[November 4, 2025] In Germany during the post World War I era, a number of Nazi propaganda films were produced to blame Jews for the poor condition of the German peoples. The film is roughly an hour long and worth watching (with translation to English) with a link here. The 1940 Nazi film, Der Ewige Jude [The Eternal Jew] is a classic propaganda piece that we can use to learn some important lessons.
Der Ewige Jude, 1940 Nazi Poster
We can argue, I think with reasonableness, that the film was produced to politicize the philosophical idea of “order and purity,” a social good worth fighting for, as opposed to “chaos and disgust.” What many Nazi scholars have noted is that the idea of the Hitlerian form of fascism wasn’t based on any clear intellectual set of ideas; unlike Communism, which is based on Karl Marx’s economic oppressor/oppressed narrative. However, this lack of a foundation certainly did not make fascism any less dangerous.
Adolf Hitler was good at using the “disease” imagery of Jews in ghettos, living in filth, and offering little of value to the German Motherland. With his oratorical skills, he fired people up to hate the Jews. This hate of the Jews would develop something deep within the human psyche. This is where graphic images come together with the proclivity to the emotion of disgust, and Hitler connected it to the rejection of those who live under such “pathological” conditions.
Der Ewige Jude begins with dramatic music (much like modern horror films today) as background to emphasize the seriousness of the propaganda message.
“The campaign in Poland gave us the opportunity to really get to know the Jewish people. Nearly four million Jews live here in Poland. But they won’t be found among the rural population. Nor have they suffered from the chaos of war, as have the native Poles. They set it out [the war] indifferently in the gloomy streets of the Polish ghetto. Within an hour of the German occupation [of a conquered Poland], they were back in business.” – translated introduction to Der Ewige Jude, 1940.
The dramatic music gets louder and more ominous; often with no narration. The videographic images show “ugly” Jews in Poland with many layers of clothes, walking in the crowded streets of the ghetto, where the chaos of the area assaults our senses. The statement that the Polish Jews were “back in business” after German occupation implies that the Jews were taking advantage of the occupation and were affected little by the war.
“Our eyes are sharpened by our experience in the last few decades. Unlike in 1914, we no longer see the most grotesque and comical like these questionable ghetto figures. This time, we recognize that there is a plague here; a plague that threatens the health of the Aryan peoples.”
What we have here is an attempt to tie together the Jews to the idea of economic parasites; a term used often later in the film. There is also the idea that trade, at least among the Jews, is somehow contaminated and takes advantage of those receiving the goods during any exchange with a Jew. The film narration says that mercantilism adds little value to a society and elevates those who work on farms and occupations involving the manual use of their hands.
“Jews have a lack of ability to be civilized. In plain language, Jewish dwellings are filthy and neglected. These Jews aren’t at all poor. After decades of business, they’ve hoarded enough to acquire decent, comfortable homes. But they live for generations in the same, bug-ridden dwellings.”
Again, the idea that Jews are filthy, hoarders, and diseased. What Dr. Jordan Peterson says about this film, is that a producer could have replaced the music and narration and turned it into a “call to compassion for these Jews,” as opposed to contempt and extermination. Using the victimized population narrative, Dr. Peterson notes that this is certainly an alternative view of the film where compassion is invoked instead of hatred.
“One might regard these haggling children as a sign of great poverty and it becomes clear that they’re proud to act as their grownups do. [imagery of Jewish children] These young people don’t have the idealism that ours do. With them, the egoism of the individual is not in the service of higher common goals. Instead, Jewish morality in stark contradiction of the Aryan concept of ethics proclaims the unrestrained egoism of every Jew to be divine law.”
In the next part of the film, there is a graphic showing a globe showing the expansion of the migration of the Jewish peoples; a metaphor of a spreading disease. The continuing theme of order (Germans) versus chaos (Jews) is emphasized as the film progresses. Here, order is associated with what’s good, honest labor, purity, and health. Chaos is associated with decay, disgust, impurity, and trade. The connection between the expansion of Jews and the simultaneous growth of trade in the Jewish areas of Eastern Europe and the Middle East is visual and clear.
The biological disease aspect of the film and the disgust association is tightly woven into the fabric of Der Ewige Jude. Those associations can be propanganized and have a powerful appeal. The only possible way of resisting such propagandizing, and avoiding the temptation of allowing the complex issues of our times to be reduced to principles that are too simple (and to do them justice), is difficult.
Many of us are temperamentally drawn to this kind of propaganda. We can see it today in the “Free Palestine” movement and others. These are powerful ideas, not easily resisted but necessary to learn from them and not be drawn into their fold or become a willing partner in the destruction of Western values and anti-Christian teachings.
