The Oppenheim Family
"The tragedy of one family becomes the tragedy of a nation"
Plot
The Oppenheim Family follows the tragic story of a wealthy Jewish banking family in Germany during the rise of the Nazi regime in the early 1930s. Martin Oppenheim, the patriarch, is a respected banker who has served Germany loyally for decades, but his family becomes targets of increasing anti-Semitic persecution as Hitler consolidates power. The film depicts how the family members face escalating discrimination, loss of their business, social ostracism, and physical attacks from Nazi supporters. As the oppression intensifies, family members are arrested, their property is confiscated, and they are forced to confront the destruction of their once-comfortable lives. The film concludes with the family's complete ruin, serving as a microcosm of the broader tragedy befalling German society and European Jewry under fascism.
About the Production
The film was shot entirely at Mosfilm Studios in Moscow with constructed sets to represent 1930s Germany. Director Grigoriy Roshal worked closely with Soviet authorities to ensure the film's anti-fascist message aligned with official Soviet propaganda goals. The production faced challenges in recreating authentic German settings while working within Soviet cinematic constraints. The film was one of the first major Soviet productions to directly address Nazi persecution of Jews, making it politically sensitive both domestically and internationally.
Historical Background
The Oppenheim Family was produced during one of the most tumultuous periods in Soviet and world history. In 1938, the Soviet Union was in the midst of Stalin's Great Purge, a period of extreme political repression that saw millions arrested, exiled, or executed. Despite this internal terror, the Soviet government was also increasingly concerned about the rise of fascism in Europe, particularly Nazi Germany. The film was part of a broader Soviet cultural campaign to warn about the dangers of fascism and to position the USSR as the primary bulwark against its spread. Feuchtwanger's novel, published shortly after Hitler came to power, was particularly valuable to Soviet propagandists as it was written by a respected German author and provided an authentic German perspective on Nazi atrocities. The film's release came just months before the Munich Agreement and the subsequent division of Czechoslovakia, events that demonstrated the failure of appeasement policies and validated the Soviet warning about fascist expansion. Interestingly, after the signing of the German-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact in 1939, the film was withdrawn from Soviet circulation as it no longer aligned with the new political reality of Soviet-German cooperation.
Why This Film Matters
The Oppenheim Family holds significant importance in cinema history as one of the first feature films to directly address Nazi persecution of Jews. While Hollywood was largely avoiding the topic due to censorship concerns and fear of offending European markets, Soviet cinema took on the subject with this adaptation. The film represents an early example of using a family saga to illustrate broader political and social upheaval, a narrative technique that would become common in later Holocaust cinema. As a Soviet interpretation of a German-Jewish tragedy, it also demonstrates the complex international dimensions of anti-fascist cultural production in the 1930s. The film's existence challenged the widespread silence about Nazi anti-Semitism in mainstream cinema of the period and helped establish visual and narrative conventions that would influence later films about the Holocaust. Its production also highlighted the Soviet Union's role, despite its own internal repressions, in producing some of the earliest cinematic warnings about Nazi crimes.
Making Of
The production of 'The Oppenheim Family' was a complex undertaking that required careful navigation of both artistic and political considerations. Director Grigoriy Roshal, who had established himself as a specialist in literary adaptations, spent months researching the period and working with screenwriters to adapt Feuchtwanger's massive novel into a feature-length film. The casting process was particularly challenging, as Roshal sought actors who could convincingly portray German characters while speaking Russian. Vladimir Balashov, who played one of the central roles, underwent extensive preparation to understand the cultural and historical context of his character. The film's production design team created detailed reproductions of German interiors, bank offices, and street scenes, often working from photographs and descriptions provided by German émigrés who had fled to the Soviet Union. The musical score, composed by a Soviet composer unfamiliar with German musical traditions of the period, required extensive research to achieve authenticity. Throughout the production, Roshal had to balance artistic integrity with the demands of Soviet cultural officials who wanted the film to serve as effective anti-fascist propaganda.
Visual Style
The cinematography of The Oppenheim Family, while not extensively documented, was typical of Soviet dramatic productions of the late 1930s. The visual style emphasized dramatic contrast between the family's initial prosperity and their later persecution, using lighting and composition to underscore the emotional journey of the characters. The film employed deep focus photography to capture the detailed period sets representing 1930s Germany. Camera work was generally static and formal, reflecting the influence of Soviet montage theory while adapting to the more narrative-driven requirements of a family drama. The cinematographer worked to create a visual language that would communicate the oppressive atmosphere of Nazi Germany to Soviet audiences who had never experienced such a society. Night scenes and sequences of persecution used dramatic chiaroscuro lighting to enhance the sense of danger and moral darkness.
Innovations
The Oppenheim Family did not introduce major technical innovations but demonstrated solid craftsmanship in several areas. The production design was particularly noteworthy for its detailed recreation of 1930s German interiors and street scenes, achieved through extensive research and skilled artisanship. The film's makeup effects for showing the physical deterioration and injuries of persecuted characters were advanced for Soviet cinema of the period. The sound recording quality was above average for Soviet productions of 1938, with clear dialogue reproduction that was essential for the film's complex narrative. The film also demonstrated effective use of location-style shooting within the studio environment, creating a sense of authenticity in its representation of German settings. While not technically groundbreaking, the film represented a high level of technical proficiency for Soviet cinema of its era.
