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Engraved color vignettes on the life and death of Jud Süss Oppenheimer

Object | Accession Number: 2016.184.242

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    Engraved color vignettes on the life and death of Jud Süss Oppenheimer

    Overview

    Brief Narrative
    Engraved print with color pictures and text telling the story of the rise and fall of Joseph Süss Oppenheimer (1698-1738), circulated not long after the events. Oppenheimer, known as Joseph or Jud Süss, was a Jewish banker who administered the finances of Duke Karl Alexander of Wurttemberg, enriching the Duke and himself. Others were envious and resentful of his success, feelings increased by his actions, such as granting contracts to Jews and easing settlement restrictions. When the Duke died unexpectedly in March 1737, Oppenheimer was arrested, tried for fraud and treason, and sentenced to death. A huge crowd watched the hanging and the body was left hanging in public for six years. In 1939, a film, Jud Süss, was produced by Goebbels's Nazi Propaganda Ministry. The inflammatory, antisemitic film portrayed Jew Süss as a grotesquely exaggerated, greedy, unscrupulous Jewish businessman who rapes a non-Jewish woman. The film was a major success throughout Europe. The print is one of more than 900 items in the Katz Ehrenthal Collection of antisemitic artifacts and visual materials.
    Artwork Title
    Deß justificirten Juden, Joseph Süß Oppenheimers: Geburt Leben und Tod
    Alternate Title
    The justification of the Jew, Joseph Süss Oppenheimer, Birth, Life, and Death
    Date
    publication/distribution:  approximately 1740
    Geography
    publication: Germany
    Credit Line
    United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of the Katz Family
    Markings
    front, top center, on sign : Hier aus die- / sem Vogelhauß / Siehef Joseph / Süß bera?e?. [Here from the Birdcage, see Joseph Suss…]
    front, top right, within yellow frame : Dieser bier / Abgebildef? / George Haiectuer / airl? Mahren gebürtig, / welcher sich vor einen gro / sert Herrn ausgab so auß / Eisen ?old Machen wolte, / ünd Se. Hochfurlte. Dürche / Herrn Fridrich Herzog. / Zu Würtenberg un? Eile / che Millionen betrogen. ?? / de zit erst an diesem ihm / neü aüfgerichten Eisernen / Galgen den 2. April 1597 / aüfgeängt. diser Galge / halt an Gewicht 25 / Cent? U ha? 3000 / gelost. [...raised and suspended him from the new Iron gallows on April 2, 1597...]
    front, left square, around sphere : Hier fällt er an den Shrick?. / Hier ?eig? Jud Süß zum Glück [Here he falls into the…Here the Jew Suss with luck…]
    front, right square, top image : Hier fahrt Jüd Süß in Herrlich????? / ünd küb. [Here the Jew Suss moves in…]
    front, right square, bottom image : Hier fähret er voll Schand dem E??? / Galgen du. [Here he drives in full shame…]
    front, middle center, title of text block : Deß justificirten Juden / Joseph Süß Oppenheimers / Geburt / Leben und Tod. [The justification of the Jew, Joseph Suss Oppenheimer, birth, life, and death.]
    front, middle center : ES war dieser Anno 1692. in der berühmten Churfürftl. Residentz-Stadt Heidelberg gebohren, sein Vatter hatte gleichen Na- / men, Joseph Süß, gehabt: Er schrieb sich aus der bekannten Familie der Oppenheimer, die, wie man sagt, von einem Städtlein Oppenheim, so an dem Rhein ligt, den Nahmen haben solle. Dieser Süß legte sich nicht viel auf die Studia, hatte aber einen vortrefflichen Verstand und / ohnvergleichliches Ingenium, welches er aber mehr zum Bösen als Guten angewendet. Was man sonsten Weißheit zu nennen pfleget, war bei ihm / List und Verschlagenheit; seine Entreprisen waren Toll-Kühnheit, welche ein Extra-ordinaires Glück begleitete. [He was born in the year 1692, in the famous Imperial residence city of Heidelberg: He came from the well-known family of Oppenheimer, who, as they say, were named from the little town of Oppenheim located at the Rhine. This Suss did not put much into Studies, but had an excellent mind and incomparable genius. What you are accustomed to call wisdom, was with him cunning and craftiness; his enterprise was daring, which accompanied him with extraordinary Fortune.]
