This early postwar suspense story, based on a well-known 1926 murder trial with Dreyfus-like overtones (see also I Accuse! and The Life of Emile Zola) represents an East German reflection on Nazism.

Dr. Blum, a Jewish manufacturer living in Germany, is falsely accused of killing his bookkeeper. Even when the real killer’s identity becomes evident, the state prosecutor refuses to accept Blum’s innocence. The film explores German reaction to the trial and investigates the relationship between the legal system, antisemitism, and fascism, providing insight into the historical context that allowed Nazism to flourish.

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The National Center For Jewish Film Brandeis University, Lown 102, MS053, Waltham MA 02454 P: (781) 899 7044, F: (781) 736 2070

The Affair Blum

East Germany, 1948, 109 minutes, B&W
German with English subtitles
Directed by Erich Engel

Public Exhibition 16mm Rental available