Description

München: Georg Müller, 1918. 195 by 125 mm (7¾ by 5 inches). Original wrappers; 142, [2] pp. In German. Very good plus. Prior owner’s name on inside cover and mild discoloration to title page.

Scarce true first edition, which appeared seven years prior to the novel. Feuchtwanger’s play was first performed on October 13, 1917. The story of Joseph Süß Oppenheimer had been the subject of a number of literary and dramatic treatments over the course of the past century, the earliest was Wilhelm Hauff’s 1827 novella. The most successful literary adaptation was Feuchtwanger’s. Feuchtwanger intended his portrayal of Süß not as an antisemitic slur but as a study of the tragedy caused by the human weaknesses of greed, pride, and ambition.

Provenance: Collection of Felix Guggenheim (1904–1976).

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