Jew Suss: Rise and Fall

In the late 1930s Ferdinand Marian's film career is on the rise as Nazi propaganda circles take notice. Joseph Goebbels personally selects him for the title role in the anti-Semitic epic Jud Süß, seeing him as a perfect vehicle for state messaging. Marian initially resists, but the lure of fame sways his decision to join the project.

Though initially reluctant, Marian is drawn by the prospect of screen immortality and steady work. He finally accepts the role, recognizing the opportunities the project could bring. The decision marks the turning point in his public career.

Under Veit Harlan’s direction, Marian's temperament grows tense on set, straining his marriage to Anna. The pressures of fame and the rehearsals for Jud Süß drive a wedge between him and his wife. The atmosphere behind the scenes foreshadows the moral conflict to come.

Jud Süß premieres at the Venice Film Festival in early September 1940, signaling its international debut. The film quickly garners attention and legitimizes Marian as a leading star of the regime’s cinema. The audience reaction cements his public association with the portrayal of Süß Oppenheimer.

Shortly after the Venice premiere, Jud Süß opens in German cinemas and reaches millions of viewers. Marian becomes a household name tied to the infamous character. The heavy publicity accelerates his career but also deepens the risks of his complicity with Nazi propaganda.

As the film’s success grows, Marian is publicly identified with the real-life figure of Süß Oppenheimer. The notoriety brings further acting offers, complicating his personal and moral life. The line between actor and persecuted historical figure blurs in the public eye.

With the Nazi regime tightening its grip, Marian becomes increasingly aware of the danger around him. He watches many colleagues flee into exile rather than face persecution. The atmosphere of fear colors his decisions and personal relationships.

Wilhelm Adolf Deutscher is secretly hidden in Marian’s garden house, posing as a gardener. He is betrayed to Marian’s friend Lutz by the household servant Britta, a betrayal that stains Marian’s private life and undermines trust at home. The incident deepens Marian's moral conflict and sense of danger.

To cope with mounting pressure and guilt, Marian turns to alcohol and begins an affair with the Czech actress Vlasta. This secret liaison adds another layer of personal turmoil and risk to his already precarious standing with the regime. The double life gnaws at him from within.

Goebbels tries to gain leverage over Marian by deporting Anna, hoping to destabilize him. The scheme backfires, worsening Marian’s personal situation and highlighting the regime’s overreach. Anna’s fate and Marian’s resentful response amplify the couple’s struggle.

As the regime collapses, Marian finds himself unable to return to the screen due to his involvement in Jud Süß. Many colleagues vanish from the public eye as cinema’s power wanes. The film’s life cycle and his career become inseparable from the downfall of the Nazi system.

Marian learns that Anna has died, a bitter turn that rips into his personal life. The revelation compounds his grief and sense of isolation as the war ends. The loss leaves a permanent ache behind the actor’s already tortured conscience.

Marian discovers Vlasta is involved with an American soldier, pushing him toward a breaking point. The disillusionment with both the war and personal betrayals reaches a culmination. The strain of these revelations finally pushes him toward a drastic decision.

In a final act of desperation, Marian drives his car into a fatal crash, bringing a controversial chapter of film history to a close. The tragedy mirrors the collapse of the regime and the personal ruin left in its wake.