Kautsar Achouchen

How are Jewish people represented in films in the 1930s-1940s?

My thesis is; how Jewish people are represented as vulnerable victims in films set
in 1930's and 1940's (World War 2 era). Jewish people are stereotyped as defenceless
victims. They were stereotyped as the 'Aryan race which consisted of having a physical
appearance of blonde hair and blue eyes. The films that I will be researching on are The
Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, The Book Thief, Schindler's List, Defiance and the Eternal
Jew.
World War 2 occurred in 1939-1945 where Hitler used the Jewish people as a
scapegoat, blaming them for Germany's economic and social problems. Karl Marx
exemplifies the class system in films of the main factor that creates the tribulations. Marx
believes that the class differences are made so that the bourgeoisie and the proletariat
are divided into groups. This means that the Jews were treated differently to the Germans
because they are both from two different hierarchies. Most Jewish people were highly
educated, middle class and had important professions. They were wealthier than working
class people who consisted of Germans and Hitler saw the Jews as greedy, manipulative
and selfish. The Eternal Jew (1940), represents the Jewish community as wandering
cultural parasites, consumed by sex and money. The purpose of this film is to illustrate
the conflict between the German and Jewish society, Hitlers hierarchy system being a
prime factor. The film consists of anti-Semitic messages, which represents the idea of
Jewish people being victimized as they are abused. For example, there is a scene where
the Jews are shown to be wealthy and greedily using their money for their own good
instead of helping the economy. However, within the film they are presented as the
villain as they are portrayed as avarice, resulting in the Germans rebelling against the
Jewish community. The vulnerability of the Jews is shown through their attempt to escape
from imminent captivity by the Germans as they have no form of protection from the
Germans. This film shows the way the Jewish people are represented in the 1940's, as
weak and vulnerable and had been stereotyped as selfish, thus making them vulnerable
victims to the society as they had no say in the way others thought of them, as they were
labeled.
The book Film, Ronald Bregan, claims that over 1,000 films were made under the
Nazis that mostly contained anti-Semitic propaganda ideologies. Jews were represented
as rich and pretentious representing them as the antagonist and adversary. For example,
propaganda was used in cartoons like 'The Three Little Pigs' which was an animated film
made in 1933. This film involved the wolf being dressed as a Jew which represented him
as the villain and this is how the Germans viewed them. This embodies the Jews 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 and this is
seen in many films existing during the 1930s to 1940's. Their vulnerability is also shown
through the propaganda as they are represented as egotistic people. This shows the films
that have an ending, escalate into the Jews losing their wealth, as they are too weak to
fight back the Germans.
The Jews were also represented similarly in films around the time of the holocaust
such as; The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, ` Schindler's List, Defiance and the Eternal Jew.
In particular Jews are depicted as the victims due to the Nazi's out casting them from the
Aryan race. On the other hand, in the film Schindlers List, the German soldier Schindler
speaks directly to the Jewish man and tells him that Jews are known to be wealthy and
own a lot of businesses. This can be seen as a positive expression however, in this film
its set out in a negative way as it represents Jews as being wealthy and the dominant
group in society, which led Hitler to invest hatred for all Jewish people and believed the
Jewish society as trying to usurp Germany; this made the Jews seem malevolent and
spiteful. This makes the Jews victims of the Nazis and also vulnerable. The Germans
devalue the Jews and show disrespect; this created mutual hatred towards the Jewish
people. In the movie it this shows that the Jews are fearful and captured by the Germans.
Was the little boy (Shmuel) is locked up in a concentration camp and the Germans forcing
him to do work. The Germans actions bound the Jews to try and run in fear of being
captured by the Germans. For example, when the Nazi soldiers were running through the

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streets shouting cruel lines to indicate their hatred towards Jews and this causes the Jews
to flee. Schindlers List 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 seen in the scene where the Jews have to 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.
These shows the Jews were depraved victims of the society.
In the evacuation scene, German Nazi soldiers are seen evacuating a Jewish
family from their home. The Jews belongings for example clothes, furniture indicated
that even though the Jews have riches, it didnt help them as they were still as they were
still thrown out of their house. 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.
The Jews have a higher income and population, in contrast to the Germans which in this
case may be an advantage for the Nazis as it gave them more of a reason for the
exploiting of the Jews. However, the vulnerability of the Jews is exposed as they cant
defend themselves nor do they escape. 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 have taken complete control over their lives and
possessions as their belongings are put in the work camps so that the Germans may
reuse them again. The way the concentration camp is surrounded by a fence and has
guards everywhere foreshadows how the Jews are captured and are being treated. The
idea of the fence being made is for them to not escape and it also can be seen as a fence
to protect the outside world from the Jews. This represents the Jews as vulnerable as they
follow the commands given by the Nazi soldiers. The film includes a scene where the
Jewish workers have to separate the clothes of the Jews that have been killed. For
example, they separate the clothes that are ripped to the reusable clothes. The
miserable face on the Jewish workers shows the pain and suffering that they are going
through as they have to fix the clothes of their people. This can be seen through their
physical appearance as most have dry and chalky skin which shows their loss of
nutrients. The Jewish workers are all displayed as fragile, weak and inferior. 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 having a class system benefits the
bourgeoisie. This is shown through the Jews as they are seen as subservient to the
Germans. This victimises the Jews and depicts them as being oppressed as it is
fundamental for them to follow the commandments 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 selfcenteredness. He views Jewish people as vermin, creatures unworthy of possessing basic
human rights. The shooting of a Jew in the head is a motif as seen in the shooting scene.
This shows the pure hatred the Nazis have for the Jews, as it symbolises the life of a Jew
being bled out 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 seen to be petrified and
have no freedom of speech as they stand still while being shot in the head. Young women
are represented in this film, as fulfillments 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 mistreated because he beats her violently.
Mulvey states that in films, women are viewed as sexual objects by male
characters. This is shown through the maid only being seen as a sexual object and the
soldier shows no remorse towards her. The women fail to follow orders, without any
objection, thus creating fear of the soldiers. The vulnerability of the Jewish women is
shown through the actions that the Nazis undertake as in the scene the Nazi soldier hits
her and she does not defend herself. Following orders is not seen as a choice but, is
compulsory thus creating fear in the women. Using the maid as pleasure as well as

