Hitler’s Real Reaction

I’ve seen my share of “Hitler reacts” videos, but was having trouble finding out specifics about the actual historical event dramatized in that famous scene from Downfall. In case you’re interested as well, here’s what I found, via Wikipedia’s entries on Felix Steiner and the Battle of Berlin.

Also, above is the scene from Downfall with the actual English subtitles.

In April 1945, the Soviet advance toward Berlin seemed unstoppable, they were close enough to shell the city, and were poised to encircle the city within days.

Hitler ordered Steiner [Felix Steiner, one of his ablest officers] to attack the northern flank of the huge salient created by the 1st Belorussian Front’s breakout. In conjunction with Steiner’s attack, the Ninth Army under General Theodor Busse, was to attack from the south in a pincer attack.

Steiner [informed Nazi leadership] that the plan could not be implemented because the 5th Jäger Division and the 25th Panzer Grenadier Division were deployed defensively and could not be redeployed until the II Naval Division arrived from the coast to relieve them. This left only two battalions of the 4th SS Police Division available and they had no combat weapons.

On 22 April 1945, at his afternoon conference, Hitler became aware that Steiner was not going to attack and he fell into a tearful rage. Hitler declared that the war was lost, he blamed the generals, and announced that he would stay on in Berlin until the end and then kill himself:

“Because of one man’s fear of glory, we are to lose this war? No, I shall not leave Berlin. I shall stay here until the Communists bust down the door to the bunker, and then I shall kill myself, gentlemen.” (April 22, 1945)