Goebbels Rants Scene



The Goebbels Rants Scene is a scene used for Downfall Parodies. The scene has been used in many parodies by itself, so it's also a common parody series, usually under the name Goebbels Rants.

Scene in Downfall
The scene comes right after it shows Krebs negotiating with the Soviets. It starts with Goebbels yelling that he will never surrender, and that it would be a shameful act. He goes on to say that years ago, he conquered Berlin from the Reds (i.e. the Communist Party of Germany), and swears that he will defend it to the day he dies. Later, he goes on that as his short time as chancellor, he will never sign a surrender treaty.

An argument erupts between Weidling, who states surrendering is for the better of the people, while Krebs counters by saying that the Führer's orders are final. Weidling states again that they have to commence negotiations, which sparks a firestorm of debate. As a result, Fritzsche leaves. Goebbels repeats to everyone that he doesn't surrender, while Burgdorf follows Fritzsche.

Fritzche tells Misch to send a message to Marshal Zhukov, and he seems surprised, until Burgdorf arrives and asks what's happening. Fritzsche tells that they're surrendering, which makes Burgdorf raise his gun, telling him that he will kill him, as the Führer forbade any surrender. Weidling grabs Burgdorf's arm, who accidentally shoots in the ceiling. Magda Goebbels and Strumpfegger hear the gunshot while preparing the anesthesia for her children.

Use in Hitler Parodies
This is the most common scene used for any Goebbels Parody, as this prominently shows Goebbels ranting about something. It also is used for two superweapon parodies: the first line "Kapitulieren? Niemals!" is used for Goebbels' Pencil of Rantmageddon, while the scene where Burgdorf shoots Fritzsche is used for Burgdorf's Pistol of Armageddon.

Like the Original Bunker Scene, Goebbels can also rant about a wide range of topics, ranging from:
 * Hitler's suicide
 * Just who is the world's most glamorous female tennis player or the world's best male player
 * Fegelein's antics
 * Goebbels having the same Zodiac star sign as Fegelein and his wife
 * His generals' incompetence
 * Being called Ulrich Matthes
 * Parodies being uploaded or taken down
 * Who would win this season's Formula One
 * Real Rochus Misch out living Downfall Misch
 * His plastic surgery gone wrong
 * For no reason
 * In one parody, Goebbels rants in Hitler's voice, because he is actually Hitler stuck in a Goebbels costume due to yet another of Fegelein's antics.

At several points in the scene it sounds like he is saying "giggity" in English, a humorous point which has not gone unnoticed by countless untergangers.

Transcript

 * [1] The three are speaking simultaneously, so non-native speakers and subtitles couldn't cope in understanding and translating the dialogues.

Trivia

 * Most popular scene with somebody else other than Hitler ranting.
 * Most popular scene featuring Goebbels ranting.
 * The only scene where Hewel is seen ranting.
 * In the theatrical version of the movie, Rochus Misch speaks his only line in this scene.
 * Memorable for Burgdorf almost shooting Fritzsche.
 * This is one of the most dramatic scenes used for parody making, because it features somebody ranting, a large debate, and somebody firing a gun.
 * The three major characters in the Hitler Parodies: Hitler, Günsche, and Fegelein all do not appear in this scene, because Fegelein was executed earlier in the movie, Hitler committed suicide, and Günsche doesn't appear after he burned Hitler's body until near the end of the movie.
 * This is the last major scene from Downfall used for parody making. The last scenes (Krebs and Burgdorf commiting suicide, Weidling announcing the German military to ceasefire, Traudl escaping, etc.) are sometimes used for parody making, but much less frequently.

In Other Media
In the book "The Nuremberg Trials", by Joe Heydecker and Johannes Leeb, the scene with Fritzsche is presented slightly different:


 * He [Fritzsche] informs several military hospitals, command bunkers and several Wehrmacht units of the decision [Berlin capitulation]. He then writes a letter to the Soviet Marshall [Zhukov]. Junius, a translator from the Bureau of Informations translates the letter into Russian.


 * At that moment the door opens.


 * General Wilhelm Burgdorf bursts in the basement and his eyes seem to shoot flames.


 * "You want to capitulate?", he shouts at Fritzsche.


 * "Yes", Fritzsche's cold reply.


 * "Then I have to shoot you!", Burgdorf shouts. "In his will, the Führer has forbid any form of capitulation. We must fight until the last man!"


 * "And woman?", Fritzsche asks.


 * The general pulls his gun. But Fritzsche and a radiotelephone operator [possibly Misch] are swifter. They throw themselves on Burgdorf. A gunshot is heard, the bullet ricochets from the ceiling, whizzing. By joining forces, the two push the adjutant out the door.


 * Burgdorf will return again to the Reich Chancellary. This time he'll point the gun at himself, ending his life.