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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