Anti-Semitism in Jew Suss and the Eternal Jew

Both Jew Suss and the Eternal Jew take on different approaches in terms of the way in which they seek to propagate the anti-Semitic message and sentiment of the Third Reich. Jew Suss takes the form of a drama, which is perhaps the reason why it was a true box office hit in Germany at the time. The decision to utilize this genre of film allowed moviegoers to absorb anti-Semitic propaganda indirectly. Jew Suss effectively communicates anti-Semitic propaganda by formulating a captivating plot that engages the viewer and allows them to empathize with various protagonists such as Dorothea, Faber, and the Germans while indirectly forcing the audience to view the Jews, particularly Oppenheimer, as the antagonists of the story. As a result, Jew Suss is not only entertaining, but it serves as an effective propaganda film unlike the ‘documentary’ Eternal Jew.

The Eternal Jew was a total flop in Germany during the same period as Jew Suss primarily because of the oppressive manner in which it communicates its disgust and fear of Jews. This film takes the form of a documentary that seeks to convey the truth about the so-called plague that is spreading throughout Germany and the world – Judaism. The film overtly communicates its anti-Semitic message to the audience by relentlessly portraying the Jews as burdens on society, paralleling them with subjects like rats and disease. Such poor execution is burdensome on the audience and allows me to understand why it would have been difficult or uncomfortable to sit through an entire screening.