The Extraordinary Tale of Ziss Oppenheimer: A Condemned Man's Final Defiance

On February 4, 1738, ten thousand people gathered at the famous "Prague Saddle", a hill in the German city of Stuttgart. Below the hill, a grand gallows was erected, a wooden tower with 52 steps leading to the top.

A small figure dressed in red, the garb of the condemned, climbed the steps one by one, guided by two hooded executioners. Although signs of torture were apparent, the condemned man stopped on each step to declare, "Hashem is God," a total of 52 times!

So, who was this Jew who faced execution?

If we were to turn back the clock a few years to the palace of "Jew Suss" in Stuttgart, we wouldn't find many signs of spirituality. The castle operated like a typical German estate with feasting and revelry, devoid of modesty, where Shabbat was like any other day, characterized by frivolous spending, hunting trips, and without a trace of a yarmulke, Kiddush, or Shabbat candles.

Joseph Süsskind Oppenheimer began as a Jewish banker, achieving great success in his ventures. Non-Jews often couldn't fathom the Jewish mind and their success. On one occasion, he financially aided Duke Karl of Württemberg, which led to his integration into the German economy. Eventually, Suss was appointed as the Finance Minister of Württemberg, executing his role brilliantly with intricate economic reforms that propelled the state's wealth. Suss also became personally wealthy during this era, drifting significantly from his Jewish roots, living as a complete non-Jew.

Yet, during those days of prosperity, the common citizens did not benefit. The Duke and his noble friends, including Suss Oppenheimer, revelled in luxury, while the general populace seethed with anger. Yet again, the Jew was blamed for ruining the state.

In March 1737, Karl of Württemberg passed away, and on that very day, Suss Oppenheimer was arrested, initiating his trial. Though Suss wasn't a saint, his sham trial needed no genuine arguments, built instead on false testimony, inflated accusations, and torturous examinations. His death sentence came swiftly.

Clergymen flocked to his cell, aiming to convert him to Christianity, presuming he would be an easy spiritual target given his lifestyle. Yet, they misjudged. The Jewish flame was rekindled in Suss, and he scornfully rejected their offers. "I was born a Jew and I will die a Jew," he declared proudly.

Suss began praying three times a day, refused the prison food, choosing to eat only vegetables, and returned wholeheartedly to his faith. As he walked to the gallows, a clergyman again approached, suggesting he seek forgiveness. Suss spat on the ground and began reciting the Shema Yisrael, sanctifying Hashem in death if not in life.

His body was displayed in a hanging cage for seven years! The Germans dramatized his life, painting Jews as vile through plays about Suss Oppenheimer. Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi propaganda minister, produced a film titled "The Jew Suss" depicting Jews as the epitome of evil. Ironically, over a hundred actors in the film were Jews from the Theresienstadt camp, forced into roles by Goebbels and his allies. Twenty million Germans watched this Nazi propaganda. After the war, the film director, who was married to a Jewish woman, stood trial for "crimes against humanity" but was acquitted, having claimed coercion by the Nazis.