Thomas Christoph Harlan (19 February 1929 – 16 October 2010) was a German author and director of French-language films.
101-443: Veit Harlan (22 September 1899 – 13 April 1964) was a German film director and actor. Harlan reached the highpoint of his career as a director in the Nazi era; most notably his antisemitic film Jud Süß (1940) makes him controversial. While viewed critically for his ideologies, a number of critics consider him a capable director on the grounds of such work as Opfergang (1944). Harlan
202-511: A "great injustice." For the final execution scene, Harlan had written a defiant speech in which Süß condemned the German authorities. When Goebbels was shown a rough-cut copy, he was infuriated, insisting that Süß must not be portrayed in any way as a martyr. Demanding that Süß must be humbled and humiliated at the end, he had Harlan's speech replaced with one in which Süß cravenly begged for his life. While Harlan's account of Goebbels' involvement in
303-481: A "politically-most-correct film" as an indication of "how aware most German artists were of the fact that antisemitism under Hitler changed from prejudice to murder." While cast members could have declined the roles that were offered to them, Škvorecký asserts that such action would have required "extraordinary courage: the dire consequences of such an act of defiance were only too easy to imagine." According to Škvorecký, "Goebbels either outwitted [the actors he desired for
404-428: A bank and porcelain factory. In the process, he made multiple enemies who claimed, among other things, that he was involved with local gambling houses. When Karl Alexander died suddenly, Oppenheimer was arrested and accused of fraud, embezzlement, treason, lecherous relations with the court ladies, accepting bribes, and trying to reestablish Catholicism . The Jewish community tried unsuccessfully to ransom him. After
505-410: A beautiful Swedish blonde, Söderbaum had the baby-doll looks that epitomized the model Aryan woman. In fact, she had already played the role of the innocent Aryan in a number of feature films and was well-known to German audiences. Her youth and beauty made her a symbol of health and purity, and thus an exemplary specimen of the Nazi ideal of womanhood. In a number of her films, she had been imperiled by
606-495: A drama were released that explore the history and impact of the film. Joseph Süß Oppenheimer was an 18th-century court Jew in the employ of Duke Karl Alexander of Württemberg in Stuttgart . As a financial advisor for Duke Karl Alexander, he also gained a prominent position at the court and held the reins of the finances in his duchy . He established a duchy monopoly on the trade of salt, leather, tobacco, and liquor and founded
707-477: A film department in 1930 and Goebbels had taken a personal interest in the use of film to promote the Nazi philosophy and agenda. Soon after the Nazi takeover, Goebbels was insisting in speeches that the role of the German cinema was to serve as the "vanguard of the Nazi military" as they set forth to conquer the world. He asked them to "produce films with ... sharp racial contours" that portrayed men and society "as they are in reality." According to Richard Levy, "Of
808-444: A heavily publicized trial during which no proofs of his guilt were produced, he was sentenced to death. When his jailers demanded that he convert to Christianity, he refused. He was taken to the gallows on 4 February 1738, and given a final chance to convert to Christianity, which he refused to do. Although the story of Duke Karl Alexander and Joseph Süß Oppenheimer constituted a relatively obscure episode in German history, it became
909-562: A lifestyle comparable to his neighboring sovereigns; in particular, he wants a personal bodyguard and an opera and ballet company. Lacking funds even to purchase coronation gifts for the Duchess ( Hilde von Stolz ), the Duke sends a courtier to Frankfurt to borrow money from Joseph Süß Oppenheimer ( Ferdinand Marian ). Süß shows the emissary jewels and jewelry that are obviously beyond the Duke's means and then says that it would be his honor to provide
1010-429: A piece of poor writing would lead not to the portrayal of a "despicable Jew" but rather to just a "despicable film." Goebbels wanted Harlan to include sequences depicting Jewish ritual slaughter but Harlan demurred, arguing that portraying such cruelty would "make audiences sick to their stomachs." Harlan complained to Goebbels that all the characters were negative; to this, Goebbels retorted that Harlan would not turn down
1111-417: A project. In January or February 1939, Metzger, now a screenwriter for Terra Filmkunst , mentioned his idea to Wolfgang Ebbecke with whom he was working on the script for Central Rio . Ebbecke shot down the idea, raising a number of objections including the existence of Mendes' British film on the same topic and the concern that German audiences might confuse the proposed film with Feuchtwanger's novel which
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#17328632847621212-402: A review of the film in an NSDAP newspaper [...]. Even without having seen the film, Lion Feuchtwanger had no doubt that Veit Harlan and his collaborators had expropriated his novel and adapted it to the purposes of Nazi propaganda. The synopsis of the film narrative provided in the review highlighted a perversion of the plot of Feuchtwanger’s text that the author instantly recognised. He identifies
