Bruce Calvert
2008-02-28 15:00:59 UTC
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/02/27/nchaplin127.xml
Nazi propaganda book targeted Charlie Chaplin
Last Updated: 1:32pm GMT 27/02/2008
A rare book of Nazi propaganda which lists legendary comedian Charlie
Chaplin as a "pseudo-Jew" will go under the hammer next month.
The black book, Juden Sehen Dich An (The Jews are Watching You), is
one of the most notorious works of anti-Semitic propaganda, listing Jewish
figures throughout the world, including Albert Einstein.
The book was written by Dr Johann von Leers, who was regarded as one
of the most atrocious anti-Jewish propagandists of the Nazi regime.
It was published in Berlin in the 1930s and is made up of 95 pages
which include the names of activists, bankers, economists, journalists,
academics and performers.
Auctioneer Richard Westwood-Brookes said: "The book aims to attack
leading Jews worldwide, warning the German people that these people, were
forming an international network aimed at world domination.
"Each leading Jew is featured with a photograph and a pen portrait,
but by far the most remarkable and bizarre aspect of this book is the
inclusion of Charlie Chaplin.
"It's unusual to see Charlie Chaplin amongst the others listed, as far
as I know he wasn't a Jew, so to include him in it, they saw him as a big
threat.
"He was slap bang in the middle, everyone knows who he is.
"He is attacked in a section named 'Artistic Jews', with the
suggestion that he was of Jewish origin and therefore a pseudo-Jew."
In 1940, Chaplin directed and starred in 'The Great Dictator' which
was described as an act of defiance against Hitler and Nazism.
Chaplin played the role of a Nazi-like dictator "Adenoid Hynkel",
Dictator of Tomainia, clearly modelled on Hitler.
Film Historian, Kevin Brownlow said Chaplin was once sent a copy of
the book and made the film in response to seeing himself on the "hit-list".
Mr Brownlow said: "The Nazis mistakenly thought he was Jewish because
Chaplin never denied it.
"He was sent a copy of this book and it is widely believed that this
led to him to make the film, The Great Dictator as an act of defiance."
Mr Brownlow added how the picture of Chaplin which was used in the
book was chosen as it was the one where he looked least like Adolf Hitler.
Mr Westwood Brookes, added: "Chaplin must have feared for his life
when he saw the book because the majority of the people in this book were
exterminated by the Nazis.
"These pieces of history serve as a reminder of what happened and what
could have happened.
The book goes under the hammer at Mullocks Auctioneers on March 6 at
Ludlow Racecourse, Shropshire, and it expected to fetch at least £100.
Nazi propaganda book targeted Charlie Chaplin
Last Updated: 1:32pm GMT 27/02/2008
A rare book of Nazi propaganda which lists legendary comedian Charlie
Chaplin as a "pseudo-Jew" will go under the hammer next month.
The black book, Juden Sehen Dich An (The Jews are Watching You), is
one of the most notorious works of anti-Semitic propaganda, listing Jewish
figures throughout the world, including Albert Einstein.
The book was written by Dr Johann von Leers, who was regarded as one
of the most atrocious anti-Jewish propagandists of the Nazi regime.
It was published in Berlin in the 1930s and is made up of 95 pages
which include the names of activists, bankers, economists, journalists,
academics and performers.
Auctioneer Richard Westwood-Brookes said: "The book aims to attack
leading Jews worldwide, warning the German people that these people, were
forming an international network aimed at world domination.
"Each leading Jew is featured with a photograph and a pen portrait,
but by far the most remarkable and bizarre aspect of this book is the
inclusion of Charlie Chaplin.
"It's unusual to see Charlie Chaplin amongst the others listed, as far
as I know he wasn't a Jew, so to include him in it, they saw him as a big
threat.
"He was slap bang in the middle, everyone knows who he is.
"He is attacked in a section named 'Artistic Jews', with the
suggestion that he was of Jewish origin and therefore a pseudo-Jew."
In 1940, Chaplin directed and starred in 'The Great Dictator' which
was described as an act of defiance against Hitler and Nazism.
Chaplin played the role of a Nazi-like dictator "Adenoid Hynkel",
Dictator of Tomainia, clearly modelled on Hitler.
Film Historian, Kevin Brownlow said Chaplin was once sent a copy of
the book and made the film in response to seeing himself on the "hit-list".
Mr Brownlow said: "The Nazis mistakenly thought he was Jewish because
Chaplin never denied it.
"He was sent a copy of this book and it is widely believed that this
led to him to make the film, The Great Dictator as an act of defiance."
Mr Brownlow added how the picture of Chaplin which was used in the
book was chosen as it was the one where he looked least like Adolf Hitler.
Mr Westwood Brookes, added: "Chaplin must have feared for his life
when he saw the book because the majority of the people in this book were
exterminated by the Nazis.
"These pieces of history serve as a reminder of what happened and what
could have happened.
The book goes under the hammer at Mullocks Auctioneers on March 6 at
Ludlow Racecourse, Shropshire, and it expected to fetch at least £100.
--
Bruce Calvert
--
Visit the Silent Film Still Archive
http://www.silentfilmstillarchive.com
Bruce Calvert
--
Visit the Silent Film Still Archive
http://www.silentfilmstillarchive.com