RADIO PLAY FROM THE WORLD-FAMOUS NOVEL

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 40, 12 April 1935, Page 54

RADIO PLAY FROM THE WORLD-FAMOUS NOVEL

Jew Suss

RESUME PRECEDING ACTS. IN the inn at Wildbad, Josef Suss Oppenheimer and his friend Landauer met Karl Alexander, a cousin of the reigning Duke of Wurttemburg. Suss has a presentiment that the Prince is his stepping stone to power and ingratiates himself with Karl. His belief is confirmed by the prophecy of his uncle, Rabbi Gabriel. Karl Alexander will shortly be the Duke of Wurttemburg. The prediction is verified, Karl becomes the Duke of Wurttemburg with Suss as his Financial Counsellor, Unknown to Karl, Suss has a fifteen-year-old daughter, Naomi. The Jew understanding his master’s weakness for the opposite sex guards his motherless’.child by placing her in the custody of the Rabbi, who resides in the quiet forest of Hirsau. To the coronation ball Suss invites Magdaline Sybille, the daughter of the Lord President of the Council. He had fallen in love with her at their first meeting on the Wildbad Road. Karl, espying the Demoiselie Wiessensee, orders Suss to arrange that the girl be conveyed to his bedroom. The Jew rather than endanger his power, sacrifices the girl he loves. Weissensee, notwithstanding Suss’s offer of honour and promotion is embittered at the outrage of his daughter and resolves to be revenged on the Jew. Meanwhile, Suss having secured the release of Seligmann, accused of the murder or a Christian girl, has become the greatest of the Jews. ; Summoned to Frankfurt, he learns from his mother that he is not the son of Josef Oppenheimer but of Count Von Heyersdorf, the Christian Field Marshal. Suss is furious at the deception practised upon him and is at a loss to know whether to proclaim himself a Christian or remain a Jew. He decides to leave the decision to Naomi and hastens to Hirsau, Meanwhile Weissensee seizes his opportunity for revenge. Conducting the Duke to the home of. the Rabbi he reveals to him the Jew’s secret, the existence of Naomi. Karl’s passions are aroused by the beauty of the girl, but Naomi is terrified at the amorous advances of the Duke, and in an endeavour to escape jumps through her bedroom window. Weissensee finding the girl dead, urges the Duke to depart; but Karl'is determined to make his peace with the Jew. Suss, arriving, is completely overcome by the tragedy and swears revenge over the body of his dead ehild. Returning to Stuttgart’ he is appointed Finance Director, and immediately puts into action his plan for the downfall of the Duke. He suggests to Karl that he should overthrow the Constitution and proclaim himself King of Wurttemburg. The Duke readily falls in with the idea, but being afraid of the power of the Jew resolves to end his career. Informed by Magdaline Sybille of the Duke’s secret intention, Suss

frustrates his scheme. Karl awaits the result in his hunting lodge, and when the courier is announced hastens to meet him himself. Suss then reveals himself and the Prince, learning of the failure of his plan is taken with a seizure. So the Fifth Act concludesRoder: Is the Duke ill? Suss: The Duke... . is dead. And now the curtain rises on the. sixth and final act of "Jew Suss." ACT VI. SCENE I. (Murmur of woices, Clinking glasses). Roder: Who'll be King of Wurttemburg now, gentlemen? .... A child in arms. (Door opening-footsteps-voice approaching). Suss: You look dejected, gentlemen .... our Lord Duke’s death is most inopportune, no? Most unfortunate? Roder: It’s the very devil, I say. The very devil. Suss: You do not seem to see quite clearly what you should do in this unusual situation, Friend Roder? Roder: Whatever we do, we look like falling between two stools. Suss: Not so Major. The people’s varty will retain power .... You