1313-420: A scene in which Dorothea responds to Süß's wooing with a smile. Scenes in which Süß was depicted as "too pleasant" were simply dropped. In some scenes, new lines were scripted for Marian to read in order to make his character less sympathetic. Other scenes were added including a new ending to replace the original one written by Harlan. Harlan claimed that he had wanted to make the hanging of Süß appear to have been
1414-585: A screenwriter. Möller's role was to ensure that the script met Goebbel's ideological objectives. Möller decided to abandon Hauff's novella as the basis of the script, dismissing Hauff as too sentimental about the "emancipation of Jews and Poles." In the meantime, Brauer was working on recruiting a cast to little success. Actors considered for the lead role of Joseph Süß Oppenheimer included Gustaf Gründgens , René Deltgen , Rudolf Fernau , Richard Häusler, Siegfried Bräuer, Paul Dahlke , and Ferdinand Marian. Gründgens declined, citing his responsibilities as director of
1515-490: A semi-documentary film titled Wundkanal ( Wound Passage ), in which his father, played by a convicted mass murderer, is forced to undergo a series of brutal interrogations into his war crimes. Thomas Harlan's final publication, issued posthumously, Veit , was a memoir in the form of a letter to his father, continuing the investigation into Veit Harlan's complicity in the Nazi regime. In 1958, Veit Harlan's niece Christiane Susanne Harlan married filmmaker Stanley Kubrick , who
1616-566: A series of attacks against the Jews in the German media that, after the murder of a German diplomat in Paris by a Jew, resulted in the anti-Jewish riots known as Kristallnacht . Kristallnacht was considered by Hitler to have been a political disaster both within Germany and internationally, and he became furious with Goebbels. Not only did the brutality instigated by Goebbels evoke harsh criticism internationally,
1717-406: A sign of their gratitude, the Jews of Württemberg will provide all the requisite funds. Süß argues that he would be most effective if the Duke were to give him a letter granting him immunity from the laws of Württemberg. The Duke refuses at first, but ultimately grants Süß's request. As part of an attempt to thwart the Duke's planned coup d'état , Faber is sent on a mission to get help from outside
1818-454: A stocky build and a Berlin accent which made him readily recognizable to German audiences. His prestige as a leading actor of the day made him an "extraordinarily valuable catch for the Nazis." Cooke and Silberman describe him as "the actor most closely tied to fascist fantasies of the autocratic and the populist leader". George's affiliation with the Nazis would have fatal consequences for him after
1919-578: A study of the tragedy caused by the human weaknesses of greed, pride, and ambition. With an interest in exploring the challenges confronting Jews in the Diaspora , Feuchtwanger was particularly concerned with the issues of conversion and antisemitism. He was particularly struck by the fact that Süß could have saved himself by converting to Christianity but had steadfastly refused to do so, opting instead to return to formal Jewish observance and piety. Ashley Dukes and Paul Kornfeld wrote dramatic adaptations of
2020-472: A substantial change to the film's ending to show Süß as humbled rather than defiant. Thus, the message of the film was diametrically opposed to the intent of Feuchtwanger's novel. At the same time, however, the film evokes Feuchtwanger’s texts, twisting and reversing the core of the Jewish writer’s work. Although inspired by the historical details of Süß's life, the novel, novella, and film only loosely correspond to
2121-410: A wet-nurse could be hired to care for the infant. He further offered to halt shooting if Söderbaum became ill. Harlan later reported that Söderbaum was so upset by the entire affair that she considered fleeing back to her native Sweden to avoid having to play the part of Dorothea. In the end, however, she decided to stay and performed the role. The story was different in the case of Ferdinand Marian who
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#17328632847622222-412: Is involved in an accident, Süß gains a lift from Dorothea Sturm ( Kristina Söderbaum ) to the city. The Duke is delighted with the jewelry, and Süß willingly defers payment. Süß offers to provide financing for the Duke's bodyguard, opera, and ballet as well. Eventually, the Duke discovers that he owes Süß 350,000 thalers , but Süß demurs, saying that all he wants in "payment" is the authority to maintain
2323-505: Is often characterized as having established a reputation as a "matinee idol". Initially, Marian was repulsed by the proposal that he play the title role of Jud Süß and demurred for almost a year. As a result, he was not confirmed in the role until about a week before shooting was scheduled to begin. According to Kristina Söderbaum, Marian was afraid that playing such an unappealing character would damage his image with film audiences. She recalled that Marian had told Goebbels that his stage persona
2424-677: The University of Tübingen , where he met Michel Tournier . In 1948 he moved to Paris after receiving a three-month stipend to study at the Sorbonne in Paris, where he continued his studies in philosophy and mathematics. He also began working for the French radio. He lived with Gilles Deleuze and Michel Tournier , and later Pierre Boulez . He met Armand Gatti and Marc Sabathier-Levêque . In 1952 he traveled to Israel with Klaus Kinski . The following year he premiered his first play, Bluma , and visited
