Downfall (2004) , (the original German language/International title is Der Untergang) is a visceral, dark and disturbing account of the last days of the Third Reich, most notably the story of Traudl Junge, the young and pretty secretary for Adolf Hitler in his last days in the bunker. The movie chronicles the varied responses of the German military and civilian populations to the invasion of Berlin as Hitler insanely believes the war can still be won. The remaining fanatical Nazis collapse into violence as they try to stave off the Red Army and are caught in a fate of their own making, while other Germans try to survive the insanity and fruitlessly try to convince Hitler that the war is over and further loss of life is pointless. Being a German in Berlin in the spring of 1945 is about as close to Hell on Earth as one can imagine...
General der Artillerie Helmuth Weidling (Michael Mendl) and Oberscharführer Rochus Misch (Heinrich Schmieder) carry Walther PP pistols as their sidearm. Weilding's pistol is seen breifly when he turns it over before entering the bunker. Misch is seen gazing at his Walther PP pistol while manning the radio.
Adolf Hitler's (Bruno Ganz) Walther PPK is seen lying on the floor of his study after he commits suicide. General der Infanterie Wilhelm Burgdorf carries a PPK as do other officers, and Nazi diplomats such a Walther Hewel.
After Hitler 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 Gunsche who testified that upon Hitlers suicide they discovered him with two pistols. A Walther Model 8, which Linge claimed Hitler often carried in a concealed pocket, and a Walther PP or PPK pistol. Gunsche unloaded the weapons and noted that the 7.65mm Walther Model PP or PPK, he couldn’t recall the exact model, had been fired. The Walther Model 8 6.35mm had not been fired.
Most of the Wehrmacht,Waffen-SS, and Hitler Youth soldiers are seen with a Walther P38 pistol as their sidearm. Sturmbannführer Otto Günsche (Götz Otto) carries a Walther P38, also Joseph Goebbels (Ulrich Matthes) uses a P38 to commit suicide with his wife.
SS-Brigadeführer Wilhelm Mohnke (André Hennicke) carries a Luger P08 pistol as his sidearm. He is seen with it when the last remaining German officers prepare for the Red Army.
Several members of the Waffen SS are seen armed with MP40 submachine guns, most notably when preparing to cremate the Goebbels remains. General der Artillerie Helmuth Weidling's adjutant also carries an MP40, which he turns in before entering the bunker.
The PPSh-41 Submachine Gun is seen throughout the movie, but seen in massive amounts at the end. At first I figured that the Red Army would not have so many PPSh-41 submachine guns in so many hands (nearly everyone has one), but after talking to a World War Two historian on that very note, I discovered that the Red Army, upon entering Berlin, had issued nearly every soldier with PPSh-41s in anticipation of the street fighting that ensued. So this abundance of PPSh-41s is in fact, historically correct.
The standard battle weapon of the German Army during WW2, the Karabiner 98k (98K). It is seen most during an interior scene where weapons are being handed out (however the vast majority of weapons in the scene are StG-44 assault rifles) and at the end of the film, where surrendering German soldiers are smashing their pristine Karabiner 98k rifles against the ground prior to the arrival of the Red Army (albeit a scene which made me wince at the thought of all those beautiful guns destroyed...yeow!.)
Arguably the most Sturmgewehr 44s ever seen in one movie. The StG-44 is more seen than all other German weapons. As confirmed by a WW2 historian, the German army held back issuing their StG-44s to elite units, but towards the end of the war, starting handing them out in large numbers, figuring that they were running out of troops to arm.
A lot of M38 Carbines are seen in the hands of Red Army soldiers, but not that many full sized M91/30 rifles, which is rather odd, since the Mosin Nagant M91/30 was the most common weapon in any Red Army Infantry unit. But after talking to a World War Two Historian, I learned that the M91/30 full sized rifle was rare for any of the armies pushing into Berlin. Other than Submachine guns, the M38 Carbine was issued to truck drivers and secondary members of crew served weapos. So the mix of PPSh-41s and M38s is historically correct.
German soldiers are seen laying down suppressing fire with visually modified PK Machine Guns during the Red Army’s assault on the city. The PKs are modified to resemble the MG34.
Hitler Youth and German soldiers are armed with Panzerfaust to defend Berlin against Red Army Tanks. Hitler Youth Peter Kranz (Donevan Gunia) is seen with one. The Volkssturm under Dr. Joseph Goebbels command also are seen armed with Panzerfaust.
