Max Nivelli

This 1919 film was made with the intention of educating the public on the dangers of anti-Semitism in general and blood libel in particular and was marketed as an "enlightenment film" (Aufklärungsfilm). Following the end of World War I, Jewish immigration into Western Europe increased and a surge in anti-Semitism and xenophobia was felt all over Germany. The term "Jewish question" (die Judenfrage) became a popular topic in German society and the issue of intimate relations between Germans and Jews, which until then was considered a taboo, was also raised.[24]

The film portrays a violent attack against Jews ("Pogrom") in a village in the Russian Empire, when rumors of a ritual murder spread following the disappearance of a little girl. According to the rumors, the murder was committed by the leader of the Jewish community. A Russian student, who is in love with the leader's daughter, prevents the mob from stoning him to death. When the girl is finally found safe and sound, the conspiracy to incriminate the Jews with a blood libel is exposed, but it comes too late for the leader's daughter, who is fatally wounded in one of the attacks. Her father and the student unite in their vow to fight against the prejudice which led to this tragedy.[25]

The film's premiere was a glittering event attended by film critics from all major newspapers, as well as celebrities from the literary and artistic scene in Berlin.[26] The screening was received with loud applause.[27] Newspaper reviews described the film as "a masterpiece",[28] "one of the best films to be produced so far"[29] and as "a film where the hero is not a specific person but a whole nation".[30] Max Nivelli was portrayed as the driving force of this project, by which "he succeeded in spreading his vision for enlightenment and the need to fight prejudice",[31] and in that "he can be considered as one of the monumental film producers of his time".[32] Within 6 weeks of the premiere, which at the time was considered a record, the film was sold worldwide and orders were already pouring in for his next planned project with Delmont - the film "Humanity Unleashed".[33]

The film is an adaptation of a novel by the same name, written by Max Glass and published in 1919. In his novel, Glass described a dark world consumed by disease and war. The film makers decided to take the story to a more contemporary context and produced what was to become the first fictional account of the events of January 1919 in Berlin, the so-called “Spartacist Uprising”. This film is also considered one of the anti-Bolshevik films of that era.[34]

In the film, a group of workers starts a violent rebellion in an attempt to destroy the existing order, actions which almost lead to civil war. The film reflected the growing fear among the German public of political radicalization. This fear was not unfounded – while the film was still in production, there was another coup attempt (“Kapp Putsch”), this time by nationalist and monarchist factions. Reports in the press about the filming drew the attention of the government, sparking its concern about the effect the film might have on Germany's image abroad. The Foreign Office summoned Max Nivelli and asked him to allow their representative to view the film before its release. In June 1920 the film was approved by the censor but due to the sensitivity of the issue, "Nivo-Film" decided to wait.[34]

The premiere was held six months later and was attended by public figures and members of the government. Most film critics declared the film a success. The film was described as “an important historic document”,[35] “one of the best films in recent years”,[36] “captivating and realistic”.[37] Some even praised the courage demonstrated by the makers of the film, who dared to examine such a sensitive issue while memories of recent events were still fresh in the public's mind.[38] On the other hand, newspapers which represented socialist views, claimed that the workers were negatively portrayed and that the film's goal was to disseminate fear among the public.[39] From an artistic viewpoint, it was considered a groundbreaking film – 17,000 people were involved in its production [40] and it was said that “clear thematic direction, strong construction and emotional imagery give this film character and pace”.[41]