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How are Jewish people represented in films of the 1930s-1940?
The essay will analyse how Jewish people were represented during the era of World War 2.Jewish people are stereotypically
represented as vulnerable and victims in films set in the 1930s to the 1940s. The contributing factor towards is Hitler, Germanys leader,
creating the Aryan race. The Aryan race consists of individuals having to have a particular physical appearance such as blonde hair and
blue eyes. The films that Im going to be studying are; the boy in the striped pyjamas, Schindler's List, Defiance and the Eternal Jew. My
thesis is; The Jewish people are represented as vulnerable and victims in films set in 1930s to the 1940s (World War 2 era) and I will use
information to prove my thesis right.
World War 2 occurred in 1939-1945, which Germany fought in, as they were the main country that instigated the war. Hitler
used the Jewish people as a scapegoat, blaming them for Germany's economic and social problems. This means that the Jewish people
were no longer needed as the Nazis were now in power. Like Karl Marx exemplifies, the class difference in films is the main factor that
creates the tribulations. Marxists believe that the class differences are made so that the bourgeoisie and the proletariat people are divided
into the right groups. Jewish people were stereotypically highly educated, middle class and had important professions. They were
wealthier than working class people who mainly were Germans and Hitler saw the Jews as greedy, manipulative and selfish.
The Eternal Jew (1940), portrayed Jewish people as wandering cultural parasites, consumed by sex and money
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. This film was
made to encourage the hatred towards Jewish people as it represented Jewish people as taking over German land and money. This is
because Hitler manipulated the Germans and made them believe that it was the Jewish peoples fault that they were positioned lower in
the hierarchy; hence the Germans are inferior to the Jewish people because the Jewish people owned most of the businesses and
properties. This created a mutual hatred towards Jewish people by the public and this formed the negative representations of Jews such
as them being selfish and theyre greed for money. This film was created to pursue the vulnerability of Jewish people. The film consists of
anti-Semitic messages, which represents the idea of Jewish people being victimized as they are abused. However, they are portrayed as
the villain in the film because the films portrays them a greedy for money, which escalates, resulting in the Germans rebelling against the
Jewish community. Through this, the Nazis gained more power, which they used to capture the Jewish people from their homes and place
them in captivity. Their vulnerability is represented as the Jewish people try to escape from imminent captivity by the Germans and flee as
they have no other option and cannot fight back from the Germans armed forces, as they are unarmed. Jewish people are represented as
vulnerable people as they have no way of defending themselves.
In the book Film, Ronald Bregan, claims that over 1,000 films were made under the Nazis that mostly contained anti-Semitic
propaganda pieces. Jews were represented as rich and pretentious representing them as the antagonist and adversary
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. For example,
propaganda was used in cartoons and expresses them as rich and devouring; the cartoons include signs that show Jews that are not
wanted and they resulted in being stereotypically represented. This embodies them, as the victims because propaganda was used to
create the perceptions of the how the Jews are profane. This further represents the Jews as victims instead of perpetrators as they are not
the ones creating propaganda but in fact it is the Nazis. Their vulnerability is also shown through the propaganda as they are represented
as egotistic people. This is shown in films that have an ending that escalates into the Jews losing their wealth, as they are too weak to fight
back the Germans.
Jewish people are represented similarly in all the films revolving around the holocaust and this is because Hitler thought that
they were not part of the Arian race. In particular Jewish people are depicted as the victims. Schindlers List, the character Schindler
speaks directly to the Jewish man and tells him that Jews are known to be wealthy and own a lot of businesses
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. This represents Jews as
being wealthy and the dominant group in society, which led Hitler to harbour hatred for all Jewish people as he viewed them as having
power over true German citizens. The Germans who believe the Jewish society is trying to usurp Germany see the Jews as malevolent
and spiteful. This makes them victims of the Nazis and also vulnerable. In this film, the Germans treat the Jews like they are some sort of
disease and have no respect at all towards the Jewish citizens and this created mutual hatred towards the Jewish people, which led to the
German leaders to prosecute the Jews. The Germans actions bound the Jews to try and run in fear of being captured. For example, when
the Nazi soldiers were running through the streets shouting cruel lines to indicate their hatred towards Jews and this causes the Jews to
flee. The film revolves around a character name Schindler, whose greed for money encourages his actions for creating a work camp for
himself and employing Jewish people who he would be in control of and would be cheap labour. The Jews are represented as vulnerable
as they follow the instructions given of working in those camps. Schindler also oppresses them as he forces them to comply to work with
him or they would risk getting beaten by German soldiers. Therefore, the Jews are represented as depraved victims of the society.