    front, center : Mit Anwachs seiner Jahre begab er sich in entfernte Länder, es wolte sich aber sein Glück nicht zeigen, biß er endlich an dem Hochfürstl. Wür- / tembergischen Hof eingeschlichen, und al sein schlauer Fuchs allda seine Höhle suchte. Daselbst stieg er in seinem Glück so hoch, daß er bald nicht höher / steigen kunte, allein er mißbrauchte es, durch allerhand Heimlich geschmiedete Unternehmungen, worauf er aus dem Schooß der Gnaden entfiele. [With his expanding years, he went to distant lands, but he did not want to show his Fortune, so he finally crept to the Imperial Wurtemburger court, and as a sly fox sought out his den. Then he rose so high in his good fortune, that it could rise no higher, but he abused it, by all sorts of secretly contrived things, whereupon he would be removed from the lap of Grace.]
    front, center, Fraktur font, black ink : Als er nun Betrug genug ausgeübet, und das Maaß seiner Boßheit überlauffen, wurde er unversehens seiner Ehren entsetzet, seine Schrifften / versiegelt, und er auf die Vestung Hohen-Asperg, unter starcker Wacht, in Verwahrung gebracht, und sehr scharff verwachet; Allda fiengen ihm die / Grillen in dem Kopff an zu singen; Er suchte tausend Entschuldigungen, aber sie wolten keinen Stich halten, dann die Warheit wolte sich von ihme / nicht länger mit Füssen tretten lassen. Als er nun auf dieser Vestung eine geraume Zeit gesessen, wurde er durch gute Aufsicht vieler Granadier und an- / derer Soldaten den 30. Januar. 1738. von Asperg nach Stuttgardt, in das so genannte Herrschaffts-Hauß, gebracht, und den folgenden Tag dar- / auf das Leben abgesprochen. Den 4. Febr. Morgens zwischen 8. Und 9. Uhr wurde ihm das Todes-Urtheil angekündet, daß er mit dem Strang vom / Leben zum Tod solte gebracht werden: Wurde also zwischen 10. und 11. Uhr aus obgedachtem Herrschaffts-Hauß auf einen Schinder-Karrn gesetzt, / zu dem ausserhalb der Stadt befindlichen Gerichts-Platz gebracht, und an dem eisernen Galgen aufgehängt, und in ein 6. Schuh hohes, roth angestri- / chenes Köfich, von starckem Eisen wohl befestiget, eingeschlossen; Welcher Execution viele tausend Menschen zugesehen, auch von fernen Orthen vieles / Volck dahin gekommen ist. [When he had performed enough fraud, and the measure of his wickedness was overrun, he was suddenly terrified of his honor, his writings were sealed, and he was brought into custody and put under heavy guard in the fortress at Hohne-Asperg; and there it was prevailed upon his head to sing; he sought a thousand excuses, but they wanted to hold his tricks, then the truth would no longer escape him. When he sat in this fortress for some time, he was brought under the good supervision of many grenadiers and other soldiers, to the so-called Dominion House, on January 30, 1738 from Asperg to Stuttgart, and the following day denied Life. On the morning of February 4th, between 8 and 9 o’clock, the death sentence was announced to him, that he should be brought to the noose from life until death: between 10 and 11 o’clock he would sit in a hangman’s cart from the Dominion House, and hang on the iron gallows, and in a 6 shoe high, red painted…and well secured by heavy iron, included; That execution was watched by thousands of people, many people even came here from remote locations.]
    front, bottom, left column : Was man verdienet hat / mit dem wird man belohnet / Jud Süß hätt in dem Glück noch lange können stehn / Er hat sein eigen Glück mit Boßheit nicht verschonet / Drumb mußte er zuletzt im Unglück untergehn. / Das Recht wolt länger nicht sein böses Thun beschauen / Drum grieff es nach der Straff / zum Lohn der Missethat / Ob es dem Juden schon wolt vor dem Galgen grauen / So mußt er doch daran / weil ers verdienet hat. / Er hangt im Röfich nun verrigelt eingeschlossen, / Die Raben machen ihm zu Ehren ein Geschrey / Sie kommen alle Schwarz zu seiner Leich geschossen / Und fragen ganz betrübt wer hier erworget sey? / Ein Jud / ein loser Mensch / wurd allhier aufgehangen / Der nichts dann böse Sach nahm in seim Leben vor / Der vielweit mehrer Böß als Gutes hat begangen / Drum hat man ihn zum Lohn erhoben hoch empor. / Der eyß’ne Galgen mußt zu seinem Grabe werden / Und daß man sein gedenck auf lange Zeit hinaus / Dann er war würdig nicht zu ruhen in der Erden / Drumb hangt er wohl-verwahrt im eyßnen Vogel-Hauß. / Er kan hierinnen nun was dichten oder singen / Die Raben werden ihm vielleicht mit stimmen bey / Sein hochmuths-voller Geist that ihm diß Unglück bringen / Ein jeder schliesse nun wer er gewesen sey. / Es klagte Reich und Arm ob seinem Unternehmen / Weil er gab alles vor ob hätt es Rechtens-Schein; [What you deserve, is rewarded. The Jew Suss could stand long in Fortune, He has his own Fortune, not exempted from wickedness. That is