2525-487: The "recognized stars of the (German) stage and screen" were less aligned with the Nazi philosophy and more motivated by professional ambition and the "illusion that Goebbels would fulfill them." Ludwig Metzger had been trying to promote his proposal for a film on the life of Joseph Süß Oppenheimer since as early as 1921 but without any success. The publication of Feuchtwanger's book and Mendes' film adaptation of it irritated Metzger because of his inability to move forward such
2626-577: The ' Jewish question '. Frustrated with the delays on the Jud Süß project, Goebbels ordered Fritz Hippler , the head of his film department, to sack Brauer and bring in Veit Harlan to take over as director. After the war, Harlan claimed that no other director would touch the project and that he himself had tried to decline the role of director. Filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl , in her 1987 memoir, wrote that Harlan had told her of Goebbels' insistence that he direct
2727-432: The 1,100 feature films produced under the Nazis, only a handful demonstrated explicit antisemitic content and even there, the antisemitism was often secondary to the film's plot. ... Two films, however, both produced in 1940, were designed to translate National Socialism's antisemitic ideology to a popular audience: Der ewige Jude ( The Eternal Jew , 1940) and Jud Süß ( Jew Süß , 1940)." In November 1938, Goebbels made
2828-419: The Duke that the two of them go to Ludwigsburg on the pretext of meeting the emperor 's emissary and return to Württemberg only after the planned coup has established him as an absolute monarch. However, before the foreign mercenaries arrive to effect Süß's coup, the people of Württemberg rise up under the leadership of Obrist Röder. The Württemberg soldiers refuse to fire on their fellow citizens and several of
2929-455: The Duke with jewelry at a substantial discount. However, Süß insists on presenting the items to the Duke personally despite the Judensperre — a ban against Jews entering the city — which has been in force for over a century. Armed with a pass from the Duke, Süß cuts his hair, shaves his beard and dons "Christian" clothes so that he can enter Württemberg disguised as a Christian. As his carriage
3030-405: The Duke, thus engaging in the corruption of their morals. The increase in the price of basic necessities causes the people of Württemberg to suffer great privation. The oppressive taxes and brutal collection methods incite sporadic rebellions that are suppressed harshly. Süß goes so far as to destroy half of a blacksmith's house to prove his power to punish those who refuse to pay their taxes. When
3131-466: The Feuchtwanger novel. A German-born American director, Lothar Mendes , directed a British film adaptation of the novel in 1934. This film (entitled Power in the U.S.) starred Conrad Veidt , and was an early effort to expose Nazi anti-semitism. It prompted the Nazi propaganda ministry to make their own version of the film, which starred the distinguished German star Werner Krauss , who had played
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3232-404: The German people themselves would call for violence against the Jews. In response to Hitler's reprimand, Goebbels launched a campaign to promote the antisemitic views of the Nazis to the German populace. He ordered each film studio to make an antisemitic film. Hitler preferred films such as Der ewige Jude which presented the Nazi antisemitic agenda openly and directly; however Goebbels disliked
3333-529: The Jew ' ) is a 1940 Nazi German historical drama / propaganda film produced by Terra Film at the behest of Joseph Goebbels . Considered one of the most antisemitic films of all time, the film was directed by Veit Harlan , who co-wrote the screenplay with Eberhard Wolfgang Möller and Ludwig Metzger. It stars Ferdinand Marian and Kristina Söderbaum with Werner Krauss and Heinrich George in key supporting roles. The film has been characterized as "one of
3434-468: The Nazi regime and since Harlan's works had been proven to have contributed hugely to spreading the antisemitic sentiment in Germany, which enabled the Holocaust. Nazi camp guards who watched Jud Süß , Jewish survivors told the court, had become crueller towards inmates afterwards, clearly affected by the propaganda contents which made them hate Jews more (although this allegation could not be proved). The film
3535-494: The Nazi takeover—left-leaning intellectuals, even communists." For example, Škvorecký points out that Veit Harlan's first wife was Dora Gerson , a German-Jewish actress and cabaret singer (who was later murdered in Auschwitz ). Harlan himself had flirted with socialism. Although Werner Krauss was openly antisemitic and an ardent Nazi, his daughter-in-law was Jewish. Ferdinand Marian had a half-Jewish daughter from his first marriage and
3636-521: The Polish archives until 1964. He brought to light thousands of German war crimes, which contributed to over 2000 criminal proceedings in Germany against war criminals. His work was supported by the Italian publisher Giangiacomo Feltrinelli . He developed a friendship with Fritz Bauer . Harlan also worked on German-language programming for Warsaw radio at this time. In 1963, due to the publication of his research in
3737-594: The Prussian State Theatre. Marian also declined. When Nazi Germany occupied Poland in September 1939, it now had the country's Jewish population of three million under its direct authority. In view of the German populace's tepid response to the orchestrated violence of Kristallnacht, the Nazis perceived an urgent need for films that would move German popular sentiment in favor of the Nazi Final Solution to
