Downfall (2004)

Hans H. Steinberg: General Koller

Photos 

Quotes 

• Adolf Hitler : Burgdorf, what's going on? Where's the firing coming from?

  General der Infanterie Wilhelm Burgdorf : First of all, Happy Birthday, my Führer. My Führer, the city of Berlin is under artillery fire; grenades have hit near the Brandenburg gate, Reichstag, and the Friedrichstrasse station.

  Adolf Hitler : Where is the firing coming from?

  General der Infanterie Wilhelm Burgdorf : My Führer, we don't know, but I'm talking with Koller.

  Adolf Hitler : Koller! Let me speak to Koller.

  [takes phone] 

  Adolf Hitler : Koller. Do you know that Berlin is under artillery fire?

  General der Flieger Karl Koller : No.

  Adolf Hitler : Can't you hear the shooting?

  General der Flieger Karl Koller : No, I'm in Wildpark Werder.

  Adolf Hitler : The city is chaotic. The Russians have captured a railway bridge over the Oder.

  General der Flieger Karl Koller : The enemy has no railway artillery in the Oder.

  [takes paper from soldier] 

  General der Flieger Karl Koller : It's not long-ranged artillery; the divisional headquarters of the Flak and Zoo-Bunker report that the shells are ten to twelve calibers. The Russians went into position in Marzahn.

  Adolf Hitler : That's only twelve miles from the city center. Are the Russians really this close? The Lufwaffe leadership must be hanged immediately!

  [hangs up] 

  Adolf Hitler : This is outrageous. Outrageous! The Russians are twelve miles from the city center, and nobody told me anything. I had to ask.

  General der Infanterie Hans Krebs : My Führer, it's probably long-range artillery, after all. You mentioned a railway bridge over the Oder.

  Adolf Hitler : Nonsense.