Promoting Hate: The Example of Jud Suess

As we discussed at length, Jud Suess is infamous for how effective it was in promoting anti-Semitism. Consider these questions for your blog post:

1. Aside from Oppenheimer, who are the other Jewish characters in the film and what are they supposed to represent (from the Nazi perspective)?

2. How does the film implicate Germans?  Oppenheimer may be evil, but Harlan implies Germans are also to blame. Why do you think Harlan does this?

3. "Race defilement" is obviously a preoccupation in Nazi propaganda.  Compare this film with Birth of a Nation. How do the stories relate? Diverge?

4. Why use a historic setting rather than a contemporary one to promote an anti-Semitic message?


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