Intermountain Jewish news., 1926-11-18
A Truly Epochal Novel
NoMer. Ry Lien FelehtWanger. Viking Prrss.


In ordinary circumstance the professional reviwer
of books has three adjectves in his Vocabulary which
uses for terseness good fair and bad Most books pub
shed be dismissed under of those general head
,ings. 1t Is true that there notable volumes
which merit higher classification. Power" by Lion
Feuchwanger easily enters the ranks of permanent lit
lerature. =
Any description of this powerful novel would neces-
sariy be adjectva Its merits that not
even the most famboyant adjectves would adequately
describe its charm its fascination, its craftsmanship
dts power
OF Jud Snesz
In the original German this volume took its name
from the central character, Jud Suesz Jud OPP
penheimer did not rise from the Ghetto But the fact
that he became right hand Karl Alexander, Duke
of Wurtemburg, in itself phenomenal-consdering
the fact that he was merely Jew, member of that
people which, matter of fact had right whatso
ever to reside in the Duchy. Oppenhemers relatives
were wealthy but his brother the Baron, had first to
renunciae his judaism before he received any nominal
social recognition.
"Power" is an epochal novel; The adjective Janus
faced 1t refers both to the content of the volume and
to its vast sweep Though oppenhemer dominates every
scene he is in reality but representative of his people
who sustained the Germany of the seventeenth century
land yet drained it to its very The financial
genius of the Jews contrved to keep the German courts
par with every other European country; that
financial genius gave birth to intensive cultivation of the
country for all its resources that financial genius
made life miserable and squad for most of the peasants
What Power!
Jud Suesz Oppenheimer sought for power, not that
inner, feeling of omnpotence but that outward
exhibit of mastery, which mpresses people and makes
them talk Most of the of his period
to their shameful gaberdnes they took pride in
their luxurious earlocSs Many of them stopped
their boards scrawny perhas their whole appear
exuded rringng, fawning, and self-effacement.
Suesz the modern He detested his fellow-Jews
who insisted remembering ancient torments who
olioquized done to their centuries ago,
who even took of pride blood bes and pogroms.
Suesz was sleek and well-kept His name and fame
alone betrayed his ancestry Though in astueness and
. cunning he outdone by none
Super-Gambing
No historian of the Jewish people has more <orcibly
than Feuchwanger explained why the Jews had to take
to moneylendng and what methods they compelled
to utilize But Oppenheimer not content with petty
usury He was dissatisfied with the farming out of
and excses In the intricate affairs of the Ducy
Of Wurtemburg he gambled on Karl Alexander, cousin
Ldwig Eberhard, reignng sensible, going Duke
who let his country and his wife to ruin while he paid
adequate attention to his mistress for thirty years
Karl Alexander a military man, brusque, good
hearted timorous in soul One day Rabbi Gabriel uncle
Suesz, prophesied that two things would happen to
Karl Alexander He foresaw that Alexander would be-
come Duke The second forecast he spoke of later, in
forming the Duke that his downfall would through
a woman Sues lavish with his money. He pro-
vided for everything Alexander would need. And finally
Rabbi Gabriel's prophecy was fulfilled.
/ Suesz became Karl Alexander's adviser in every
thing He took complete charge of the finances of the
Duchy and succeeded in mulcting everything possible
Aout of it. His Duke relied the jew to provide
everything expenses to women which Suesz
did, although he usually delivered secondhand wares to
His Grace.
Like Thomas Hardy
Feuchtwangers background of Destiny is as subtle
and as devastating as any of those of Hardys. The
particular incident which the catastrophe OF
"Power" hangs is reminiscent of Hardys method in