Downfall

Downfall (German language/International title: Der Untergang) is a 2004 historical war drama chronicling the last ten days of Adolf Hitler's life during the Battle of Berlin. Directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel, the film is based on numerous primary and secondary accounts of the final days of Adolf Hitler, set in and around Hitler's Führerbunker. The film stars Bruno Ganz as Adolf Hitler. Filming took place in Berlin, Munich, and Saint Petersburg.
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=Pistols=
== Walther PP ==
General der Artillerie Helmuth Weidling (Michael Mendl) and SS-Oberscharführer (Technical Sergeant) Rochus Misch (Heinrich Schmieder) carry Walther PP pistols as their sidearm. Weidling's pistol is seen briefly when he hands it over before entering the bunker. Misch is seen gazing at his Walther PP while manning the radio.
thumb|300px|none|War-time Walther PP - .32 ACP
thumb|none|600px|General der Artillerie Helmuth Weidling (Michael Mendl) hands over his Walther PP sidearm before seeing Hitler.
thumb|none|600px|SS-Oberscharführer Rochus Misch contemplates committing suicide with his Walther PP.
== Walther PPK ==
Adolf Hitler's (Bruno Ganz) Walther PPK is seen lying on the floor of his office after he commits suicide. General der Infanterie Wilhelm Burgdorf (Justus von Dohnányi) carries a PPK as do other officers, and Nazi diplomats such as Walther Hewel (Gerald Alexander Held).
thumb|600px|none|Hitler's Walther PPK lies on the floor of his office following his suicide.
thumb|600px|none|Wilhelm Burgdorf (Justus von Dohnányi) uses his PPK to threaten to shoot Nazi Official Hans Fritzsche for wanting to surrender unconditionally to the Red Army.
thumb|600px|none|SS-Obersturmbannführer (Lieutenant Colonel) Franz Schädle (Igor Bubenchikov) decides to commit suicide rather than leave with SS-Brigadeführer Wilhelm Mohnke during the breakout.
thumb|600px|none|Nazi Party Diplomat Walther Hewel (Gerald Alexander Held) keeps his promise to Hitler and commits suicide before the Russians can capture him.
== Walther Model 8 ==
After Hitler (Bruno Ganz) commits suicide, a Walther Model 8 pistol is seen lying on his coffee table. This is historically accurate according to Hitler's personal valet Heinz Linge, and his adjutant Otto Günsche, who testified that upon Hitler's suicide they discovered him with two pistols: a 6.35mm Walther Model 8, which Linge claimed Hitler often carried in a concealed pocket, and a 7.65mm Walther PP or PPK pistol. Günsche unloaded the weapons and noted that the PP or PPK (he couldn't recall the exact model) had been fired, while the Model 8 had not.
thumb|none|600px|Hitler's Walther Model 8 pistol.
== Walther P38 ==
Most of the Wehrmacht, Waffen-SS, and Hitler Youth soldiers are seen with a Walther P38 as their sidearm. SS-Sturmbannführer (Major) Otto Günsche (Götz Otto) also carries a Walther P38. Joseph Goebbels (Ulrich Matthes) also uses a P38 to commit suicide with his wife, Magda (Corinna Harfouch).
thumb|none|600px|Inge (Yelena Zelenskaya), a member of the Bund Deutscher Mädel (League of German Girls), hands a P38 to the Flak commander in order to kill her rather than be captured by the Red Army.
thumb|none|600px|Joseph Goebbels (Ulrich Matthes) points his Walther P38 as he and his wife prepare to commit suicide.
thumb|none|600px|SS-Sturmbannführer Otto Günsche (Götz Otto, left) prepares for the Red Army with his Walther P38 pistol, while SS-Brigadeführer Wilhelm Mohnke (André Hennicke) points his Luger P08.
== Luger P08 ==
SS-Brigadeführer (Brigadier General) Wilhelm Mohnke (André Hennicke) carries a Luger P08 as his sidearm. He is seen with it when the last remaining German officers prepare for the Red Army.
thumb|none|600px|SS-Brigadeführer Mohnke, on the left, pointing his Luger P08 in preparation for the Red Army.