3838-713: The Soviet Union. In 1955 he wrote his first poems in German. Harlan co-wrote the screenplay Verrat an Deutschland [ de ] ( Betrayal to Germany ) with his father, who directed it. The collaboration with his father broke down and his contribution to the screenplay was distorted. In 1958, Harlan founded the Junge Ensemble ( Young Company ) in Berlin. The premiere of his play Ich selbst und kein Engel -- Chronik aus dem Warschauer Ghetto ( I myself and no angel -- A Chronicle from
3939-661: The Warsaw Ghetto ) led to a scandal, which the author Hans Habe treats in his novel Christoph und sein Vater ( Christopher and his Father ). In 1959 Harlan was the target of a series of libel lawsuits. This included, among others, Ernst Achenbach , a member of the parliament for the Free Democratic Party at the time, and Franz Alfred Six . Harlan began researching the extermination camps Kulmhof , Sobibór , Bełżec , and Treblinka . He moved to Poland in 1960 and researched
4040-495: The blacksmith attacks Süß's coach with a sledgehammer, Süß has the blacksmith hanged, on the grounds that an attack on the Duke's minister is tantamount to an attack on the Duke himself. After some initial resistance, the Duke yields to Süß's request for the repeal of the law prohibiting Jews from living in Württemberg; a horde of dirty, disreputable Jews are then shown moving into the city. Süß enables them to enrich themselves at
4141-536: The book Hiob by Guido Ceronetti into German, studied Creole in Haiti, and worked on the film Souvenance , which premiered in 1990 at the International Film Festival Rotterdam . He made more trips to Russia and wrote the screenplay for Kinematograf , which also was never made. He published his first novel Rosa in 2000. From 2001 on, Harlan lived in a sanatorium near Berchtesgaden . He married
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4242-423: The box office for a profit of 3.172 million ℛℳ (equivalent to $ 14,039,726 in 2021) thus making it a blockbuster in contrast to the commercial failure of Der Ewige Jude . David Culbert attributes the film's box-office success in large part to "its lavish sets, its effective crowd scenes, its skillful script, and the splendid acting by most of the principals." According to Harlan's postwar testimony, Goebbels
4343-416: The cast], or knew about compromising circumstances in their lives and used this knowledge for bludgeoning them into acceptance." Elaborating on the "compromising circumstances", Škvorecký writes, "One of the paradoxes of this sinister film is how many participants in the violently racist project had either Jewish spouses or relatives, were disciples of Jewish artists and known friends of Jews, or had been—before
4444-443: The city but is arrested as he tries to leave the city. Despite being tortured, he refuses to reveal the identities of his co-conspirators. Dorothea goes to Süß to beg for her husband's release but Süß demands that she have sex with him as the price for her husband's freedom. Süß rapes Dorothea, who then escapes and drowns herself. Süß keeps his promise to free Faber who subsequently discovers his wife's drowned corpse. Süß suggests to
4545-512: The content. In 1949, Harlan was charged with crimes against humanity for his role as director of Jud Süß . The Hamburg Criminal Chamber of the Regional Court ( Schwurgericht ) controversially acquitted Harlan of the charges. This decision was upheld by the court of the British occupation zone. Both acquittals remain controversial to this day since the ruling judge had previously worked as a judge for
4646-440: The crudeness of such straight-forward approaches, preferring the much more subtle approach of couching antisemitic messages in an engaging story with popular appeal. Although Goebbels did not usually have an active role in the production of particular films, he elected to do so in the case of major propaganda films such as Jud Süß . Saul Friedländer suggests that Goebbels' intent was to counter three films whose messages attacked
4747-538: The documentary filmmaker Katrin Seybold . Between 2003 and 2006 he collaborated with Christoph Hübner on the film Wandersplitter . In 2006 he published his second novel, Heldenfriedhof , and in the following year, Die Stadt Ys . Harlan died in Berchtesgaden in 2010. His final publication was Veit , a memoir in the form of a letter written to his father, in which he investigates the nature of his father's complicity in
4848-560: The expense of the populace. The aged rabbi Loew ( Werner Krauss ) criticizes Süß for his excessively opulent lifestyle as the Duke's finance minister and warns that it could be his downfall, warning that, “The Lord punishes Jews who forget who they are!” but Süß pays him no heed. Süß relentlessly pursues Dorothea Sturm and schemes to marry her but his plans are frustrated when her father, the council chairman ( Eugen Klöpfer ), intervenes. Dorothea and her fiancé, Faber ( Malte Jaeger ), marry in secret. Süß then has Dorothea's father imprisoned—on
4949-685: The far-left organization Lotta Continua and began literary work, which along with his travels and films, marked the following years. In 1974 Harlan traveled to Chile, Bolivia, and the United States. He became involved in the Chilean resistance movement against Augusto Pinochet . The following year in Portugal, he became a member of the revolutionary committee during the Carnation Revolution while filming Torre Bela . Between 1978 and 1984, he worked on
5050-646: The film Wundkanal . The American director Robert Kramer documented the process in his own film Notre Nazi . Wundkanal and Notre Nazi premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in 1984 and the Berlin International Film Festival in 1985, leading to renewed scandals. In 1987 he traveled to the Russian Far East to prepare for his next film project, Katharina XXII , which was never realized. He began translating
