The Berlin “Vorwaerts” reports from Munic(###) that the film censorship committee there have before it an application f(###) the release of the film “Nathan the Wise”, a dramatisation following very closely the play by Lessing.
Dr. Merberger, Councillor for public order and security at the police headquarters in Munich, reported: “Put into so many words, the contents of the film are that the Jew is everything, and the rest, Christian, or Turk, nothing. The exhibition of this film, colored in typically Jewish form must hurt persons thinking differently on matters and encounter resistance in present day politically excited conditions under which large masses of the people see in the Jews the cause of their misfortunes.” Dr. Merberger concluded his report by saying that the film appeared to be exceptionally well fitted to endanger the maintenance of public order and security.
The second expert, a clergyman, was of the opinion that the solution given in the drama to the question of which was the best religi(###) was calculated to hurt the feelings of the rest of the population, Catholic and Protestant, and must not be allowed to be shown.
Notwithstanding the objections, however, it has been decided that the film should be released.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