=Submachine Guns=
== MP 38 ==
The MP 38 is used by Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS troops. SS-Standartenführer (Colonel) Ernst-Günther Schenck's adjutant Max Müller (Mikhail Tryasorukov) carries one as well.
none|600px|thumb|Schenck's adjutant grabs his MP38 when going with Schenck to confront the SS troopers.
none|600px|thumb|An SS-Scharführer (Staff Sergeant) points his MP38 at Schenck and Müller.
none|600px|thumb|Max Müller (Mikhail Tryasorukov) tells the SS troopers to stop.
thumb|none|600px|A German NCO with a rusty MP 38 escorts Traudl Junge (Alexandra Maria Lara) and Gerda Christian (Birgit Minichmayr) (disguised as male German soldiers) in an attempt to sneak across Red Army lines.
== MP 40 ==
Several members of the SS are seen armed with MP 40 submachine guns, most notably when they prepare to cremate the Goebbels' remains. SS officer Peter Högl uses an MP 40 to execute Hermann Fegelein. General der Artillerie Helmuth Weidling's adjutant also carries an MP 40, which he hands over before entering the bunker.
thumb|none|600px|Guards armed with MP 40s at an entrance to the bunker.
thumb|none|600px|Weidling's adjutant (Oleg Popov) hands over his MP 40.
thumb|none|600px|Two SS-Unterscharführers (Sergeants) prepare petrol for the cremation of the Goebbels' remains, MP 40 submachine guns slung on their backs.
thumb|none|600px|SS soldiers approach Goebbels' remains.
thumb|none|600px|A soldier with an MP 40 after the breakout from Berlin.
== PPSh-41 ==
The PPSh-41 submachine gun is seen throughout the film. Massive amounts are seen at the end of the film carried by Soviet soldiers, when the Red Army arrives to inspect the surrendered German forces. Normally, the PPSh-41 was not issued in such a large quantity, but the Red Army, upon entering Berlin, had issued nearly every soldier with a PPSh-41 in anticipation of the street fighting that ensued. So this abundance of PPSh-41s is, in fact, historically correct.
thumb|none|600px|A Red Army soldier checks German prisoners with his PPSh-41.
thumb|none|600px|PPSh-41 submachine guns in the hands of waiting Red Army soldiers.
thumb|none|600px|The Red Army soldiers standing behind them are also carrying PPSh-41 submachine guns.
thumb|none|600px|Still even more PPSh-41 submachine guns.
=Rifles=
== Karabiner 98k ==
The standard issue rifle of the German Army during WWII, the Karabiner 98k, is seen throughout the film. Many are seen during an interior scene where weapons are being handed out (though the vast majority of weapons in the scene are StG 44 assault rifles). At the end of the film, surrendering German soldiers can be seen smashing their Karabiner 98k rifles prior to the arrival of the Red Army.
thumb|none|600px|A guard at Hitler's Wolf's Lair armed with a Karabiner 98k rifle in 1942.
thumb|none|600px|Soldiers armed with Karabiner 98k rifles above the Führerbunker.
thumb|none|600px|A soldier with a slung Karabiner 98k restrains a civilian trying to intervene in a lynching.
thumb|none|600px|Several dozen soldiers armed with Karabiner 98ks after the breakout from Berlin.
thumb|none|600px|Karabiner 98ks are "stacked" while soldiers wait for advancing Red Army.
==Karabiner 98AZ==
Some of the soldiers are also armed with Karabiner 98AZ carbines. It can be identified by the short barrel and the metal hook under the front barrel band which was used to facilitate stacking the rifles in a pyramid.
thumb|none|600px|The rifle furthest on the right is the Kar98AZ.
thumb|none|600px|A Kar98AZ carried by the soldier on the left of the group.
thumb|none|600px|The closest view of one of the carbines behind Gerda.
==Mauser Standard Modell==
At least one German soldier can briefly be seen with a Mauser Standard Modell.
thumb|none|600px|The soldier on the left with a Mauser Standard Modell with straight bolt handle over his shoulder while carrying a wounded comrade.
thumb|none|600px|Another view of the rifle reveals the grasping groove.
