The “Zeus” by Feuchtwanger in a brief summary
The action takes place in the first half of the XVIII century. in the German Duchy of Württemberg. Isaac Simon Aandauer, the court banker of the Duke of Eberhard-Ludwig and his favorite Countess von Wurben, a rich man and very influential, has long been eyeing Josef Süss Oppenheimer, who works as a financier in various German courts and has earned the reputation of an intelligent man. Landauer is impressed by Suess’s business acumen, confident assertiveness and enterprise, even if somewhat adventurous. However, the old man does not like the stressed dignity of his young colleague, his claims to aristocratism, his passion for ostentatious luxury. Suess from the new generation of businessmen, and it seems to him that Landauer’s ridiculous adherence to the Old Testament Jewish habits, his unpresentable appearance – these eternal lapserdak, yarmulka, peys. What money is needed for, if you do not pay them to honor, luxury, houses, rich outfits, horses, women. And the old
Ebergard-Ludwig finally decides to resign the Countess von Würten, their relationship lasted about thirty years and became a very definite fact of German and European politics. The Countess all these years unceremoniously interfered in the affairs of government and was characterized by excessive greed, than she gained universal hatred. Courtiers and members of parliament, ministers of various European households, the Prussian king himself exhorted the Duke to break with her, to reconcile with Johann Elizabeth, to give the country and himself a second heir. But even the disgraced countess is rampaging, her future is fully insured – thanks to the efforts of Landauer, her finances are in better condition than that of any sovereign prince.
Karl-Alexander treats Suess with friendliness, but, it happens, he also makes a rough laugh at him. A huge impression on the prince is the meeting with Uncle Suess, Rabbi Gabriel, Kabbalist, Veshchun. He predicts that Karl-Alexander will become the owner of the prince’s crown, but the prophecy seems incredible, because the cousin and his eldest son are alive.
Rabbi Gabrielle brings to Württemberg the daughter of Suess – fourteen-year-old Noemi and settles with her in a secluded little house in Girsau. On the journey of Suess, there were many women, but only one left a trailing trace in his soul. In that Dutch town, he recognized the real feeling, but the beloved soon died, giving him a daughter.
There is a marriage of Karl-Alexander with Princess Maria-Augusta, who shows favor to the pleasant and gallant court Jew.- Karl-Alexander goes to the Catholic faith, which causes a shock in Württemberg – the stronghold of Protestantism. And soon the prediction of Rabbi Gabriel comes true, he becomes the ruler of the duchy. He considers the remaining power as a source of satisfaction of his own selfish thoughts. Suess, when necessary, knows how to show adulation and obsequiousness, he is a fighter on the tongue, distinguished by the sharpness of his mind. The financial adviser of the duke, his first confidant, skillfully inflates the ambition of his master, indulges his whims and desires. He readily succumbs to the sweetheart-duke of the daughter of the Hirsau prelate Weissense Magdalen-Sibylla, although he knows that the girl without a memory is in love with him. And in vain it is so tragic to perceive what happened – henceforth in front of the stupid provincial opens a wide road. Suess earns funds for the maintenance of the court, army, princely designs and entertainment, holds in his hands the threads of public and private interests. All new taxes are introduced, shameless trade in posts and titles is going on, the country suffocates from endless fees and duties.
A dazzling career is performed by Suess, and in fact his father was a comedian, his mother a singer, but his grandfather is a pious, respected cantor. Now Suess wants at all costs to get the nobility. Concentrated in his hands the fullness of power no longer satisfies him, he wants to officially take the place of the first minister. Of course, if he were baptized, everything would be settled in one day. But for him it is a matter of honor to receive the highest post in the duchy, remaining a Jew. In addition, he intends to marry a Portuguese lady, a very wealthy widow, who made it a condition for them to receive the nobility. But on the way to this there are obstacles.
The ascent to wealth and power is accompanied by hatred and disgust. “Under the former duke, the country is a whore’s rule,” the people say, “and under the present rule, the Jew rules.” Resentment, ignorance, superstition pave the way for an outburst of persecution of Jews. The reason is the trial of Ezekiel Zeligman, who was falsely accused of infanticide. Isaac Landauer, and then the deputation of the Jewish community ask Suess to help, so that innocent blood is not spilled. Suess prefers not to interfere, to maintain strict neutrality, which causes their disapproval. Ungrateful, Suess thinks of the coreligionists, because everywhere he sought for them indulgence, besides, he already sacrificed so by not renouncing Jewry. But he really wants to justify himself in the eyes of his daughter, to whom evil, painful rumors about his father reached, and he begs the Duke for assistance. Karl-Alexander asked not to bother him, he had already been sent to the whole empire as a Jewish henchman, but at his order the defendant was being released. Suess boasts of how he will be extolled and praised in the Jewish world, but then learns from his mother that his father was not Comedian Issachar Suess, but Georg-Ebergaard von Geidersdorf, Baron and Field Marshal. He is by birth a Christian and a noble, though illegitimate.
At the court intrigues are twisting, the plan of subordination of Württemberg to Catholic influence is developed. Activates the enemies of Suess, intending to start against him a criminal case on charges of fraudulent scams, but there is no evidence. A ridiculous slander, prompted by impotent envy and frenzied malice, resents Karl-Alexander. While Suess is away, Weissense, who dreams of besieging a bloated Jew, brings the duke to Girsau, promising a pleasant surprise. He shows the house where Suess hides a beautiful daughter from prying eyes. Trying to avoid the voluptuous harassment of the duke, Noemi rushes from the roof and breaks. Her death is a terrible blow to Suess, he is plotting a refined revenge for the duke. When he tries to organize an absolutist conspiracy, Suess betrays him, and, unable to survive the collapse of hopes and far-reaching plans, the duke dies of a blow. But Suess does not experience the expected satisfaction, his scores with the duke, the skillfully erected building of revenge and celebration are all lies and delusion. He suggests that the leaders of the conspiracy arrest him to avoid persecution and possible retribution themselves. And now the former companions, still respectful and obsequious, zealously shield themselves, presenting the case in such a way that there was only one criminal and oppressor, the instigator of all distemper, the cause of all ills, the inspirer of all evil.
Almost a year is spent by Suess in custody while the investigation on his case lasts. He becomes gray, hunched, like an old rabbi. Transfigured by personal grief, he comes to deny the action, during the time of suffering he learned the wisdom of contemplation, the importance of moral perfection. Honest and fair lawyer Johann-Daniel Garchpuhg, despite all the hostility to Suess, reports to the regent duke Carl-Rudolf of Neuenstadt that it was important for the commission of inquiry to condemn not a scammer, but a Jew. Let the Jew be hanged more illegally than he will survive by law and continue to excite the country, the duke believes. Under the joyful screams and hooting of the crowd, Suess in an iron cage is jerked to the gallows.
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)