In one scene, a number of German Nazi soldiers are seen evacuating a Jewish family from their home. The Jews belongings
indicate that the family is very rich, yet theyre income does not have an impact on them being thrown out of their home. This indicates
that no matter what the status of a Jewish person is, they will still be left vulnerable and thought to be inferior to German soldiers. Even
though Jews are known to be the wealthiest in Germany, the Nazis are throwing them out of their houses. The Jews have a higher income
and population, which in this case may be an advantage for the Nazis as it creates a bigger reason for the Nazis resulting in the idea of
exploiting the Jews. However, the vulnerability of the Jews is exposed as they do not defend themselves nor try and get away. Hence they
boycott the idea of taking a stand against the German Nazi soldiers or protesting in fear of being punished or being killed. This shows that
the Germans take complete control over their lives and possessions as their belongings are put in the work camps and are separated into
categories so that the Germans may reuse them again. The way the concentration camp is surrounded by a fence has guards everywhere
illustrates how the Jews are captured and being treated. The idea of the fence is made for them not to escape and it can be seen as a

1
http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?Moduleld=10005274

2
Bregan, Ronald, Film. Eye witness companions, Sydney.2006. Page 204

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Schindlers List, Steven Spielberg

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fence to protect the outside world from the Jews. This represents the Jews as vulnerable as they follow the commands given. The film
includes a scene where the Jewish workers have to separate the clothes of the Jews that got killed. The miserable face on the Jewish
workers shows the pain and suffering that they are going through as they have to bear with the idea that a Jew that got killed wore this
type of clothing. The Jewish workers are all displayed as thin as possible and also as weak. This contradicts the view of the Jews because
Jews are seen to be rich and fat as they earned a lot of money. Karl Marx states, that the bourgeoisie treat the proletariat lower than
them so they do not merge together as the idea of different classes was a benefit for the bourgeoisie. This victimises the Jews and depicts
them as being oppressed as it is fundamental for them to follow the commandment given by German Nazi soldiers.


In Schindlers List, the Nazi soldier in charge of building the work camps demonstrates acts of cruelty, greed and his ambitions
for conflict as well as self-centeredness. He views Jewish people as vermin, creatures unworthy of possessing basic human rights
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. The
method of shooting a Jew in the head is a repetitive action that occurs. This shows the pure hatred the Nazis have of the Jews. It
symbolises the life being bled out of the Jewish lives, which satisfies the Nazis. This represents the Jews as victims because they are
attacked out of hatred and not of an actual reason. They are represented as vulnerable as they get shot in the head repeatedly without
any remorse, as the Jews have no right to object. Young women are represented in this film, as fulfilments of the Nazis sexual needs. This
is seen in the film because the Nazi soldier in charge develops lustful desire for his Jewish maid. This shows that the maid is treated like
she is not worth anything as he beats her violently. Mulvey states that in films, women are viewed as sexual objects by male characters.
This is clearly seen in this scene. The vulnerability of the Jewish women is shown through the actions that the Nazis undertake. Following
orders is not seen as a choice but, is compulsory thus creating fear in the women. The idea of using the maid as pleasure as well as
cleaning instigates that the Nazis can do as pleased and the women must cooperate with what is told. In the Nazis view, the idea of being
in control of their own maid insinuates their ego as they believe that through making the maid suffer, they are making the whole Jewish
nation suffer. This also shows that the Nazis believe that by taking the Jewish women they have a certain possession over the Jews, which
they can use and exploit as much as they want. This represents the Jewish women as victims because the Nazi's attack them through
sexual violence. The little Jewish girl that hides underneath a bed represents the Jewish nation as vulnerable and scared of German Nazis.
Her fear of being seized and dispatched from her home into a concentration camp indicates that Jews have no other choice but to hide.
The idea of someone hiding is usually the idea of someone fleeing from a brutal antagonist. This can reflect to the Jews in hiding.
Therefore, the Jewish people are represented as vulnerable victims due to the way they are treated.
The Book Thief demonstrates the vulnerability and victimising of the Jews. In this film, a German family keeps a Jewish man in
hiding due to the Jews being captured. Propaganda is illustrated towards the German public through posters that depict the Jews as
conceited and rapacious. For example, newspapers in Germany, above all Der Strmer (The Attacker), printed cartoons that used anti-
Semitic caricatures to depict Jews. This displayed Jews in a negative way and that led to the increase in the hatred for Jews. The Jewish
man that is hiding from the Nazis represents the Jews as vulnerable and a victim as his only resort is to hide. They cannot oppose the Nazi
forces as they are aware they will be executed. This is because the Nazis main attacks and captures are aimed towards the Jews. The only
way the Jews may seek some freedom is through escapism, as it will bring them to a safer area as well as protection. Instead of making
them leave the country, the Nazis insisted that they must be tormented and suffer desolation. The Jews that find out the truth of what is
destined for them run away. This impersonates the Jews as petrified because they can do nothing to stop these horrendous actions of the
Jews. As the idea of being captured is seen as appalling, the only option is either to hide or run away. The Jews are represented as
vulnerable through the Jewish man who is frightful of the Nazis, as he knows what they are capable of doing. Hitler reproduced in photos,
film, and radio broadcasts, becomes a symbol of power and leadership for those who follow him, and a symbol of horror and terror for his
targets
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. The targeted people are the Jews. Hitlers position gives him the opportunity to exterminate anything related to Jews such as
books written by Jews. For the Nazis, the books represent the Jewish nation and by burning the books, it symbolises for them the
extinguishing of the Jewish people. This represents how the Jews are vulnerable as not even their books have any significance in the Nazis
lives, as there is no one to stop this event to happen.
The Eternal Jew represents the Jews in a negative way as being the victims. This film represents them as prosecutors as the film shows
how the Jews are the main aspect for the problems the Germany is facing. The film delivers the stereotypical message of the Jews being
bloated with money as they own most business and even though they are rich, their houses are shown as filthy from the inside to show
that the Jews actually dont care about hygiene as their minds has taken over by their egos due to them earning a lot of money. However
as the film gradually comes to the final scenes, original shots of a kosher butchering are revealed
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. These scenes instigated disgusting
thoughts in the Germans minds of the Jews as the Jews are represented as brutal and unbearable for the Germans. This finished with the
Germans instigating their distaste towards the Jews. This represents the Jews as the victims, as the propaganda is used to illustrate false
ideas into the Germans heads about the Jews as the kosher butchering is a religious action in which is not described to the Germans.
Thus, the Germans mutual hatred develops and the Jews become the victims of the society as they are presented in these films as violent
as well as patronizing in the eye of the Germans.
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas represents the Jews as victims in the film. The film consists of a boy that is the son of a Nazi
soldier who befriends a Jewish boy that is stuck in a concentration camp. The little Jewish boy called Shmuel is displayed as a hungry little
Jewish boy who is lonely. This contradicts the idea of Jews as Jews are seen to be wealthy and popular. However, due to the concentration

