Jud Süß (1940)

Infamous anti-Semitic Nazi propaganda historical drama about Duke Karl Alexander of Württemberg and his treasurer Süß Oppenheimer.

Director:

Veit Harlan

Writers:

Veit Harlan (screenplay), Wolfgang Eberhard Möller (screenplay)

Stars:

Ferdinand Marian, Kristina Söderbaum, Heinrich George

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ferdinand Marian	...	Joseph Süß Oppenheimer
Kristina Söderbaum	...	Dorothea Sturm / Faber
Heinrich George	...	Karl Alexander, Herzog von Württemberg
Werner Krauss	...	Rabbi Loew / Levy - Oppenheimers Sekretär / Schächter Isaak / seniler Alte (as Werner Krauß)
Eugen Klöpfer	...	Landschaftskonsulent Sturm
Albert Florath	...	Obrist Röder
Malte Jaeger	...	Aktuarius Faber
Theodor Loos	...	Franz Joseph Freiherr von Remchingen
Hilde von Stolz	...	Herzogin von Württemberg
Else Elster	...	Luziana
Walter Werner	...	Herr Fiebelkorn
Jakob Tiedtke	...	Konsistorialrat
Otto F. Henning	...	Vorsitzender des Gerichts (as Otto Henning)
Emil Heß	...	Schmied Hans Bogner
Charlotte Schultz	...	Frau Fiebelkorn

Storyline

In this notorious Nazi propaganda historical costume melodrama, a conniving, ambitious Jewish businessman, Süß Oppenheimer, snares a post as treasurer to the Duke of Wurttemburg by showering the corrupt duke with treasure and promises of even greater riches. As the Jew's schemes grow more elaborate and his actions more brazen, the dukedom nearly erupts into civil war. Persuaded by the Jew, the Duke all but scuttles the constitution and alienates the assembly by lifting the local ban on Jews in Stuttgart. In a final outrage, the Jew rapes a wholesome German girl and tortures her father and fiancée. When the Duke succumbs to a sudden heart attack, the assembly of Elders try the Jew and sentence him to death for having "carnal knowledge of a Christian woman".

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Plot Keywords:

money lender | nazi propaganda | anti semitism | propaganda | jew | 

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Taglines:

Joseph Goebbels' malevolent masterpiece.

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Genres:

Drama

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Leading actor Ferdinand Marian first refused to play Oppenheimer, but was forced to relent when Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels threatened the safety of his stepson, who was half Jewish.

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Goofs

In the movie Oppenheimer is leasing streets and is raising many new taxes. In real life he was creating fortune for the state of Württemberg by leasing the "Stuttgart State Coin", made lottery games and helped in justice problems.

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Quotes

Joseph Süß Oppenheimer: I thought Württemberg was rich?

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Connections

Featured in Hitlers Hollywood (2017)

User Reviews

Disturbing mix of entertaining camp and deadly propaganda

There's a histrionic death scene in "Jude Suess" in which the corrupt Duke, finally realizing his mistake in trusting his Jewish treasurer, makes grand theatrical gestures before collapsing to the ground. It's a moment as goofy as anything in Sergei Eisenstein's "Ivan the Terrible," and really very unintentionally funny. Evil sneers and clenched fists abound in this ridiculous historical melodrama--allegedly based on "fact" if you believe Josef Goebbels, he of the big lie--and as such it's something of a bizarre guilty pleasure. This is all very disturbing of course because this is a film that the German public in 1940 took with dead earnest seriousness. Along with the abhorrent propaganda "documentary" "The Eternal Jew" of the same vintage, this is the kind of film that manipulates and fabricates historical fact in the service of genocidal hatred. If you can put the film in proper historical perspective, understanding its socio-political implications, it is fascinating and perversely entertaining. With "Birth of a Nation" and a few others, it's certainly a notable addition to the cinema of hate. Its cracked dialogue includes such dubious gems as: "No, Jews aren't more clever--just more cunning."

Details

Country:

Germany

Language:

German

Release Date:

1941 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Jew Süss

Filming Locations:

Lublin, Poland

Company Credits

Production Co:

Terra-Filmkunst

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Tobis-Klangfilm)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1