why in the end he had to go in disguise. The law does not want to contemplate his evil work any longer, so it has grabbed the criminal, the reward of iniquity, if it wanted the Jews drawn from the gallows, so he must mind it because he earned it. He now hangs, locked up in the Rofich, the Ravens give a shout in his honor, they come all black to attack his corpse, and ask all those saddened, who was strangled here? A Jew, an unbridled man, was hung here, he did nothing other than evil things in his Life, he committed far more evil deeds than good, that is why we raised him aloft to his reward. The iron gallows must be his grave, and that to commemorate him for a long time to come, and because he was not worthy to rest in the earth, he is well kept in the iron Bird House. He can now compose or sing something inside, the ravens might agree with him, that his arrogance filled Spirit brings him this misfortune. The rich and poor complained of his business, because he lent everything on whether it was the right bill;]
    front, bottom, right column : Er that auch als ein Jud der Boßheit sich nicht schämen / Wann er gleich grosses Gut mit List und Trug zog ein, / Er hat das Amt so ihm aus Gnaden w??? gegeben: / In Boßheit so verwalt / daß Rlagen lieffen ein / Er wolt aus hochmuth sich mehr als zu hoch erheben / Und wolt das andere ihm stets solten Dienstbar seyn. / Er ließ sich Excellenz und hohe Titul geben / Bedient sich fremder Sach als war das Meiste seyn. / Drum nahm ihm auch das Recht sein Boßhei-volles Leben / Und mußt nun wohl-verschuld erdulden Straff und Pein. / Er hat anjetzt die Ehr in hoher Lufft zu prangen / An einem Galgen wo ein Alchymist erstickt / Der machen wolte Gold aus diesen eyßnen Stangen / Die nachmahls sich für ihn zum Galgen recht geschickt. / O Süß! Wie bitter ist dir dieser Gang gewesen / Du sahest Bitter / Saur / und gar nicht Süsse aus / Man kunt die Angst und forcht dir aus den Augen lesen / Als dich der Schinder-Jung führt zu dem Galgen aus. / Vor fuhrest du im Pracht / mit schön-geputzten Pferden / Doch aber schau wie bald hat sich das Glück gewand / Wer hätte wohl gedacht / daß du gehenckt solt werden / Und daß das Glück so bald dich geb in Henckers-Hand. / Es gönnt das gantze Land dir gar wohl dein Erhöhen / Und siehet dich mit Lust in deinem Vogel-Hauß / Thu jetzund was du wilt / kanst singen oder krähen / Du schadst nun niemand mehr / jetzt lachet man dich aus. [He was also, as a Jew, not ashamed of wickedness, when he pulled the same great good by stealth and deceit, and won the office given to him by favor…: So he administered with wickedness, he operated that lamentation, he wanted from haughtiness to raise himself more than the highest level, and he wanted others to always be subservient to him. He asked for excellence and a high title, he manipulated foreign property as if it was his. Therefore, he adopted his wicked-filled life for himself and the law, and must now endure the well-earned punishment and torment. He now has the honor to be resplendent in the air, on the gallows where an alchemist was suffocated, who wanted to make gold from these iron rods, and afterwards rightly sent him to the gallows. Oh Suss! How bitter has your transition been, you looked bitter, sour, and not sweet, one can read the anxiety and fear in your eyes, as you the young knacker are thrown to the gallows. Before, you were lead in splendor, with beautifully-dressed horses, but look how presently is the garment of Fortune, who would have thought, that you should be hanged, and that Fortune would soon give you into the executioner’s hand. It allows the whole country to see your exalted position, and to see you with pleasure in your Bird House, do now what you want, you can sing or crow, you are now hurting no one, now they laugh at you.]
    Contributor
    Compiler: Peter Ehrenthal
    Biography
    The Katz Ehrenthal Collection is a collection of more than 900 objects depicting Jews and antisemitic and anti-Jewish propaganda from the medieval to the modern era, in Europe, Russia, and the United States. The collection was amassed by Peter Ehrenthal, a Romanian Holocaust survivor, to document the pervasive history of anti-Jewish hatred in Western art, politics and popular culture. It includes crude folk art as well as pieces created by Europe's finest craftsmen, prints and periodical illustrations, posters, paintings, decorative art, and toys and everyday household items decorated with depictions of stereotypical Jewish figures.

