Battle of the Bulge

Battle of the Bulge (1965)

24 mistakes - chronological order

(4 votes)

Continuity mistake: Before the massacre scene, a German truck is reversing with a German soldier walking with it on the left side of the screen. When Lieutenant Weaver looks to his right, the same truck is backing up, and the same German soldier is now on the right side of the screen. The film was obviously flipped.

Scott215

Factual error: At German Army headquarters, the General tells Hessler of the new Tiger tanks that will be used in the offensive, which takes place mid-December 1944. Presumably, these are the Tiger II (King or Royal Tiger) models. At this point in the war, "King" Tigers were not new, having fought against the British and Canadians in Normandy back in July of 1944, and against the Americans at Aachen in September of 1944.

Scott215

Continuity mistake: In the initial German panzer attack against the Americans, a German tank 104's left side track and road wheels are damaged by a bazooka shell, resulting in a missing front road wheel and a loose/sagging track. However, when the tank turns off the road and goes down the slope, the left track is taut and the missing road wheel has magically appeared.

Scott215

Continuity mistake: Views from the German tanks show American troops being cut down and run over by the German tanks, but the long camera shots from the American side show no dead bodies anywhere on the battlefield.

Scott215

Cpl. Conrad: This new command is an illusion. Give it up.
Col. Martin Hessler: I am Martin Hessler. Four years ago, my panzers overran Poland in one week, that was no illusion. In 39 days, my tanks smashed all the way to Paris, that was no illusion. I conquered the Crimea, that was no illusion. Today, I was given a brigade of Tiger tanks. When I have a brigade of tanks, that is reality.

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Trivia: Robert Shaw's character is based on Kampfgruppe Jochim Peiper of 1st SS Leibstandart Adolph Hitler, Panzer Division. Peiper was a ruthless but extremely effective officer who had learnt his trade in death on the Russian front. Peiper survived the battle and the war and although he was initially sentenced to death for his part in the Malmedy massacre his sentence was commuted. He was killed in France in 1976 when his house was firebombed in a revenge attack.

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Question: What is the English translation of the panzer song when Hessler meets his commanders?

Answer: I believe that in the film, the men are repeatedly singing only the first verse. However, I have found the complete translation of all five verses and posted it here: "The Panzer Song (Panzerlied) " 1: Whether in storm or in snow /Whether the sun smiles on us/ The day blazing hot /Or the night ice cold/ Our faces are dusty/ But our spirits are cheerful /Yes, our spirits are cheerful/ Our tank roars Into the windstorm. 2: With thundering engines /As fast as lightning/ We engage the enemy/ Safe in our tanks/ Far ahead of our comrades /In battle we stand alone/ Yes, stand alone Into enemy territory. 3: If an enemy tank /Appears in our sight /We ram throttles full/ And close with the foe! /We give our lives freely /For the army of our realm/ Yes, the army of our realm/ To die for Germany Is our highest honour. 4: With barriers and tanks/ Our opponent tries to stop us /We laugh at his efforts/ And travel around them/And when the guns threatingly/ Hide in the yellow sand/ Yes, in the yellow sand/ We search for paths /No-one else has found. 5: And if some day /Faithless luck abandons us /And we can't return home/ The deadly bullet strikes/ And fate calls us /Yes, fate calls us /Then our tank is An honourable grave. Source: http://defence.pk/threads/german-ww2-and-pre-ww2-march-songs.146130.

Michael Albert

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