5151-465: The film and of his ardent desire to avoid involvement in the project. Harlan had written to Goebbels volunteering for military service to this end. Goebbels' responded to this by informing Harlan that, if he enlisted, he would do his military service at the front. According to Harlan, Goebbels screamed at him, "I can crush you like a bug on the wall!" When Harlan asked Riefenstahl to intercede for him with Goebbels, she demurred citing her own conflicts with
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#17328632847625252-535: The film critic, provided a fitting appellation for Harlan calling him "the baroque fascist". Harlan made the Reich's loudest, most colorful and expensive films. After the war Harlan was charged with participating in the anti-Semitic movement and aiding the Nazis . He successfully defended himself by arguing that the Nazis controlled his work, that he was obeying their orders, and that he should not be held personally responsible for
5353-534: The film has been treated by a number of sources as factual, Haggith and Newman assert that "it is difficult to find any evidence of significant interference (by Goebbels) aside from casting and the appointment of Harlan." They point out that it was in Harlan's interest to shift the blame to Goebbels after the war. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival on 8 September 1940 and received rave reviews, earning
5454-711: The filming took place at the UFA studios in Berlin Babelsberg . The scenes showing the entry of the Jews into Württemberg and worshipping in a synagogue were filmed in Prague where Jewish extras were coerced into performing. 120 Jews were taken from Lublin Ghetto by Harlan for use in the film. The total cost was 2.081 million ℛℳ (equivalent to $ 9,210,804 in 2021), a rather high figure for German feature films of that era. It earned 6.2 million ℛℳ (equivalent to $ 27,442,087 in 2021) at
5555-506: The focal point of the distortion when he refers to the desperate young woman and the sexual abuse she endures. She is indeed a prime example of the Nazis’ ruthless misrepresentation, and her character, her rape, and tragic death prove the Nazis’ deliberate abuse of the Jewish writer’s work." Susan Tegel ascribes the genesis of the project more to opportunism than to ideological antisemitism. Tegel's assessment echoes Klaus Kreimeier's assertion that
5656-544: The former husband of his second wife was a Jew. Heinrich George was active in the Communist party before the Nazi takeover. He had worked with fellow left-wingers, the theatre director Erwin Piscator and dramatist Bertolt Brecht and had starred in the lead role of the film Berlin-Alexanderplatz (1931). After the Nazi takeover, George was identified as a "non-desirable" actor because of his earlier political affiliations and
5757-449: The grounds that he is a leader of the conspiracy against the Duke. When the council objects to the Duke's increasing usurpation of power and abrogation of the constitution, Süß suggests to him that this challenge to his authority can be suppressed by dismissing the council and restructuring the government so that the Duke can reign as an absolute monarch . Süß tells the Duke that he can accomplish this by hiring mercenaries and that, as
5858-504: The historical sources available at the Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg. Christiane Schönfeld, who examines the connections between Feuchtwanger's Jud Süß play and novel and Veit Harlan's propaganda film, writes: "Lion Feuchtwanger [...] considered Harlan’s film an adaptation of his novel Jud Süß that perverted and reversed the intentions of his text, as he writes in his open letter to seven Berlin actors after having read
5959-503: The influence of Nazism . One of their children, Thomas Harlan , became a writer and director in his own right. In 1939, Veit Harlan married the Swedish actress Kristina Söderbaum , for whom he wrote several tragic roles that included dramatic suicide scenes, increasing their popularity with the German cinema audience. Harlan had two children with Söderbaum. Film critic David Thomson asserts that Harlan, having just started directing in 1935,
6060-524: The last that he was nothing more than a "faithful servant" of the late Duke. All the other Jews are then given three days to leave Württemberg. As the film draws to a close, a citizen of Württemberg, observing the Jews leave, comments, "May the citizens of other states never forget this lesson." Adolf Hitler and the Propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels believed that film was a very potent tool for molding public opinion. The Nazi Party first established
6161-459: The leading female character and Süß. He complained that Harlan had "transformed Süß, a monster, into a Romeo." Harlan testified that Goebbels removed him from the editing process and insisted on many changes, mostly with the intent of making Süß more unambiguously evil. The film was extensively re-edited to remove ambiguities that portrayed Süß in too sympathetic a light to suit Goebbels' antisemitic agenda. For example, Goebbels insisted on dropping
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#17328632847626262-619: The lower court decision was overturned in 1958 by the Federal Constitutional Court because it infringed on Lüth's right to freedom of expression ( Lüth-Urteil [ de ] ). This was a landmark decision because it clarified the importance of the constitutional civil rights in disputes between individuals. Harlan made a total of nine films between 1950 and 1958. He died in 1964 while on vacation in Capri. Veit Harlan's son Thomas (1929–2010), an author and film director, created
