Professor Leopold Jessner, exiled German Jewish theatrical producer, has organized a troupe of journeymen actors who are touring Europe, staging classical German drama. His staff of performers are, like him, refugees from the government of the Third Reich.
One of the most popular of his productions is “Intrigue and Love” by Schiller. It has been the delight of European audiences. The drama is performed in German of course, and critics have been praising the stagecraft as well as the excellence of the actors with unconcealed pleasure.
Professor Jessner said in an interview that he believes actors must necessarily “keep in trim” by going through their paces without prolonged holidays. He expressed regrets that he could not find employment for a greater number of German Jewish actors in his troupe. He said that the predicament of the Reich artists is “one of the gloomiest aspects of the situation of German Jews in general.”
Recently when Professor Jessner’s troupe played in Haarlem, Holland, the newspaper Het Volk, published in Amsterdam, described with enthusiasm the good work the German refugee actors are doing.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.