Adapted by Robert Waldron from the famous novel by Lion Feuchtwanger must join them. Roder: Yes, yes... Suss: You have doubts, ‘Roder? Thea arrest me. . Yes, arrest the Jew and you are safe, whoever come out on top. Roder: A capital idea, Jew. A capital idea. I arrest you. In the name of the Duchess and of the Constitution, I arrest you, Josef Suss Oppenheimer. SCENE II. (Murmur of voices). Counsellor: In law we have no case. I warned you of this from the beginning. You have no chance of hanging him on any of the charges. Weissensee: Oh yes I- have. Under Article 47 of the Penal Code, it is clearly laid down that a Jew who has ¢arnal relations with a Christian woman should suffer death. Counsellor: But my Lord’ President, that law is forgotten. Out of date. It has not been enforced for two hundred years. Weissensee: It is still on the Statute Book, and I can think of no man to whom it is more applicable than Jew Suss. Counsellor: It is a departure from judicial procedure.

» Weissensee: That must not be taken into consideration. In the Constitutional State of Wurttemburg he allowed himself many departures from constitutional procedure... .- He must now submit with a good grace to being made the subject of a departure from judicial procedure himself .... the Jew must hang. (Door opens-footsteps). . Attendant: Her Highness, Dxcellency, has agreed to see you in her boudoir. (Weissensee rises). Weissensee: Excuse me, gentlemen. (Footsteps-murnurr of voices-door opening and closing-black out). Female Attendant: His Excellency, the Lord President of the Council, Madam. Marie: Welcome, Excellency. But why so early afoot? It is not good tasie, Weissensee, for a gentleman to call \ on a lady while she is still disrobing herself of the mantle of sleep. Weissensee: It is afternoon, Highness, and an urgent matter of State brooks no- delay, Marie: Matters of State! Matters of State! You give mea headache, my Lord President, so early in the day .... -L wish the Jew were here to advise me. Weissensee: That, Highness, is quite impossible. The Council are awaiting your signature to the process for his death. Marie: Awaiting my signature to> the process for his death? .... That is impossible, I won’t give it. Weissensee: You must, Highness. Marie: But am I not the mother of the reigning Duke? eissensee: Certainly, Highness, but when the reigning Duke is an infant in arms the Constitution lays down that the country shall be governed by a regent. And by the vote of the Council, I am appointed regent during your child’s minority. You must obey the Constitution. And by the Constitution the Jew must die. Marie: Helas! Helas! It’s a shame. The Jew is so handsome, so gallant .... the most amusing man in this boring Stuttgart. Greta, you can’t leave that veil hanging like that. It looks like a piece of string. Weissensee, I want the Jew here. Why shouldn’t he work for me as he did for my husband? Weissensee: Your Highness, there would be a revolution in the country within twenty-four hours. Marie: Oh well, it’s your affair-not mine. You’re the regent. Oh Greta, you stuck that pin' right into my { head! All the same, it’s a nuisance ! without him. (Sound of paper). Weissensee: Sign here, Highness. (She signs). Marie: I shall miss the Jew. He was such am amusing man .... and very loyal to poor Karl,... Is that all, my Lord President? Weissensee: That’s all, Highness. _ Marie: Then leave me. ... You are a most disturbing fellow with your affairs of State, Weissensee: Yes, Highness. (Sound of door closing). Marie: My poor Jew-Greta can’t you be careful? ‘TThat’s the second time you stuck that pin into my head. (Black out--door opening-murmur of voices). Weissensee : Gentlemen, Her Highness has graciously signed the death warrant. Roder, bring the Jew. (Jncreased murmur of voices), Weissensee: Josef Suss Oppenheimer, Jew and erstwhile Finance Director,