6363-403: The mixed reaction in the German media evidenced a lack of broad-based support among Germans for antisemitic violence. Hitler expressed his frustration and anger at the mixed response from the German media and insisted that, instead of openly calling for violence against the Jews as Goebbels had in instigating the pogrom, Nazi propaganda should "elucidate events of foreign policy" in such a way that
6464-514: The most notorious and successful pieces of antisemitic film propaganda produced in Nazi Germany." It was a great success in Germany, and was seen by 20 million people. Although its budget of 2 million Reichsmarks was considered high for films of that era, the box office receipts of 6.5 million Reichsmarks made it a financial success. Heinrich Himmler urged members of the SS and police to see it. After
6565-448: The national archives, he was placed under house arrest in Poland for one year for breaching state secrets. The following year in Germany, Hans Globke brought a formal complaint against him with the police for treason. The reason was "using the interrogation records of the German justice system in Polish publications." Harlan was not convicted, but was denied a German passport for ten years and
6666-449: The other five speaking parts that depicted Jews were all played by Krauss, Gottfried Reinhardt asserts that Krauss played "no less than thirteen Jews" in the movie. The roles that Krauss played in the film are often characterized as portraying antisemitic stereotypes. In an interview, Harlan explained that the decision to have Krauss play all the roles was "meant to show how all these different temperaments and characters—the pious patriarch,
6767-430: The part of Süß for fear of reprisal against members of his family. Marian had a daughter from his first marriage to the Jewish pianist, Irene Saager. The former husband of his second wife was also Jewish, making her son (and Marian's stepson) half-Jewish. Goebbels, however, used not only intimidation but also cajoling and generosity to achieve his goals. Ferdinand Marian requested compensation of 50,000 marks for taking on
6868-410: The parts of Jews were in fact of pure 'Aryan' blood. Similarly, Josef Škvorecký also notes that all the major cast members as well as Harlan himself tried in various ways to avoid participation in the project; however Škvorecký ascribes a rather different motivation to the cast than the one that Azuelos propounds. Škvorecký attributes the reluctance of actors to participate in what he characterizes as
6969-469: The persecution of Jews throughout history by producing antisemitic versions of those films with identical titles. After viewing Lothar Mendes ' sensitive 1934 British film Jew Süss starring an exile from Nazism, Conrad Veidt , Goebbels was adamant that "a new film version had to be made." The film's impetus came from Joseph Goebbels ' desire to make an antisemitic response to Mendes' philo-semitic film adaptation of Lion Feuchtwanger 's 1925 novel of
7070-484: The propaganda minister. Instead of intervening on his behalf, Riefenstahl wrote that she advised Harlan to move to Switzerland; however, Harlan expressed fear for his life and the impact it would have on his wife. According to Harlan's postwar testimony, he told Goebbels that the Metzger/Möller script was nothing more than "dramatized Stürmer ", referring to the Nazi weekly propaganda publication. He argued that such
7171-402: The recruitment of the lead actors. For example, he insisted that Ferdinand Marian and Werner Krauss take on key roles in the film. However, Goebbels had to employ a combination of accommodation, generous compensation, pressure, intimidation and even threats of reprisal in order to fill the lead roles in the film with the top German cinema stars of the day. Harlan claimed that "virtually every actor
7272-452: The roads and bridges of the duchy for 10 years—and the right to levy tolls for their use and upkeep. The Duke will receive a percentage of the proceeds, thereby freeing him from the financial limits imposed by the council. The new tolls cause the price of food and other essentials to rise, enriching both Süß and the Duke. Süß gains the authority to levy taxes on salt, beer, wine, and wheat as well. He also assists in procuring local women for
7373-463: The role of Richard III just because he was a negative character. However, Goebbels acceded to Harlan's insistence on rewriting the script and Harlan spent from November 1939 to March 1940 revising the script although he kept much of what Metzger and Möller had written. After the war, Harlan claimed that his script was less antisemitic than the Metzger/Möller script. He even claimed that the Mendes' script
7474-401: The role of Süß, an amount double anything he had received for previous roles. When asked to approve this amount, Goebbels did so citing the importance of the film and the need for a high-caliber cast to ensure its success. According to his biographer, Friedrich Knilli, Marian never forgave himself for having accepted the role of Süß. Knilli ascribes Marian's alcoholism and alleged suicide after
7575-477: The roles seem to have been more driven by opportunistic ambition than by antisemitism. Harlan was the only major movie director of the Third Reich to stand trial for crimes against humanity . After three trials, he was given a light sentence because he convinced the courts that the antisemitic content of the film had been dictated by Goebbels and that Harlan had worked to moderate the antisemitism. Eventually, Harlan