==Sturmgewehr 44==
Arguably the most Sturmgewehr 44s ever seen in one movie. The StG 44 is more commonly seen than all other German weapons. As confirmed by a WWII historian, the German Army held back issuing their StG-44s to elite units, but toward the end of the war, started handing them out in large numbers, figuring that they were running out of troops to arm.
thumb|none|600px|SS soldiers stand guard at one of the bunker entrances with their StG 44s.
thumb|none|600px|A soldier jumps from the sidecar to seek cover while carrying his StG 44. Note in the background, a post-war Tatra OT-810 halftrack is seen.
thumb|none|600px|A Waffen-SS soldier fights with his StG 44 in the streets of Berlin.
thumb|none|600px|A soldier carrying his StG 44 emerges from the ruins of Berlin upon hearing they have surrendered to the Russians.
thumb|none|600px|Lots of Waffen-SS soldiers line up with StG 44s and one MP 40. Note how the one in the middle appears to be equipped with a 20-round magazine.
== Mosin Nagant M38 Carbine ==
Lots of Mosin Nagant M38 Carbines are seen in the hands of Red Army soldiers. Oddly, the standard Red Army infantry rifle, the full-sized Mosin Nagant M91/30, is rarely seen (the M38 Carbine was normally issued to truck drivers and secondary members of crew-served weapon groups). As in the case of the PPSh-41, M38 Carbines were issued in anticipation of the heavy street fighting, so the mix of PPSh-41s and M38s is historically correct.
thumb|none|600px|A Red Army soldier with his M38 Carbine.
thumb|none|600px|Red Army soldiers with their M38 Carbines.
=Machine Guns=
== Visually Modified PK ==
During the Red Army's assault on the city, German soldiers are seen laying down suppressing fire with PK Machine Guns visually modified to resemble the MG 34.
== Degtyaryov DP-28 ==
Only seen for a few seconds onscreen, a Degtyaryov DP-28 is seen being fired by German soldiers.
thumb|none|600px|German soldiers fire a Degtyaryov DP-28.
=Launchers=
== Panzerfaust ==
German soldiers and Volkssturm militia (including Hitler Youth child soldiers) are seen armed with Panzerfausts to defend Berlin against Red Army tanks. Hitler Youth child soldier Peter Kranz (Donevan Gunia) is seen with one.
thumb|none|600px|Hitlerjugend Peter Kranz awaits the Red Army with his Panzerfaust.
thumb|none|600px|Volkssturm troops armed with Panzerfausts.
=Explosives=
== Model 24 Stielhandgranate ==
Model 24 Stielhandgranates can be seen being passed out to Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS soldiers as they prepare to defend the Reichstag.
thumb|none|400px|Model 24 Stielhandgranate
thumb|none|600px|Soldiers with Model 24 Stielhandgranates.
== Model 39 Eihandgranate ==
SS-Reichsarzt Ernst-Robert Grawitz (Christian Hoening) uses two Model 39 Eihandgranates to commit suicide.
thumb|none|250px|Model 39 Eihandgranate
thumb|none|600px|SS-Reichsarzt Ernst-Robert Grawitz prepares two Model 39 Eihandgranates.
thumb|none|600px|Grawitz ready to set off his Model 39 Eihandgranates.
==F-1 Hand Grenade==
What appears to be an F-1 hand grenade is used by one Soviet soldier.
= Heavy Weapons =
==3.7cm Pak 35/36==
An abandoned 3.7cm Pak 35/36 can be seen in the streets of Berlin.
==76mm Divisional Gun M1942 (ZiS-3)==
The 76mm Divisional Gun M1942 (ZiS-3) can be seen in the streets of Berlin.
==85mm Air Defense Gun M1939 (52-K)==
Although clearly meant to be a Flak 18, a Soviet 85mm Air Defense Gun M1939 (52-K) is used by Hitler Youth members in the streets of Berlin.
=Tanks=
==T-34/85==
==Fake Tiger I==
Category:Movie
Category:War
Category:Drama
Category:Biographical Movie
Category:Austrian Produced
Category:German Produced/Filmed
Category:Italian Produced/Filmed
Category:Russian Produced/Filmed