The intense Speech delivered by Holger Menzel was done in 3 unbroken takes. The third one was used in the final film. He cried after the scene was completed.
The production faced hard weather conditions with night shoots, coldness and very few sleep.
Lot of the crew members worked together before, they were students at the Bauhaus University in Weimar.
The whole film was done in 7 intense days, which pushed everyone to the limit.
Holger Menzel didn't smoke. But in the film he smokes at least 7 cigarettes in under an hour running time. He smoked several packs during the shoot.