"Downfall" Notes/HW 5

Origin:

• 2005- First German produced film about Hitler
• Based on first-hand accounts, diaries, memoirs, etc. of Germans who were with Hitler in his final days
• Transcripts from Nuremburg (war crime trials) were used

Purpose:

• Try to capture the whole Nazi experience in a film documenting the final days of the regime
• Show how human the Nazis were

HW 5

1. In the film, Hitler mentioned the importance of art to Germany, connecting to the theme of the role of the arts in domestic policy.
2. Some domestic policy can be seen in how Hitler interacts with his administration. They are generally very obedient to him, and he seems to trust them to give him advice.
3. The scene in which Hitler is looking at a model of the city he hopes to build shows some of his aims and ideology.
4. The film shows some of the nature and extent of the opposition to Hitler. Not all of the members of Hitler's administration agree with their leader completely, and Germany is shown being attacked by the Russians.