Many of the uniforms seen throughout the film are originals.
Live ammunition was used in the film - in interviews, actor Aleksei Kravchenko has described actual bullets passing some 10 centimeters above his head.
Filmed in chronological sequence.
The director planned to have Aleksei Kravchenko hypnotized by a psychotherapist during the most dreadful and violent scenes so that they wouldn't affect his young mind. However Kravchenko turned out not to be susceptible to hypnosis and had to pretend all the way.
The original name of the film was supposed to be "Kill Hitler." The name had to be changed because it was deemed inappropriate at that time.