Dr. Peterson says this is dreadful and we, as a Western country, are not out of the woods yet. We see in Europe and in the U.S. increasingly calls to support nation-level damaging efforts that can get out of hand quickly. It is a bad idea to allow such notions to politically swing too far because all hell breaks loose when we do that. And, that is a symptom of the BLM, Antifa, neo-Marxist, free Palestine movements.
I highly recommend watching and learning lessons from Der Ewige Jude, 1940
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Such films should be regular viewing at the HS level of education with someone familiar with the Nazi ideology and propaganda. I find that too many people fall for all sorts of propaganda, and they do it willingly and with their eyes open. Now, that may say something about people that is not pleasant, but I’m putting my name on the line for it. People can be dumb and that we have the freedom to be dumb is okay.
HORRIBLE (the Nazi Film)
Well, I would say Jasime, that it is certainly “horrible” but only in hindsight. I see alot of mass media propaganda by Leftsits who sit in positions of power in the West, esp in Canada and Europe yet also the US. And, they have propagandized so much that it is hard to start anywhere that is not crazy, but I will: propaganda on abortion, communism & socialism, conservatives, Christians, family, etc. Let’s be clear, the Leftsits are on a path to destroy the West and we are voting them in. Just remember that it is easy to vote yourself into communism/socialism, but you have to fight ur way out.
Jerome, you nailed it. LOL.
Erica Billingsly here, new to this leader blog. I was somewhat shocked by this article on Jews prior to WW2. This gives some of the pychological effects that I’d not thought about.
Gen. Satterfield, it’s kind of difficult to express my thoughts on this obvious propaganda film but what scares me is that propaganda has become much more sophisticated and impactful. Just look at all the young, mostly fat and lonely, young American women, and who are in the LGBT crowd, who are “protesting” for Palestine and to free the Palestinians. Well, that is a hoot. If they were in Gaza, they would the stoned to death or thrown off the top of a building. This is how ignorant they are. Women, too bad we haven’t yet figured out our role yet, in society.
Well said, Janna. The contradictions for these Leftist women keep piling up.
Sir, you hit a home run with this subject. People think they can easily “see” propaganda. Wrong. Proof is BLM and antifa.
Gen. Satterfield, thank you for the courage to do an analysis on this Nazi propaganda film. For most people, the topic is too politically and socially “hot” to touch. We all need reminders of what not to do, as you say often. And this is why many readers have commented below that a communist will soon be the mayor of America’s most successful city. They need to relearn what suffering is all about, and they are about to get it hard and fast.
Today is Election Day and Americans have a stark but easy choice between the Socialists and Freedom. Choose wisely. As a former NewYorker, it took me about 10 seconds to realize this guy is a loon. The people who vote for him can only want more giveaways, more no bail and less policing. The far left elite and the criminal element are going to make the city sink into the surrounding waters. The day after Election Day anyone not in the foregoing categories should leave. Even if he loses, Cuomo won’t be much better. And the Democrats, the losers who decided that Cuomo was a good second choice … couldn’t even muster the votes for the nomination. Then in order to try to make it an option for independents, are telling everyone Sliwa must drop out. Offer the people a horrible choice and they’ll pick the worse …
Sure is easy to pick the most pretty candidate. Elections have consequences. Just call me crazy.
Lessons of the past are often forgotten if not regularly proven wrong by those who know the world and are worldly.
In a sign that America and the West have not learn old lessons of the past by fiddling with Nazis and Communists, comes on the heels of New York City dithering with their freedoms.
All signs point to the election of Zohran Mamdani as the mayor of New York City tomorrow. The New York Post makes a valiant last stand against him in the editorial “20 reasons to vote against NYC mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani.” However, 750,000 votes have reportedly been cast in early voting before election day and the opposition to Mamdani is both divided and weak.
https://nypost.com/2025/11/02/us-news/20-reasons-to-vote-against-nyc-mayoral-frontrunner-zohran-mamdani/
Remember: Stupid is as stupid does. Ok, somebody said it.
communism is evil it sucks
Wow, just Wow. Thanks, Gen. Satterfield. You bad we have to relearn old lessons.
* too bad
Gen. Satterfield, I know you are not a film critic, but do have a tab on reviewed films but this is very different from what you’ve published before on movies. Thanks for this review and the symbology. The Nazis and Communists go all in on symbolism. Why? That is because their arguments for their ideology does not work on most people; folks are just smarter than to be taken in by promises of free stuff all the time. Now, New Yorkers are so smart. At least we will find out tomorrow after today’s mayoral election where a Communist Muslim is running as mayor. Will New York City go Communist? Well, I know that Gen. Satterfield says they should try it, if for no other reason than to show them how bad Communism can be.
Making history’: Mamdani to voters on election eve as Trump backs Cuomo
Supporters say Mamdani on precipice of historic victory in New York City, but some voters say they are still undecided.
Aljazeera News is pro Mamdani. They love Nazis.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/11/4/leave-everything-out-there-mamdani-tells-supporters-on-nyc-election-eve