Christoph Fromm wrote the original screenplay. The producers disagreed with his more realistic direction. They had it rewritten, and Fromm took his name off the film.
The "336 Pionier-Bataillon" was a historical unit that also fought in Stalingrad in the "336. Infanterie-Division". The battalion arrived at Stalingrad on the 8th of November 1942. The division was disbanded in 1944.
The soldiers at the award-ceremony receive the "General Assault Badge".
The Cinema Version is 132 Minutes long, the 'Director's Cut' is 4 Minutes longer