Swiss actor Bruno Ganz, known internationally for his roles in such films as Wim Wenders' Wings Of Desire and The American Friend, will play the part of Hitler in Oliver Hirschbiegel's Euros 13.5m feature Der Untergang - Hitler Und Das Ende Des Dritten Reiches which will begin shooting in St Petersburg and Munich from August 12.

Producer and screenwriter Bernd Eichinger and Hirschbiegel announced last week that Ganz will be joined by Juliane Koehler (Nowhere In Africa) as Eva Braun and Corinna Harfouch (Bibi Blocksberg) as Magda Goebbels.

Hitler's personal secretary Traudl Junge, whose memoirs formed the basis for Eichinger's screenplay along with historian Joachim Fest's bestseller Der Untergang, will be played by Alexandra Maria Lara (Nackt).

Other key roles in the prestige German-language production have been cast with Daniel Bruehl (Good Bye, Lenin!), Ulrich Noethen (Das Sams), Birgit Minichmayr (Taking Sides), Thomas Kretschmann (The Pianist) and Justus von Dohnanyi (The Experiment).

EOS- Events On Screen will handle international sales for the project which will also be produced as a TV two-parter with co-producing broadcaster ARD in addition to the theatrical version.

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