Munich Nutcracker Anti-semitic Caricature

Germany, 1930s… Frankly, anti-Semitic propaganda was instilled in the youngest children, in all aspects of their daily lives… These racial notions were even embedded in homes, with the blatant example of this nutcracker that was entrusted to me by a friend from Munich, who had it from his parents….. We see the caricature, as in newspapers and posters, with the exaggerated nose, the large ears, the peots, he is missing a kippah to complete the portrait. Wooden object, witness to an era that should not be relive… Papillotes or peots: The long hair of Orthodox Jewish men, especially those worn as a sign of religious respect, is called "papillotes" or "payess". This term refers to the locks of hair that are left on the sides of the head, generally behind the ears, and which are considered a sign of distinction and respect for the commandments of God. The term "payess harosh" is Hebrew and means "edges of the head.