Music
The musical score for The Oppenheim Family was composed to support the film's dramatic narrative and anti-fascist message. While the specific composer is not well-documented, the music followed Soviet conventions of the period, using leitmotifs to represent different characters and emotional states. The score incorporated elements that Soviet audiences would associate with German culture, but modified them to suggest the corruption of that culture under Nazi rule. Musical cues were particularly important during scenes of persecution and family tragedy, helping to convey the emotional weight of the narrative. The soundtrack also included diegetic music representing the cultural world of the Oppenheim family before their persecution, including classical music performances that highlighted their assimilation into German society. The overall musical approach was more conventional and less experimental than some Soviet productions of the era, reflecting the film's focus on narrative clarity and emotional accessibility.
Famous Quotes
'We are Germans first, Jews second,' - Martin Oppenheim defending his family's patriotism
'When they come for one of us, they come for all of us,' - warning about Nazi persecution
'This is not Germany anymore, this is something else entirely,' - character observing social changes
'Money cannot buy you safety when madness rules the streets,' - commentary on social collapse
Memorable Scenes
- The family dinner where they first learn of the Nazi boycott against Jewish businesses
- The scene of the bank being seized by Nazi authorities
- The arrest of family members during Kristallnacht-style violence
- The final scene showing the abandoned family home, symbolizing their complete ruin
Did You Know?
- This was the first film adaptation of Lion Feuchtwanger's novel 'Die Geschwister Oppenheim' (The Oppenheim Family), published in 1933
- Director Grigoriy Roshal was known for his literary adaptations and had previously worked on films based on works by Gogol and Dostoevsky
- The film was made during Stalin's Great Purge, a time of extreme political repression in the Soviet Union
- Feuchtwanger, the original author, was a left-wing writer who visited the Soviet Union and maintained friendly relations with Soviet cultural authorities
- The film's release coincided with the Munich Agreement and increasing tensions in Europe leading to WWII
- Soviet censors initially had concerns about the film's focus on Jewish persecution but ultimately approved it as anti-fascist propaganda
- The film was rarely shown outside the Soviet Union due to its political content and the deteriorating international situation
- Many of the film's sets and costumes were meticulously researched to accurately portray 1930s Germany
- The film was one of relatively few Soviet productions of the 1930s to deal directly with the rise of Nazism
- After the German-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact of 1939, the film was withdrawn from circulation in the USSR
What Critics Said
Contemporary Soviet critics praised the film for its powerful anti-fascist message and its faithful adaptation of Feuchtwanger's important work. Reviews in Soviet newspapers emphasized the film's educational value in exposing the true nature of Nazi ideology to Soviet audiences. Some critics, however, expressed concern that the film's focus on a wealthy bourgeois family might not fully align with Soviet class principles, though these concerns were generally overridden by the film's anti-fascist utility. International reception was limited due to the film's Soviet origin and the political tensions of the period. In later years, film historians have recognized The Oppenheim Family as an important early work in what would become Holocaust cinema, though some have criticized it for propagandistic elements typical of Soviet productions of the era. Modern scholars particularly value the film as evidence of early Soviet awareness of and opposition to Nazi anti-Semitic policies.
What Audiences Thought
The Oppenheim Family generated significant interest among Soviet audiences in 1938, as many were concerned about the growing threat of fascism in Europe. The film's dramatic story of family persecution resonated with viewers who were themselves experiencing political repression under Stalin. Audience turnout was reportedly strong in major Soviet cities, though the film's distribution was limited compared to more typical Soviet entertainment productions. After the German-Soviet pact of 1939, the film was abruptly pulled from theaters, leaving many viewers confused about the sudden shift in political messaging. In the post-war period, the film was occasionally shown in special screenings but never achieved wide distribution. Today, the film is largely unknown to general audiences but is studied by film scholars and historians interested in early cinematic representations of Nazi persecution.
Awards & Recognition
- None recorded - Soviet award systems were limited in 1938 and this film's political sensitivity may have affected its consideration
Film Connections
Influenced By
- Lion Feuchtwanger's novel 'Die Geschwister Oppenheim'
- Soviet socialist realist cinema
- German expressionist film techniques
- Earlier Soviet anti-fascist films
This Film Influenced
- Later Soviet films about WWII
- Post-war Holocaust cinema
- Films about family survival under oppression
You Might Also Like
Film Restoration
The preservation status of The Oppenheim Family is uncertain but believed to be incomplete. Like many Soviet films of the 1930s, it likely suffered from neglect during WWII and the post-war period. Some sources suggest that copies may exist in the Russian State Film Archive (Gosfilmofond), but the film is not widely available for viewing. The political sensitivity of the film, particularly after the German-Soviet pact and later during periods of Soviet anti-Semitism, may have contributed to its poor preservation. No known restoration efforts have been undertaken, and the film remains largely inaccessible to modern audiences except through occasional archival screenings.