Jood Star

 

Jewish “Jood” Yellow Star – TV and Film Prop from 1980s Productions

Date: Circa 1980s

Location: United Kingdom

Medium: Printed cotton badge

Collection: Yavneh Klos Collection, Holocaust Archive

Bearing the Dutch word for “Jew”, this replica of the Nazi-imposed Jewish star was produced by Old Club Badges for use in film and television. Designed for background actors in productions such as Band of Brothers, it symbolizes the challenges and responsibilities of Holocaust depiction in modern media. While not an original artifact, the star reflects evolving efforts to educate audiences through visual storytelling and historical dramatization.

Movies Matter: Star of David TV & Film Prop

By Sam Perkins.

This patch was manufactured for Film and TV by Old Club Badges in the 1980s. The patch is embroidered with the word “Jood” (“Jew”) in Dutch. The prop is a modern reconstruction of the patch Jews in the Netherlands were made to wear during the Nazi regime.

The Nuremberg Laws

On September 15, 1935, the Nazi government in Germany passed The Nuremberg Laws. These laws were a set of racist policies which discriminated against Jews. They stripped Jewish citizenship, forbade them from owning vehicles, established strict curfews, and instated other forms of strategic humiliation of the Jewish population. This set of laws expanded to Nazi-occupied territory over time and added new humiliation tactics along the way. In the Netherlands in the spring of 1942, the occupying Nazi party announced that all Jews would be made to wear an identifying patch on their outer garments. The patch was a six-pointed yellow star, fashioned to represent the Star of David, and was inscribed boldly with the word “Jood” (meaning “Jew” in Dutch). These patches, like all racist Nazi policies, were designed to humiliate, identify, and alienate Jews from the greater community.

Steven Spielberg

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1946, Steven Spielberg is perhaps the most influential filmmaker of the 20th century. He is responsible for some of the most iconic blockbuster films of the late 1900s, including Jaws (1975), Jurassic Park (1993), and many others. However, he is perhaps most known for his movie Schindler’s List, which follows the story of non-Jewish Polish industrialist Oskar Schindler’s journey to rescue Jews from concentration camps. Spielberg himself was no stranger to anti-Semitism. After his family moved from Ohio to California, Spielberg said he was “always aware I stood out because of my Jewishness” (Spielberg, Weinrab 93). As such, Spielberg was initially apprehensive to embark on this project. Released in 1993, Schindler’s List remains a faithful, moving, and impactful depiction of the magnitude of the Holocaust and Schindler’s story.

Prop Making Matters

In Theatre and Film, many contributors work behind the scenes and are often not visible to the public. While directors like Spielberg, actors, and designers receive recognition, the detailed work of props masters, sewists, makeup artists, and others is vital. Props—whether weapons, flyers, or household items—do not appear magically. Many are stored from previous productions, but unique items like this Star of David prop must be custom made.

The process starts with the Prop Designer—who often also serves as a set designer—compiling a list of needed props based on the script. Research is then conducted, especially for props with significant historical weight. This research stage is the least glamorous but most essential part of prop making. In films with sensitive subjects, such as Schindler’s List and Empire of the Sun, authenticity is crucial. For example, the accuracy in language and embroidery on this yellow star patch demonstrates the attention to historical detail.

Once research is complete, a design is sketched and passed to the prop makers, whose role is to faithfully bring it to life. The final product is handed to the props master, responsible for handling sensitive items with care. How we make and manage props matters. Spielberg and his collaborators on Schindler’s List and Empire of the Sun serve as exemplary figures in the film industry, demonstrating respect for historical truth through artful storytelling.