Krebs meets General Chuikov is a scene in Downfall that is commonly used in parodies. The whole scene is spoken in Russian.
In Downfall
In the Russian Headquarters, Vasily Chuikov is looking at some propaganda drawings to which he is impressed by. In the room war are correspondents Konstantin Simonov, Yevgeniy Dolmatovsky, and Matvey Blanter, and a Russian soldier. He is interrupted by another soldier who informs him that the German delegation has arrived. After the soldier leaves the room to tell the Germans to wait, Chuikov rises from the table and gives to both Simonov and Dolmatovsky, who already are wearing military uniforms, some medals, telling them to pretend to be his general staff, who are currently on the front. Matvey however, wears only civilian clothes, so Chuikov has no choice but to shove him in the closet, telling him to keep quiet.
The German delegation, sent by new Reich Chancellor Joseph Goebbels and led by Hans Krebs, enter the room after Chuikov tells them to proceed. Chuikov remarks that he knows Krebs, who was an attaché at the German embassy. Krebs tells Chuikov that Hitler and his wife Eva Braun have committed suicide. Chuikov, however, tells him that they already know, which was a bluff. Krebs is surprised. He then hands Chuikov a document that calls for a ceasefire, but Chuikov rejects it saying that he will only accept unconditional surrender, something that Krebs cannot give.
In Downfall Parodies
The scene is used by many Untergangers, mainly due to the humorous nature of the part where Chuikov shoves Matvey Blanter in the closet. He is usually considered to be an intruder in the whatever meeting is about to happen between Krebs and the Russian general.
The negotiation scene between the two generals is also extensively used, and it is usually portrayed as either an important meeting or Krebs annoying the Russian general. Many mondegreens, such as "stupid," "gay," and "idiots" can be heard, and they've even had a word fight in a similar vein to the Hitler Vs.
The scene was used when General Chuikov informs Hans Krebs that Stalin wants to be apart of the Hitler parodies as well, but Krebs then tells him "People would rather play with themselves than watch a Stalin Parody". After Krebs states the Hitler parodies are "the biggest thing to hit YouTube since the YouTube Poop" and says Stalin shouldn't quit his job any day, the video ends when Chuikov says "We'll see about that. Let the games begin..."
There were also instances where the parts with Krebs and/or the Russian soldier informing Chuikov are edited out and replaced with someone else to make it look that someone else is visiting him, like the Trololo guy (Chuikov gets extorted by the Trololo guy by KakashiBallZ), Otto Günsche (Vzorkic's Günsche gets lost), Heinz Linge or even Hitler himself (neutralitychecker's The Downfall of Gaia Online).
Trivia
- The scene where Chuikov shoves Blanter in the closet really happened and it was first recorded in Cornelius Ryan's The Last Battle.
- The book claims, that because Matvey wore only civilian clothes, he could not pass as a military staff, so he was "hastily shoved into a clothes closet adjoining the meeting room. He stayed there for most of the ensuing conference. Just before the visitors left, he fainted from lack of air and fell into the room, to the utter astonishment of the Germans."
- According to the director Oliver Hirschbiegel, as Blanter falls out of the closet several Russian soldiers enter the room and hauled him away, after which the negotiation continues as if nothing happened. In the B-roll, this happened in the scene before the last couple of exchanges between Krebs and Chuikov.
- The scene is was heavily cut in the Theatrical version; the following clips were cut:
- The beginning of the scene, up until Chuikov asking Krebs what news he brings.
- Chuikov's knowledge of Hitler's death and Krebs's surprise.
- Krebs's line where he says that it's his mission and Chuikov's surrender demands.
- Director Hirschbiegel states the reason for the numerous cuts of this scene is that he felt that people would not take the Blanter incident seriously
- As requested by Chuikov, neither Simonov nor Dolmatovsky speak during the negotiation.
- In Die letzte Schlacht, the negotiations happen in the presence of all of Chuikov's staff, while both Krebs (portrayed by Christian Redl) and Chuikov speak in German. At the end, the German delegation leaves, but nobody falls from any closet.
- The Latvian translator's name is Obersturmführer Neilandis, who commanded the 80 man company from the 15th SS-Reconnaissance Battalion.
- Chuikov seems to have pulled the wardrobe knob off in his haste of hiding Blanter. This was most likely a mishap during filming.