Jud Suess (Hauff)

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Jud Süss is a novella by Wilhelm Hauff , which was first published in 1827 in the Cotta'schen “ Morgenblatt für educated Estates ”.

The title goes back to the historical figure of Joseph Süss Oppenheimer and is understood as an element of an anti-Jewish name polemic that has been known since the 18th century at the latest . Hauff also reproduced anti-Jewish stereotypes and clichés of his time in other of his works, such as the communications from the memoirs of Satan and Abner, the Jew who has seen nothing .

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With the novella Jud Suss, Hauff wrote a chronicle which, when it appeared in 1827, documents 90 years ago about Duke Karl Alexander von Württemberg and the end of his reign on March 12, 1737, which he added with the first stanza from the prologue Tragedy by Ernst, Duke of Swabia by Ludwig Uhland .

On the evening of February 12, 1737, Joseph Suss Oppenheimer organized a masked ball for his birthday. Süß is the secret finance councilor of sovereign Karl Alexander and is as rich as he is powerful and feared by the population. The administrative officer Gustav Lanbek, son of the adviser to the Württemberg state estates , and three friends also take part in the ball . He has arranged a secret meeting in an adjoining room with Lea, Süß 'younger sister whom he loves. She is worried about her brother and fears for his life, but Gustav calms her down by pointing out a ducal charter that Suss received on his birthday. Shortly afterwards Gustav is arrested surprisingly.

The next morning, Suss, who had arranged his arrest, visits him in prison. Süß suspects Gustav's father of the conspiracy against the duke. He promoted Gustav to the expedition council and asked him to marry Lea within four weeks. Then he wants to spare Gustav's father. Gustav's father suspects that Suss wants to corrupt him by promoting his son to the estates. But Gustav is supposed to take on the new office to appear. Gustav is then initiated by his father into the plan to undertake a coup d'état against the Duke , together with Colonel von Röder and with the approval of the Evangelical Church , under whose reign the “little country” of Württemberg had deteriorated within a few years through patronage of offices and corruption wanted to disempower the estates and catholicize the Protestant Württemberg. On this occasion they also wanted to settle accounts with the hated upstart Suss.

Süß lies to his sister that Gustav wants to marry her and has asked Karl Alexander for permission to do so. For Gustav, a Protestant Christian, it is inconceivable to marry a Jewish woman. Through an intrigue by Süß, Gustav's father learns of the supposed marriage promise. This is beside himself and wants to disinherit his son. After a violent family quarrel in the course of which Gustav broke up with Lea, his father forgives him when he saw through Süß's intrigues.

Gustav's father protests at Suss against his son's marriage to Lea. Gustav is supposed to flee for fear of Suss' retribution. On the way he met Colonel Röder and informed him of the sudden death of Karl Alexander. Together they arrest Suss Oppenheimer, who was also on the run after the death of his patron. The coup is unnecessary. Gustav is appointed judge of Suss by the heir to the throne, Karl Alexander, which throws Gustav into a conflict of conscience with regard to his still beloved Lea. Nevertheless, he does not comply with Leaa's request for mercy for the brother. Suss was sentenced to death and hanged on February 4, 1738.

In an epilogue, Hauff expresses his incomprehension about both Suss 'support for the absolutist way of government of Karl Alexander and Suss' punishment. Both are uncivilized and backward in the Age of Enlightenment . Unlike other, equally punishable favorites of Karl Alexander, Süß had been convicted because, as a Jew, he had no protective social network.

Lea is said to have drowned herself in the Neckar. Gustav does not get over his unhappy love for Lea and the proceedings against Suss. He remains unmarried, becomes melancholy and turns to metaphysical considerations in old age .

reception

From Wilhelm Hauff to the present day, authors, composers and directors have artistically adapted the material from various angles. In addition to the novel Jud Süß by Lion Feuchtwanger from 1925, the National Socialist propaganda film of the same name by Veit Harlan has become famous.

literature

  • Helmut Mojem: local poet Hauff? Jud Suss and the Germans. In: Yearbook of the German Schiller Society 2004, pp. 143–166. ISSN  0070-4318
  • Anne von der Heiden : The Jew as a medium. "Jud Süß". Edition Diaphanes, Zurich et al. 2005. At the same time: Bochum, Univ.-Diss., 2003. ISBN 3-935300-72-7

Web links

Wikisource: Jud Süß  - Sources and full texts

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ "What good is his death in this country?" Wilhelm Hauff's novella "Jud Süß" from 1827 - a milestone in anti-Semitism by Kurt Oesterle (PDF; 140 kB)
  2. ^ Gabriele von Glasenapp : Literary popularization processes of an anti-Jewish stereotype: Wilhelm Hauff's story Jud Süss. In: Alexandra Przyrembel , Jörg Schönert (ed.): "Jud Süß" Court Jew, literary figure, anti-Semitic caricature. Campus Verlag, Frankfurt / New York 2006
  3. ^ Edgar Feuchtwanger: Conrad Veidt and Veit Harlan. Twice Jud Süß Damals - the magazine for history.