on the findings of this special court . appointed to enquire into your innumerable crimes, her Highness, Marie Auguste, Duchess of Wurttemburg and Teck, has signed the pro--cess of your death. Have you anything to say why the execution should not be carried out? Suss: I confess to . having been a loyal servant to my master, our late Duke, the head of the State according to the very Constitution to which you gentlemen are professing such an ardent loyalty. If that is treason, then, gentlemen, I am being tried by traitors. Roder: Stop quibbling, Jew! You ean’t escape a ride to hell in the gallows cart. Better save your time and ours by giving us a good respectable confession. Suss: You put it so charmingly, that you almost tempt me to confess to things I haven’t done. But I am not guilty of treason, and after all, you can’t hang me higher than the gallows, can you? Weissensee: The charge is not treason. You have admitted carnal: relations with Christian women, Suss: I had no idea that I was facing a court of morals, and if the court requires a complete list of all my transgressions since I arrived at manhood, together with the ladies’ names and their addresses, I can only refuse. Weissensee: By Article 47 of the Penal Code you must suffer death. Suss: Gentlemen, if you have condemned me to death on the score of my relations with Christian women. I admit you can do it. And the entire Holy Roman BEmpire will laugh . but nob at me. (Murmur of angry voices). Weissensee: Josef Suss Oppenheimer, by the power of the Constitution vested in me I pronounce the sentence. At sunrise to-morrow you will be hanged till you are dead. Suss: As my Lord President says, be it so. SCENE Ir. Suss: This cell is cold and .damp,’ friend Landauer, but the time is not far off. The dawn is nearly spent -the sun will soon be rising (coughs) and it is snowing-the first snow. Landauer: They say snow is good: for next year’s blooming, Suss: It will be piling up over the ‘tulip beds at Hirsau. Rabbi: Some wine, Josef ... . sweet wine from Palestine.Suss: Merci, uncle. ... I remember how it snowed when Leah died. I had never seen a grave before. I dreaded it. I-.always imagined it as an ugly gash in the greedy earth. But the snow had turned it into a glistening white hollow, so,soft ..... so kindly .... that all my fear. left me.,..I1 was at peace, And then when I came home, there’ was a little. white. bundle-the child. . ‘Naomi. (Footsteps approaching. Door opening). Suss: They come. Roder: Bring him along. (Hollow footsteps marching). 7 ; Rabbi: The' Lord bless thee and keep thee. The Lord let the light of his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee. The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee and grant thee peace- ’ ,

Landauer: Amen. Selah. Rabbi: One and eternal is the God of Israel, Jehovah Adonai the HEverlasting, the Infinite! Hear O Israel, One and Eternal is Jehovah, Adonai! (Sound of footsteps. Roar of crowd). Voices: The Jew! The Jew! Man: Let’s hang the Jew. Woman: He always wanted to be high up. Now he'll be high enough. Salbete. (Sownd of footsteps mowniing scafford). Suss: You have come, my Lord President, to see the execution carried out? Weissensee: I have come, Jew, at my daughter’s request, to offer you your pardon beneath the scaffold on one condition-that you-become a Chris- _ tian, oe Suss: Once before in my life, Weissensee, I was faced with that problem. I went for guidance to the only person I thought could help me but that person was....... was not there. From that moment I knew that my problem had ceased to exist .To her I had always been a Jew, therefore a Jew I shall remain, Tell Magdalene Sybille, Jew Suss is deeply indebted to her... . Mille merci .. . Excellency... . and now hangman, are you ready? Hangman: Ready to hang you higher, Jew, than the gallows themselves. Weissensee: Thou hast conquered, Oh Judean. Thou hast. conquered. (Voice departing). . Rabbi: Shma Israel, Adonai Hloheim, Adonai Achod! Hear, Oh Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Landauer: Shma Israel, Adonai Dloheim, Adonai Achod!, — Suss: Shma Israel, Adonai Bloheim .... a-donai A-cod-d. " Women: There he goes! . Up. with him! Man: Depart into hell, accursed Jew and villian?! Landauer: Shma Israel, Adonai Hloheim. Adonai achod! (Roar of crowd — music increases — music fades). Voice: Perhaps one day the walls wiil crumble like the walls of Jericho and all the world will be one people. Ti!l then the work of Jew Suss remains unfinished-while his story lives. THE END.