    Physical Details

    Language
    German
    Classification
    Art
    Category
    Prints
    Object Type
    Etching (lcsh)
    Physical Description
    Print of an engraving with 6 color illustrations in the top third and black Fraktur text in the remainder. In the top corners are 2 portraits in oval frames. On the left is a portrait of a man wearing a white periwig, red courtier's jacket with gold brocade, and a blue cape over his left shoulder. He is viewed from the waist up in three quarter profile, against a black background. Below the yellow frame is a banner with Joseph Süß Oppenheimer. On the far right is a portrait of a white moustached man in a blue hat with a red feather, a red robe with white fur, and a gold brocade vest, depicted in three quarters left profile from the waist up, against a black background. Below the brown frame is a banner with Jörg, Kongüer Herr zit ?rlhoff und Grobelchitz A: 1597. AEt. 24. Adjacent to the right side of this is an oval yellow frame filled with Fraktur text. Below each portrait are 2 sqaures with illsutrations. The left square depicts blue sphere with a man draped in a red cloth seated at the top. He holds his arms out on each side toward 2 men in red frock coats falling off the sphere. Three people recline on the ground below, and in the background is a gallows on blocks and text. In the right square are 2 stacked scenes: at the top is a man in a horsedrawn carriage, accompanied by 4 people and 2 dogs, riding ot the right in a country landscape. At the bottom is man in a tumbril, accompanied by uniformed soldiers with pikes, riding to the left in a country landcape. Filling the center is a gallows on 4 tall tripod supports resting on a platform of blocks. At the top is a horizontal pole with an orange wire cage with a man in red frock coat suspended at the end. Five black crows fly near or rest on it. In the top joint is a sign with Fraktur text. In the bottom two thirds of the sheet is a alrge block of Fraktur text, a horizontal line, then 2 column, each with 13 sets of 2 line stanzas.
    Dimensions
    overall: Height: 16.750 inches (42.545 cm) | Width: 13.250 inches (33.655 cm)
    Materials
    overall : paper, ink

    Rights & Restrictions

    Conditions on Access
    No restrictions on access
    Conditions on Use
    No restrictions on use

    Keywords & Subjects

    Administrative Notes

    Provenance
    The print was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2016 by the Katz Family.
    Funding Note
    The cataloging of this artifact has been supported by a grant from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.
    Special Collection
    Katz Ehrenthal Collection
    Record last modified:
    2022-07-28 18:30:21
    This page:
    https:​/​/collections.ushmm.org​/search​/catalog​/irn538869

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