The following is one of the earliest examples of prejudices in the play. The Andorrans believe, stereotypically, that Jews are greedy, unpopular, possess no emotion and only want to work with money. The Carpenter is forced to take Andri on, but he reproaches Andri for a piece of bad work, even though he knows that Andri has not done that piece purely to discrimate against him. He then forces him to work in the office, to work with money, saying that that was what “his sort” {Jews) has in his blood (“Das ist, was deinesgleichen im Blut hat…..du kannst Geld verdienen”{Page 32*}). Also, the Doctor says that the worst thing about “them” (Jews) is their ambition (“ich kenne den Jud….das Schlimme am Jud ist sein Ehrgeiz”{Page 40*}) and also said outright that he cannot stand Jews (Äuch ich habe Juden gerettet, obschon ich sie nicht reichen kann”{Page 40*})
The Andorrans make Andri into an outsider and blame him for being different. Because of this discrimination, Andri begins to gradually doubt himself (“vielleicht haben Sie recht” {Page 25/26*})
When the Teacher does not give Andri and Barblin his blessing on their engagement, Andri thinks that even his “adopted” father is just like the rest, and that the Teacher is saying that his being a Jew means that he is not good enough for his daughter. This leads to a confrontation where the Teacher exclaims “Jud! Jedes dritte Wort, keine Tag vergeht..”{Page 47*}. Thus implying that the Teacher is also suffering as a result of discrimination and racism from his townsfolk.
Most of the Andorrans openly persecute him and with this Andri begins to loose his identity. Due to this persecution, the Andorrans have turned Andri into a more serious, less self-confident, bitter person who wants to leave Andorra (“fühle ich mich in meinem Hass/ ich hasse ihr Land” {Page 52*}). Gradually, he assumes the characteristics associated with Jews- he saves money, counts coins and rubs his hands and begins to accept his role as “gesellschaftlicher Jude” (“Wenn sie sehen könnten wie sie recht haben;alle weil zähl ich meine Geld!” {Page 52*}/ “Um sieben muss ich im Laden sein, Stühle verkaufen, Tische verkaufen, Schränke verkaufen, meine Hände reiben” {Page 55/56*}). He completely identifies himself with the Jewish people and in the Nintes Bild, he has excepted his identity as a Jewish martyr (“Ich hab’s angenommen. Jetzt ist es an Euch, Hochwurden, euren Jude anzunehmen” {Page 99*}). Andri is not the only one subjected to prejudice in the play. Barblin, who has her head shaved as a Jew’s whore (“die Judenhure Barblin” {Page 125*}), shows that she too is a victim of anti-Semitism.
The important lesson in Andorra is that anti-Semitism has no justification-it is prejudice and destroys peoples lives by forcing people to doubt themselves and to become outsiders (such as Andri-even though he is not a Jew). Max Frisch, by use of epic-theatre, wants us to think about this on a larger scale-that we should not make images of other people. The Andorrans believe that they know what Andri is like. When they see him, they only see their image of a money-crazy, emotionless Jew, - and this image is made up of stereotypes and prejudices. They see a “typical” Jew in Andri and treat him according to this preconceived picture. They don’t see what he is really like and in the end, due to this, are the cause of his death. These images have terrible consequences, because Andri changes a lot because of them ( from the nice young man in the Erstes Bild to a bitter man in the Sechstes Bild*).
At the beginning of the play he is a normal, cheerful man engaged to Barblin, who wants to be a carpenter. But the Andorrans have made their image of Andri as a Jew. They constantly persecute him and impose their stereotypically expectations on him, and treat him unfairly by not allowing him to be the person that he really is. They force him into a set role, so that he eventually begins to take on these characteristics under the pressure of the stereotypes that are being forced on him (“weil ich Jud bin” {Page 56*}/ ich bin Jud von Geburt, und drum werd ich jetzt auswandern” {Page 84*}). To use the example of the Carpenter again, he thinks that Jews only want to work with money, although Andri’s passion is to be a carpenter. This is due to historical, stereotypical reasons. In history, Jews were not allowed to learn a trade; they were only allowed work in certain jobs such as finance. This is where the stereotypical idea that Jews are only interested in money.
However in the Sechstes Bild we see that Andri has begun to save money and says how he must become rich (“ich muss reich werden” {Page 56*}) . He also begins to take on characteristics that are stereotypically associated with Jews, such as rubbing his hands. It is normal to have stereotypes, but Max Frisch is trying to say that they are dangerous-especially when people take their stereotypes and let them affect how they treat others, such as when the Andorrans persecute Andri. Andorra concerns itself with anti-Semitism, but it shows how all prejudices are stupid and humane and how they can all have serious consequences. In relation to the play, Andri dies due to the fate of his race (ich weiss, wer meine vorfahren sind, Tausende und Hunderttausende sind gestorben am Pfahl, ihr Schicksal ist mein Schicksal {Page 95*}).
In the following quote about the play, Max Frisch himself says we are guilty for not doing something, not just governments but individuals “Das Stuck handelt…nicht von den Eichmanns, sondern von uns und unseren Freunden, von lauter nicht kreigs verbrechem, von Halbspass-Antisemiten, d.h. von den Millionen, die es moglich machten, das Hilter…nacht hat Maler wered mussen…Ich mochte die Schulel zeigen, wo ich sie sehe, unsere Schulul, denn wenn ich meinen Freund an den Henken ausliefere, uber nimmt der Henker Keine Oberschuld3”
He is later quoted as saying that the audience should feel guilty, “Die Schuldigen sitzen ja im Parknett, sie, die sagen, dass sie es nicht gewollt haben. Sie, die Schuldig wurden, sich aber nicht mit schuldig Fuhlen. Sie sollen erschrecken, sie sollen, wenn sie das Stuck gesehen haben, nachts wach liegen. Die Mitschuldigen sing uberall4”
In conclusion, I believe that Max Frisch’s Andorra is a parable of about prejudices and racism as I have outlined above. To reiterate, the important lesson in Andorra is that anti-Semitism has no justification-it is prejudice and destroys peoples lives by forcing people to doubt themselves and to become outsiders. With the writing technique of epic-theatre and parable in use, Max Frisch encourages the audience to have a look at themselves, thus inviting a lesson to be taken from the play. A lot of people will disagree with Max Frisch’s approach to playwriting taking the view that
theatre is supposed to entertain the public not to lecture. I take this view and believe that when most people go to the theatre, they don’t want to watch a morality play-they want to relax.
