Weidling and Mohnke inform Hitler is a scene in Downfall that is commonly used in parodies.
In Downfall[]
Hitler enters the war room surprising everyone (Joseph Goebbels, Martin Bormann, Hans Krebs, Wilhelm Mohnke, Helmuth Weidling, and Wilhelm Burgdorf). Weidling informs him that the Russians are advancing and they can no longer receive supplies. Mohnke then points on the map showing the Red Army positions:
- North - In front of the Weidendammer Bridge
- East - Lustgarten
- South - Potsdamer Platz
- West - Tiergarten, about 400 meters from the Reich Chancellery.
He points out that they can only hold out for about two days. Weidling suggests that they should flee Berlin, as they have already lost 20,000 of their best officers. Hitler looks at him indifferently, telling him that's what the young officers are for. When Weidling tries to persuade Hitler to sign the order of surrender, Goebbels intervenes, saying that the Führer cannot make an honorless disappearance from history. Hitler says that fleeing Berlin is not an option and believes that Walther Wenck and the 12th Army will attack. He then tells Krebs to write a telegram to Wilhelm Keitel to report on Wenck's progress. He then leaves the room telling them not to worry and repeating "Wenck will come".
In Downfall Parodies[]
The scene was first used by AlbertHallProds, in Hitler finally declares war on Hitler Parodies, where Hitler and his generals declare war on the Downfall Parodies and on the Untergangers.
Since then, the scene has been used for parodies that involve either conflicts, such as Hitler vs UBFA, The Jodl Rebellion, or War of The Hitlers. There aren't many other parodies that use the scene alone.
And this is also the scene where most Untergangers use whenever Hitler puts on his glasses and for some, Hitler trying to find Berlin on a map.
Transcript[]
German transcript and English translation | ||
---|---|---|
Speaker | German | English |
HITLER | Bitte. | Go ahead. |
WEIDLING | Mein Führer, die Russen erzielen Durchbruch auf Durchbruch. | My Führer, the Russians are achieving breakthrough after breakthrough. |
Reserven sind nich mehr vorhanden. | Reserves are no longer available. | |
Eine Versorgung aus der Luft findet nicht mehr statt. | Supply from the air is no longer taking place. | |
Das heißt, dass keine Munition mehr herangebracht werden kann! | This means that we cannot bring any more munitions! | |
MOHNKE | Im Norden steht der Russe kurz vor der Weidendammer Brücke. | In the north the Russians are shortly in front of Weidendammer Bridge. |
Im Osten am Lustgarten. | In the east they're at the Lustgarten. | |
Im Süden am Potsdamer Platz. | In the south they're at Potsdamer Plaza. | |
Im Westen im Tiergarten, dreihundert bis vierhundert Meter vor der Reichskanzlei. | In the west they're in the Tiergarten, 300 to 400 meters in front of the Reich Chancellery. | |
HITLER | Wie lang können Sie noch halten? | How long can you stop them? |
WEIDLING | Maximal ein bis zwei Tage. | Maximum one to two days. |
HITLER | Gilt das auch für das Regierungsviertel? | Does this also apply to the government district? |
MOHNKE | Jawohl, mein Führer. | Yes, my Führer. |
WEIDLING | Mein Führer, als Soldat schlage ich Ihnen vor, den Durchbruch aus dem Berliner Kessel zu wagen. | My Führer, as a soldier, I will suggest to risk a breakthrough from the Siege of Berlin. |
Bedenken Sie...im Krieg um Berlin sind bereits fünfzehn- bis zwanzigtausend der besten Offiziersjahrgänge gefallen. | Keep in mind...in the War of Berlin, fifteen to twenty thousand of the youngest officers have already fallen. | |
HITLER | Aber dafür sind die jungen Leute doch da... | Yet that is what young people are there for... |
GOEBBELS | Was Sie da vortragen ist ein Hirngespinst. | What you are telling us is a fantasy. |
Ein ganz und gar verrückter Plan. | A totally insane plan. | |
WEIDLING | Denken Sie an die Tausande von Verwundeten. | Think about the thousands of the wounded. |
Wir können nichts mehr für sie tun. | We cannot do anything more for them. | |
Mein Führer, die Befehle sind ausgearbeit. | My Führer, the orders have been executed. | |
Ich gebe Ihnen mein Ehrenwort als Offizier... | I give you my word of honor as an officer... | |
GOEBBELS | Der Führer kann nicht als ruhmloser Flüchtling vom Parkett der Weltgeschichte verschwinden. | The Führer cannot disappear as a fameless refugee from the parquet of world history. |
HITLER | Selbst wenn der Ausbruch erfolgreich sein sollte, ich geriete doch einfach aus einem Kessel in den anderen. | Even if the outbreak should be successful, I figure we would go from one siege to the other. |
Ich müsste dann unter freiem Himmel oder in einem Bauernhaus oder in irgend etwas ähnlichem hausen und das Ende abwarten. | I would then have to live in the open air or in a farmhouse or some similar house and wait for the end. | |
Wenck ist mit der zwölfte Armee im Anmarsch. | Wenck is approaching with the 12th Army. | |
Sie kann sich mit der neunte Armee von Busse vereinigen und dem Russen einen so vernichtenden Schlag versetzen, dass er alles rettet. | They can unite with the 9th Army of Busse and deliver a crushing blow to the Russians such that he can save everything. | |
Wenck ist ein ganz ausgezeichneter Mann. | Wenck is a totally excellent man. | |
Telegrafieren Sie an Keitel. | Send a telegraph to Keitel. | |
"Es ist mir sofort zu melden: Erstens, wo sind die Spitzen von Wenck? | "Report to me immediately: First, where is Wenck's vanguard? | |
Zweitens, wann griefen sie weiter an? | Second, when will they continue to attack? | |
Drittens, wo ist die neunte Armee? | Third, where is the 9th Army? | |
Viertens, wohin bricht die neunte Armee durch?" | Fourth, where does the 9th Army break through?" | |
Sie werden sehen, meine Herren, ich behalte recht. | You will see, gentlemen, I will keep things right. | |
Wenck wird kommen. | Wenck will come. | |
Wenck wird kommen... | Wenck will come... |
Trivia[]
- Hitler does not rant in this scene, although Goebbels has a short ranting burst.
- Mohnke points at the map, even with two fingers at one point in the scene.
- Also, if you look very closely at the very first frames of this scene, you can also see Weidling pointing at a map.
- An unknown Obersturmbannführer appears in this scene, named "Mohnke's Adjutant im Bunker", and is played by uncredited actor Dieter Rupp. He could possibly be Ralf Tiemann, a Sturmbannführer who was appointed by Mohnke as his adjutant. Although they are different ranks, these errors are common in the film.
- Historical inaccuracy: The whereabouts of Rudolf Holste's spearhead is not mentioned on the telegram intended to Keitel. Hence, Holste is not mentioned on Keitel's telegram reply during the next bunker scene.
- Also, the aforementioned message was actually transmitted via radio to Jodl, instead via telegram to Keitel.