Many thanks to our Swedish correspondent Freedom Fighter for the translation:
New Swedish TV series highlights anti-Semitism
Alexandra Rapaport on the new Swedish TV series ‘Drottningoffret’
For Alexandra, the making of the series was sad and painful because of her Jewish background. Alexandra Rapaport herself has Jewish ancestry. Her father escaped from Poland during World War II and from the Holocaust.
The making of the series aroused strong feelings in the actress.
“It’s very painful,” she says.
In the series “Drottningoffret”, the Jewess and head of Sweden’s Social Democrat Party Elizabeth Meyer (played by Suzanne Reuter) is threatened by an anti-Semitic terror network.
She lives under constant bodyguard protection because of her Jewish background while she is standing as candidate for Prime Minister.
“Moved to Israel”
Co-star Alexandra Rapaport has Jewish ancestry; her father escaped from Poland during World War II. Her mother is Catholic.
“I have a half brother who moved to Israel and lives life there as a Jew,” she says.
Her father’s escape is a sensitive area, and Alex is reluctant to go in and talk too much about it.
“I grew up very Swedish. That was my father’s decision.
“It is a little interesting that both I and David Dencik both have Jewish ancestry. He plays a xenophobic racist and I play a passive victim.”
The making of the series reminded her of the aftermath of the Holocaust today; she describes it as “very painful”.
“This series made me realize the problem, that it is painful on many levels and sad, that you should be aware of your origin.”
“Drottningoffret” is the third in a series of programs that are being produced based on Hanne Vibeke Holst novels.