7676-401: The same name . Because Mendes' film was sympathetic to the subject, the scriptwriters shifted their model to Wilhelm Hauff 's 1827 novella . However, even after Harlan rewrote the original script, the result was not antisemitic enough to suit Goebbels' propaganda needs, so he personally intervened in the editing process to the point of dropping some scenes and rewriting others, including making
7777-594: The son of Holocaust victims. She committed suicide in 1989. In 2001, Horst Königstein [ de ] made a film titled Jud Süß – Ein Film als Verbrechen? ( Jud Süß – A Film as a Crime? ). The documentary Harlan – In the Shadow of Jew Süss (2008) by Felix Moeller explores Harlan's motivations and the post-war reaction of his children and grandchildren to his notoriety. Jud S%C3%BC%C3%9F (1940 film) Jud Süß ( pronounced [juːt zyːs] , ' Süss,
7878-457: The studio head refused to approve the project, Goebbels ensured he was fired and replaced by Peter Paul Brauer , a minor director with no experience in producing films. As head of the studio, Brauer assigned himself the task of directing the film. However, the project stalled out for a number of reasons including challenges in recruiting a suitable cast and difficulties in producing a script acceptable to Goebbels. At Goebbels' direction, Metzger
7979-429: The subject of a number of literary and dramatic treatments over the course of more than a century; the earliest of these having been Wilhelm Hauff 's 1827 novella . The most successful literary adaptation was Lion Feuchtwanger 's novel titled Jud Süß (1925) based on a play that he had written in 1916 but subsequently withdrawn. As a Jew, Feuchtwanger did not intend his portrayal of Süß to be antisemitic but rather as
8080-400: The threat of " rassenschande " ("racial pollution"). Because two of her films ended with her committing suicide by drowning, she was given the mock honorary title Reichswasserleiche ('Drowned Corpse of the Reich'). Harlan argued to Goebbels that Söderbaum, having just given birth, was too weak to take on the role. Goebbels countered that a special room could be set up as a nursery and that
8181-515: The title role in The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari . Charles Alexander, Duke of Württemberg ( Heinrich George ), a man much beloved by his Swabian subjects , is crowned Duke and swears an oath to obey the laws of the duchy "according to the traditional Württemberg loyalty and honesty." However, the Duke soon becomes frustrated because the Württemberg Diet refuses him the funds needed to maintain
8282-498: The top award. Thomas Harlan Harlan was the son of the director Veit Harlan and the actress Hilde Körber . He was raised in Berlin. Through his father's prominence in the Nazi regime, he met Joseph Goebbels . At eight years old, he was brought along to visit Adolf Hitler . In 1942 the family was evacuated to Zakopane , then to a country estate in Sławno . He returned to Berlin in 1945. In 1947 he began studying philosophy at
8383-409: The townspeople go to Ludwigsburg to confront the Duke and Süß. As they are presenting their grievances, the Duke suffers a fatal heart attack. Süß is taken into custody by the rebels and subjected to a lengthy trial on charges that include treason and financial improprieties. However, he is ultimately convicted primarily on the charge that he had sex with a Christian woman. Süß is executed, pleading to
8484-415: The war to his feelings of guilt. Of all the cast members, Werner Krauss was the one most clearly identified as an antisemite. His consummate skills in characterization had earned him the title of "the man with a thousand faces". There is some difference of opinion regarding the number of roles that Krauss played in the film. While it is generally recognized that, with the exception of Marian's title role,
8585-581: The war when the Soviets arrested him as a Nazi collaborator. He died in 1946 while interned in NKVD special camp Nr. 7 located in Sachsenhausen . According to Harlan, it was Goebbels who insisted that Harlan's wife, Kristina Söderbaum, play the leading female role. According to Antje Ascheid, Soderbaum is "frequently identified as most singularly representative of the Nazi ideal, as the quintessential Nazi star." As
8686-460: The war, some of the leading cast members were brought to trial as part of the denazification process. They generally defended their participation in the film on the grounds that they had only done so under duress. Susan Tegel, author of Nazis and the Cinema , characterizes their postwar attempts to distance themselves from the film as "crass and self-serving"; she argues that their motives for accepting
8787-583: The wily swindler, the penny-pinching merchant, and so on—were all ultimately derived from the same (Jewish) root". Katrin Sieg [ de ] describes Krauss' face as eerily appearing in different guises whenever the camera pans across a crowd of Jews, creating what Sieg calls a "paranoid effect of déjà vu". Shooting began in March 1940 and, with the exception of some scenes which were shot on location in Prague , most of
8888-470: Was Jewish. She is credited by her stage name Susanne Christian in Kubrick's Paths of Glory (1957). She said she was ashamed to come from a "family of murderers" but was relieved that Kubrick's Jewish family accepted her despite her ties to Harlan. They remained married until Stanley Kubrick's death in 1999. Susanne Körber, one of his daughters from his second wife Hilde Körber, converted to Judaism and married
