German: Downfall (Der Untergang) by Dr Andrew Wormald, The University of Sheffield

The session will focus on Oliver Hirschbiegel’s 2004 film Downfall (Der Untergang). We will look at how the film represents the return of history to German cinema screens, the implications of its international success and how it deals with the problems of portraying Hitler and the Third Reich on screen. This is an interactive discussion presented by Dr Andrew Wormald and will be delivered using a combination of German and English.

Please note that we are planning to record this session to use as a teaching resource for schools and also possibly to include clips either on the VU website or The University of Sheffield’s website. If you would like to attend, the relevant permissions will need to be in place for your students..

Suitable for: Year 12/Year 13

Preparation/Pre-reading: Please watch Downfall (Der Untergang) prior to the session. It would also be helpful for students to prepare questions in advance relating to studying this subject at university. These questions may cover, for example, the application process, course structure, and university lifestyle.