- Nicolette Krebitz auditioned for the role of Christa, which eventually went to Martina Gedeck.
- The film set a record in 2006 for getting the most nominations (11) for the German Film Awards ever.
- The German DVD of this film was recalled due to some statements director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck made in his audio commentary about the alleged activities of politician Gregor Gysi and actress Jenny Gröllmann as in-official agents (IM) for the "Staatssicherheit" (secret police of former East Germany). New and old revisions of the DVD can be distinguished by a marking on the back spine (old retail/rental: Z4/Z4R, new retail/rental: Z4A/Z4S).
- The Brecht poem that Wiesler reads is called "Erinnerung an die Marie A.".
- Ranked 2nd best film of 2007 by Empire magazine, narrowly missing the top spot to The Bourne Ultimatum (2007).
- In a book describing the background story of this movie, Ulrich Mühe accused his ex-wife Jenny Gröllmann of being an unofficial agent for the East German secret service ("Staatsicherheit").
- The film was rejected by Dieter Kosslick and his selection jury for Berlinale '06 competition.
- All the listening/recording props used in the film are actual Stasi equipment on loan from museums and collectors. The props master had himself spent two years in a Stasi prison and insisted upon absolute authenticity down to the machine used at the end of the film to steam-open up to 600 letters per hour.
- The entire budget of the film, about 2 million dollars (1.6 million Euro), was possible only because the actors were willing to work for 20% of their customary salary.
- Director Donnersmarck spent a month translating the screenplay into French and sending it to Gabriel Yared to entice his participation as composer for the film. For the scene in which Dreyman plays the Sonata For A Good Man on piano, Donnersmarck asked Yared to write a composition that in two minutes would turn Stalin away from all the atrocities he later committed. This pivotal scene was the germinal idea around which the original screenplay was conceived and constructed.
- The cover of the prop Der Spiegel magazine featuring the Dreyman article was designed by the publication specifically for the film.
- According to Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck's commentary on the deleted scene of the prostitute at Wiesler's apartment, he auditioned real prostitutes for the part, until finally casting body painter Gabi Fleming.
- The letter-opener that informs Wiesler that the Berlin Wall is open near the end of the film is the same Stasi officer that tells the joke about Honecker in the cafeteria near the beginning of the film (Unterleutnant Axel Stiegler).
- The punchline of the joke that Grubitz tells in the cafeteria, about there being no difference between Honecker and a telephone, is a play on the words 'aufhängen' and 'neuwählen'. In terms of a telephone it means hang up and redial, respectively. In terms of politics it means hang somebody and elect someone new.
- Four actors from the film: Sebastian Koch, Ulrich Mühe, Ulrich Tukur and Hinnerk Schönemann appeared in Amen. (2002).
>>> WARNING: Here Be Spoilers <<<
Trivia items below here contain information that may give away important plot points. You may not want to read any further if you've not already seen this title.
- SPOILER: Ironically, at the end of the film, years after the Berlin Wall is torn down, Wiesler buys a copy of Dreyman's new book at the Karl Marx Buchhandlung, translation: Karl Marx Bookstore.
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