8989-578: Was a critical disaster and he later described it as his lowest point as an actor. Shortly afterwards he directed his first play, the comedy Marriage on the Panke , at the Theater am Schiffbauerdamm . In 1922 he married Jewish actress and cabaret singer Dora Gerson ; the couple divorced in 1924. Gerson later was murdered at Auschwitz with her family. In 1929, he married Hilde Körber , having three children with her, then divorcing her for political reasons related to
9090-404: Was able to attract Goebbels' attention only because so much directorial talent had emigrated from Germany after the Nazis had taken power. By 1937, Joseph Goebbels had appointed Harlan as one of his leading propaganda directors. His most notorious film was Jud Süß (1940), made for anti-Semitic propaganda purposes in Germany and Austria. In 1943 it received UFA 's highest awards. Karsten Witte,
9191-467: Was barred from working in cinematic productions; however, he was able to reach an accommodation with the Nazi regime and was eventually appointed director of the Schiller Theater , Berlin in 1938. From that point onwards, George actively collaborated with the Nazis and agreed to star in Nazi propaganda films such as Jud Süß and Kolberg (1945) as well as appearing in numerous newsreels. George had
9292-478: Was born in Charlottenburg , Berlin , the son of the writer Walter Harlan and his wife Adele, nee Boothby. His elder brother Peter was a multi-instrumentalist and musical instrument maker. After studying under Max Reinhardt , he first appeared on the stage in 1915 and, after World War I , worked in the Berlin stage. In 1934 he starred in the Berlin premiere of Eugen Ortner 's tragedy Meier Helmbrecht , but it
9393-584: Was deemed in one court to be unsuitable and highly problematic and to have contributed to enabling the antisemitism and genocides, but neither Harlan or his antisemitic supporters who insulted Jewish victims in the courts were ever sentenced. In 1951, Harlan sued for an injunction against Hamburg politician Erich Lüth for publicly calling for a boycott of Unsterbliche Geliebte ( Immortal Beloved ). The District Court in Hamburg granted Harlan's suit and ordered that Lüth forbear from making such public appeals. However,
9494-487: Was given a contract by Terra to write a script for the proposed film. He decided to base his script on the 1827 Hauff novella rather than the more recent and better known 1925 Feuchtwanger novel . However, when Goebbels read Metzger's draft of the script, he deemed it to be insufficiently antisemitic for his propaganda campaign. To remedy the script's deficiencies, Goebbels assigned playwright Eberhard Wolfgang Möller to assist Metzger, even though Möller had no experience as
9595-410: Was infuriated when he saw Harlan's first version of the film because it was not antisemitic enough for his purposes. Harlan reported that Goebbels accused him of being "incapable of thinking in political terms". Goebbels told him that he "should produce political films and not [the kind of] films that he would make in peacetime." Goebbels' dissatisfaction was centered on the relationship between Dorothea,
9696-412: Was more antisemitic than his. However, in rebuttal, Haggith and Newman point out that Harlan added an important sequence in which Süß is responsible for the execution of a blacksmith, a sequence which served to increase the audience's hatred for Süß. Feeling that a project of this significance required top-caliber actors and frustrated at the delay in casting the film, Goebbels personally participated in
9797-402: Was not antisemitic. Undaunted by Ebbecke's objections, Metzger took his idea to Teich, the story editor at Terra but was once again turned down. Finally, Metzger approached Goebbels directly where his proposal was received like a "bomb hitting its target." Teich was informed that Terra should proceed with Metzger's proposal and so he reluctantly presented the idea to the head of the studio. When
9898-468: Was not permitted to enter the Federal Republic of Germany . Harlan abruptly ended his research in the Polish archives in 1964. A planned book with Feltrinelli about German war criminals never materialized. He became "a rare species of man: an international German revolutionary" (eine seltene Spezies Mensch: ein internationaler deutscher Revolutionär). After his father died, he moved to Italy. He joined
9999-404: Was one of a bon-vivant and a lover and that Süß, in contrast, was a "truly unpleasant character". Goebbels rebutted Marian's argument by pointing out that he had just seen Marian's portrayal of Iago , asking "Was he a nice bon-vivant?" When Marian responded "But that was Shakespeare, Herr Minister!", Goebbels screamed into his face saying, "And I am Joseph Goebbels!" Marian finally agreed to play
10100-468: Was performing under duress." Daniel Azuelos ascribes the cast's reluctance to an unwillingness to be typecast as Jews. David Welch identifies Werner Krauss as having asked Goebbels to make a public pronouncement stating that Krauss was not Jewish but merely "playing a part as an actor in the service of the State." In order to address their concerns, Goebbels issued a disclaimer stating that those actors playing
10201-401: Was reinstated as a citizen of the Federal Republic of Germany and made nine more films. He remained a controversial figure and the target of protests. Together with Die Rothschilds and Der ewige Jude , both released in 1940, the film remains one of the most frequently discussed examples of the use of film to further the Nazi antisemitic agenda. In the 2000s, two documentary films and
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