wenn der Krieg erst mal gewonnen ist, dann wird das mit dem Aufbau ganz schnell gehen. | When the war is won, reconstruction will be quick. | |
Wie viele tausend Stunden haben wir beide mit diesen herrlichen Entwürfen verbracht. | We've spent thousands of hours together with these models. | |
Sie sind ein großes Genie, Speer. | You're a true genius, Speer. | |
Doch, doch. Nur Sie und ich wissen, dass ein Drittes Reich nicht vorstellbar ist das aus Warenhäusern und Fabrikgebäuden besteht. | Yes, absolutely. Only you and I know that the Third Reich would be inconceivable with only warehouses and factories. | |
Nur Wolkenkratzer und Hotels. | Only skyscrapers and hotels. | |
Dieses Dritte Reich wird eine Schatzkammer sein für Kunst und Kultur, die Jahrtausende überdauert. | This Third Reich will be a treasury of art and culture that will survive thousands of years. | |
Wir sehen die antiken Städte vor uns. Die Akropolis. | We see before us, the ancient cities. The Acropolis. | |
Wir sehen die Städte des Mittelalters, wir sehen ihre Dome und wissen, dass die Menschen sowas brauchen: einen Mittelpunkt. | We see the cities of the Middle Ages, we see its dome and know that people need something: a center. | |
Ja, Speer, das war meine Vision, und das ist sie noch immer! | Yes, Speer, that was my vision, and it still is. | |
FEGELEIN | Mein Führer, wenn Sie diese Pläne verwirklichen wollen, dann sollten Sie Berlin verlassen. | Mein Führer, if you want to realize these plans, then you should leave Berlin. |
Eva, jetzt sag du doch mal was! | Eva, you say something. | |
EVA | Er ist der Führer! Er weiß, was richtig ist! | He is the Führer! He knows what is right! |
TRAUDL | Bitte, Sie müssen raus aus Berlin, das sagt doch jeder! | Please, you have to get out of Berlin, as everyone says! |
Die Russen haben uns ja schon fast abgeschnitten! | The Russians have almost surrounded us! | |
HITLER | Ach, Kind, ich kann das nicht! | Oh, child, I can not! |
Ich käme mir vor wie ein Lama-Priester, der eine leere Gebetsmühle betätigt. | I would be like a llama priest with an empty prayer wheel. | |
Ich muss hier in Berlin eine Entscheidung herbeiführen, oder untergehen! | I have to solve the problem here in Berlin, or perish. | |
Speer, was meinen Sie? | Speer, what do you think? | |
SPEER | Sie sollten auf der Bühne stehen, wenn der Vorhang fällt. | You should be on stage when the curtain falls. |
Trivia
- This scene is the only time when Hitler and Fegelein directly interact with one another.
- Gerda Christian appears in this scene, but has no lines. She does however seem to be smirking when Hitler mentions the 'lama priest'.
- Walther Hewel is also present without having any lines.
- Everyone except Hitler holds a wine glass.
- The Boob Building's actual name was the "Volkshalle" (People's Hall)
Gallery
References
Previous Himmler and Fegelein at the garage (garage) |
Hitler walks around the model of Berlin View Template Page |
Next Hitler Youth Artillery Scene |
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