4
http://www.sparknotes.com/film/shindlerslist/canalysis.html

5
http://shmoop.com/book-thief/symbolism-imagery.html



6
http://www.holocaustresearchproject.org/holoprelude/derewigejude.html

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camp, the Nazis have eaten their lives out of them. The little boy is represented as vulnerable as he is afraid of being captured by the Nazi
soldiers. This shows the brutality that the Nazis enforce onto the Jewish workers. Even though Shmuel is just a little boy he has to take
part in labour work. The idea of the Jewish boy working for the Nazis can be so that the Nazis want the Jews to work for them to make
them suffer as the Jews have lived a wealthy and honourable life before. This represents the Jews as vulnerable because they are suffering
now under the Nazi's control. Shmuel eats roughly when he gains a piece of bread from his friend. This represents them as vulnerable
victims because the Jewish people are being starved and gain less food. This can also be seen as done because the Nazis want the Jews to
feel like they have lost everything and they dont deserve to have the luxury of eating a good amount of food. Therefore, he represents
the Jews as victims of the society as they are blamed for the wealth of Germany and this makes them get treated in a harsh way by the
Nazis so that they can assure that the Jews learn their lesson. The vulnerability is exposed through scenes and this elaborates the idea of
their vulnerability. For example, a scene which illustrates a Nazi camp in The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, all the Jewish inmates are
emaciated and forced to hard labour depicting their vulnerability against the Nazis and also as victims, because they are tormented and
starved by the Nazi portraying them as victims of Nazi abuse.
Defiance represents the Jews as vulnerable. The Jewish people that have to fend for them in the forest show how vulnerable
they are, as they had to leave their homes. This includes them having to look for shelter, food and equipment to provide them with
hunting equipment. The idea of Jewish people living in the forest shows how much control the German have over the Jews, as they have
to leave their homes to hide from the German soldiers. This also represents them as victims as they are the victims of the German people
because they are seen as the depraved and egoistic. The idea of the Jews fleeing for safety connotes how they are vulnerable due to their
action of not being able to defend themselves. The act of vulnerability is discovered through the children cowering away when soldiers
capture them, as they are not struggling to get free. This can be compared to the film 'Schindler's List', as they are too represented as
vulnerable because they are fleeing from the German Nazi soldiers.
In conclusion, my thesis is proven true from the information that I have collected, as the representation of the Jewish majority is
that they are vulnerable and victims and this is portrayed in all the films. I have analysed the different scenes and this has created a further
understanding of the representation of Jews as my thesis combines with the idea of the way Jewish people are represented in a negative
way.

Word Count: 2,994

Bibliography:
http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?Moduleld=10005274
Bregan, Ronald, Film. Eye witness companions, Sydney.2006. Page 204
Schindlers List, Steven Spielberg
http://www.sparknotes.com/film/shindlerslist/canalysis.html
http://shmoop.com/book-thief/symbolism-imagery.html
http://www.holocaustresearchproject.org/holoprelude/derewigejude.html

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