The Fall of Berlin

A sweeping Stalinist propaganda epic following a heroic steelworker turned Red Army soldier through the war's climactic battles to the fall of Berlin. The film glorifies the Red Army's triumph and culminates in an idealized depiction of Stalin personally arriving in a liberated Berlin. It is staged on a grand scale with a large cast and elaborate battle sequences.

The Battle of Berlin in April-May 1945 saw the Red Army capture the Nazi capital after ferocious urban combat, effectively ending the war in Europe with Germany's surrender on May 8-9, 1945. This film was produced as a major piece of Stalin-era cinema glorifying the Soviet leader's role in the victory, a depiction later disavowed after Stalin's death.

The film is explicit Stalinist propaganda that grossly exaggerates Stalin's personal role in the battle and was re-edited after 1956 to remove his glorification during de-Stalinization.

Soviet fronts broke through at the Seelow Heights and fought into the centre of the German capital, ending the war in Europe.

The city was defended by remnants of army units, Volkssturm and Hitler Youth. Hitler killed himself in the Führerbunker on 30 April; the garrison surrendered on 2 May and Germany capitulated unconditionally on 8 May.

Directed by Mikheil Chiaureli

Cast: Mikheil Gelovani, Boris Andreyev, Marina Kovaleva

Positioned at April-May 1945 within the Fall of Berlin phase of the war, as part of the Battle of Berlin. This is entry 142 of 150 in the chronological archive.

• Soviet propaganda
• Battle of Berlin
• Stalin
• Red Army
• epic cinema

• 

  Downfall

  April 20 - May 2, 1945

• 

  A Woman in Berlin

  April-June 1945

• 

  Liberation

  July 1943 – May 1945

• 

  Enemy at the Gates

  September 1942 – February 1943

• 

  The Ascent

  Winter 1942

• 

  The Dawns Here Are Quiet

  Spring 1942