In the film Der Untergang, Hitler's relationships with the many characters varies from love and concern, to absolute distrust and hate. This article analyses his personal relations with the main characters in the film.
The state of the relationships with Hitler shows how much Hitler likes/dislikes the character in Downfall. It is helpful to parody makers because it shows, for example, how often Hitler is likely to rant at the character.
A points system is used to score Hitler's relationships with the characters, based on his interactions and events with the character. The points are as follows:
Happy Smiling Hitler
░░░░░███── (+3) : Lovingly Close Relationship: Hitler showing significant consideration/care to the subject, e.g. giving gifts, forgiving, hugging, always smiling at her even when the mood sucks, etc.
Smiling Hitler
░░░░░██░── (+2) : Esteemed and Good relationship, friendly terms, e.g. Hitler praising the subject, reassuring, having friendly conversations, friendly advice, etc.
Normal Hitler
░░░░░█░░── (+1) : Mutual Trust: The subject has been promoted by Hitler, Hitler entrusting him/her to important duties, them having a boss-to-worker talk without any ranting or scolding, etc.
░░░░░░░░── (0) : Neutral. The character has nothing to do with Hitler whatsoever.
As Hitler tends to hate more than like people in the film, the negative end of the scale is more expanded.
Slightly Frowning Hitler
░░░░█░░░── (-1) : Slight dislike/distrust: Having a minor tiff with Hitler, the subject receiving a minor scolding /disappointed Hitler, being ignored by Hitler when talked to.
Angry Hitler
░░███░░░── (-3) : Major distrust/dislike: The subject has been ranted at by Hitler. Rant is define as a scolding where Hitler consistently raises his voice at the subject(s).
Ranting mad Hitler
█████░░░── (-5) : Extreme hatred to the point of insanity: The subject has made Hitler so mad, Hitler orders him to be punished, most often by execution or with removal from office.
The final score is the average of all the scores of each interaction in the film.
N.B the list of interactions may be incomplete, editors feel free to add.
Patted and cuddled by Hitler when introduced to Traudl.
░░░░█░░░── (-1)
Was leashed to a toilet cubicle despite the poor dog barking incessantly. Showed that Hitler 'didn't care'.
█████░░░── (-5)
(controversial) Died when ultimately fed poison as Hitler ordered. Hitler wouldn't have done such a thing if he truly loved his pet dog. Although not as punishment, an outrageously cruel act by Hitler.
Note: Although portrayed as Hitler's main nemesis in the parodies, he had little to do with Hitler, except a single conversation and his Fahrerflucht (desertion).
░░░░░░░░── (0)
Initial Relationship: Married to Eva Braun's sister, thus making him Hitler's brother-in-law
░░░░█░░░── (-1)
Ignored by Hitler when he told Hitler to 'leave Berlin'. Shows Hitler's lack of respect for Fegelein, possibly because of his closeness to Himmler, or because of his youth (Fegelein was 38 years old during the events of Der Untergang).
█████░░░── (-5)
Ordered to be executed by Hitler when he learned of his Fahrerflucht from the Bunker.
Note: Hitler never ever said anything about or to Goebbels, except to "stay behind with Ritter von Greim" even though he always was quick to back up Hitler's arguments with his own.
░░░░░█░░── (+1)
Initial Relationship: Was Hitler's propaganda minister, and was one of his closest friiends.
░░░░░██░── (+2)
Told him to stay behind while asking everyone but Von Greim and his wife to leaved after he was pissed off after dinner. Showed that to Hitler, Goebbels was a 'special someone'.
░░░░░██░── (+2)
Had dinner with Hitler. Not everyone can have dinner with Hitler, unless he truly trusted them.
Initial Relationship with Hitler: Was one of Hitler's top generals. Also, he was the Chief-of-Staff for the German army.
░░███░░░── (-3)
Was one of the 4 generals Hitler ranted at in the Original Bunker Scene.
Note: Krebs narrowly avoided being the butt of Hitler's retorts twice, one in the original Bunker Scene, where he said " Mein Führer..." and was interrupted by Jodl who gave the bad news himself, and two in the Hitler Plans Scene where he was the first person to pose an issue with Hitler's plans :"The 9th army is unable to move...", trying Hitler's patience until he finally lost it when Jodl once again said "But that would leave our Western Front open!"
Initial Relationship with Hitler: Was one of Hitler's top generals.
░░███░░░── (-3)
Was one of the four generals Hitler ranted at in the Original Bunker Scene.
Note: Although strongly sharing Hitler's will not to capitulate and willing to die for Hitler, poor Burgdorf was never once appreciated for his loyalty. Burgdorf also strongly hated Fegelein, as shown in a scene where the generals discussed about Hitler, when Burgdorf called Fegelein a "ruthless careerist" .
Initial Relationship with Hitler: A close friend and Hitler's arms minister.
░░░░░██░── (+2)
Was complimented by Hitler about his brilliant Germania plan.
░░░░░██░── (+2)
Was asked for advice by Hitler regarding on whether to stay in Berlin. Most of the time, Hitler's subjects would give advice sponatenously, but in this case, Hitler actually asked. Signified his trust in Speer.
░░░██░░░── (-2)
Made Hitler cry when he revealed that he had been acting against Hitler's orders all along. Worse than minor, but not that severe enough for a ranting.
░░░░█░░░── (-1)
Was ignored when he asked to shake a depressed Hitler's hand.
░░░░░█░░── (+0.75)
Final Score
Note: Although he had betrayed Hitler, the Führer never ordered his (-5) execution, most likely due to their friendship. But Speer was kicked off his list of successors afterwards.
Was entrusted with burning Hitler's body after he died. Not just any ordinary task, it showed that Hitler trusted Günsche more than anyone with his body.
░░░░░██░── (+2)
He touched Günsche's chest, asking him to promise to 'do what it takes'.
Initial Relationship: Leader of the Luftwaffe and very close to Hitler, his possible successor and numero uno lackey.
░░███░░░── (-3)
In the Telephone Scene, Hitler ended his call with how he should hang all the members of the Luftwaffe. Although this would be a (-5), this was 1. indirect, and 2. didn't explicitly tell that he wanted to execute Goring.
█████░░░── (-5)
Tried to seize control of the Reich assuming Hitler was dead, which made Hitler rant and order his execution.