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cleaning instigates that the Nazis are superior and have control over women. In the
Nazis view, the ideology 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 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 under the bed represents the
Jewish nation as defenceless of the 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 usually means someone is fleeing from a
brutal antagonist. This reflects the Jews which are hiding as they are fearful and
patronized of the Nazis, thus representing the Jewish people as vulnerable victims due to
the way they are treated.
The Book Thief demonstrates the vulnerability and victimising of the Jews. A
German family keeps a Jewish man in hiding due to the Jews being captured. The Jewish
man that is hiding from the Nazis represents the Jews as a vulnerable victim as his only
resort to be able to live, is to go into hiding. 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. This impersonates the Jews as petrified because they can do nothing to
stop these horrendous actions of the Jews. Being captured is seen in a negative light as
the only outcome will be death so the only option is either to hide or run away. The Jews
are represented as powerless because the Jewish man is frightful of the Nazis power.
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.
Hitlers position gives him the opportunity to exterminate anything related to Jews like
seen in the scene where the books that are written by the Jews are burnt. 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 the stereotypical ideology. 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 a stereotypical message of the
Jews being wealthy as they own most business even though they are seen to be wealthy
their homes are shown to be filthy within the inside. This shows that even though the
Jews may be clean physically they are seen to be filthy minded and have become egoistic
because of the consumption of money. However, the final scenes, of a kosher butchering
are revealed. 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 used illustrates false perceptions into the Germans
minds about the Jews as the kosher butchering is a religious action in which is not
described to the Germans culture. 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 similar
to Schindler's List, Defiance and the Eternal Jew. 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. As the
little Jewish boy is locked up and has no freedom this contradicts the idea that Germans
portrayed of the Jews which is having the Jews seen as wealthy and high classed.
However, being locked up in a concentration camp portrays the Germans robbing the
Jews' humanity. 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 and even Shmuel who is just a little boy has to take part in labour work.

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The idea of the Jewish boy working for the Nazis, shows that the Nazis are power hungry
and want every Jew to suffer. This represents the Jews as vulnerable because they are
deprived of not just nutrients but also their lives. Shmuel eats roughly when he gains a
piece of bread from his friend. This represents them as fragile because the Jewish people
are being starved. The Nazis want the Jews to feel like they have lost everything and
they dont deserve to have the luxury of eating rich food. Therefore, he represents the
Jews as victims of 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. This is shown through the scene
where the Jews have to fend for them in the forest as they had to leave their homes. This
also makes them look for shelter, food and equipment to provide them with hunting
equipment. The Jewish people are living in the forest portrays how much power the
Germans have. This also represents them as being victimised as they are inferior to the
Germans because they are seen as the depraved and egoistic. 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 struggling 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 the five films I have analysed, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, The
Book Thief, Schindler's List, Defiance and the Eternal Jew, depicts Jewish characters as
being mistreated by Nazi German characters, this exhibits Jewish characters portrayed
as vulnerable and victims of war. Theorists such as Karl Marx presented the idea of the
ability to shift status in the hierarchy system. This theory is represented as the Jewish
people are at the top of the hierarchy, but then their position is compromised by
Germans and as a result they end up at the bottom of the hierarchy. This again
represents the Jews as vulnerable victims to the Nazi Germans as they had control over
the over the Jewish population.
By using theories and analysing and understanding different concepts shown in the
films, I have been able to verify that Jewish characters were illustrated as the victims and
exploited by the Nazi German characters. A scene from Schindlers List portrays this
vulnerability, as in the scene, a Jewish woman is shot by a Nazi German commander for
trying to explain the infrastructure the Jewish slaves were building for the Germans was
weak and unstable. All the films I analysed portrayed negative propaganda of the Jews
and also showed scenes were the Jews were defenceless to the Nazi Germans and had no
freedom or independence from the Nazi Germans controlling their life. Jewish people
therefore were represented as innocent and the prey of Nazi Germans in films revolving
around the era of 1930-1940.
Word Count: 2,982

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

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http://www.sparknotes.com/film/shindlerslist/canalysis.html
http://shmoop.com/book-thief/symbolism-imagery.html
http://www.holocaustresearchproject.org/holoprelude/derewigejude.html
Print screens:

The Eternal Jew: The property from the Jews

Defiance: Jew running away
getting thrown out

The book thief: Jewish man

Schindlers List: Little Jew
hiding
girl hiding

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Schindlers List: Jewish men

working

Schindlers List: Jewish man

getting shot

The book thief: The books

burning