Reynard the Fox

Of Reynard the Fox is a 1941 work of anti-Semitic propaganda by the Dutch Nazi-sympathizer Robert van Genechten. His book, which started life as a series of articles, retells the Reynard Cycle, a collection of medieval folk tales from England, Holland, Germany, and France. The principal characters of the Reynard Cycle are all animals: Reynard, the protagonist, is a fox. Van Genechten introduces to the tales a rhinoceros called Jodocus (the Dutch word for “Jew” is ‘Jood”), who corrupts the kingdom and exploits the other animals for financial gain. While in the original Reynard Cycle, Reynard is a cunning trickster who habitually deceives the other animals, in van Genecten’s Reynard, the fox is a hero who saves the kingdom by massacring the rhinoceroses.

The story opens in Flanders, Belgium. King Nobel has just died, and a bitter power struggle ensues. The legitimate heir is Lionel (the lion), but he is young, and he is unable to muster the support to take the throne. Instead, the donkey, Baldwin, succeeds Nobel. Baldwin is a character in the original Reynard Cycle, but his name is probably also a jab at the Belgian Crown Prince, also named Baldwin.

The animals are divided about Baldwin’s succession. Many do not believe he is a legitimate successor to Nobel. However, while they debate this question, they are interrupted by the arrival of “a most peculiar animal,” Jodocus, the rhinoceros. Jodocus represents the Jewish people. The Dutch word for “rhinoceros” is “neushoorn,” meaning, “nose-horn” (van Genecten is referring to the anti-Semitic stereotype which portrays Jewish people as having large noses). The rhinoceros is also not native to Europe. Jodocus introduces himself by declaring that he and his fellow rhinoceroses have come “from far-away countries.” Van Genecten is suggesting that European Jews are not true Europeans, but exotic foreigners.



Jodocus says that he and his fellow rhinoceroses have wandered all over the world and have been persecuted everywhere. The other animals want to know why. Jodocus explains that he cultivates thistles. He breeds “a thistle variety of unknown fineness,” which makes people envy him. He begs Baldwin to give him a place to live within his empire, so he can be free to “modestly” grow his thistles. Baldwin agrees.

Immediately the rhinoceroses begin to take over Flanders’ commerce. They infiltrate Baldwin’s court, taking positions of power close to the throne. King Nobel’s empire collapses, and Baldwin is left powerless.

Jodocus begins to spread radical socialist ideas of liberty and equality. Inspired by these radical ideas, the animals stop observing “the rules of the race.” They try to live as brothers: “Rabbits crept into foxholes, the chickens wanted to build an eerie." The animals declare a Republic. Throughout, Jodocus encourages this process.



Eventually, the animals begin breeding with one another. The offspring are so deformed that they cannot be recognized as belonging to any particular species: “The bull and the goat, the hare and the fish, the ferret and the wild boar; because they didn't recognize each other, and confused each other's names and habits, they ate their own children." The narrator comments that this outcome is what Jodocus has wanted all along because he is himself a “bastard” (in the sense of “illegitimate child”).

With chaos spreading amongst the animals of Flanders, Jodocus seizes power behind the scenes. He sends for his family “from the East,” and the rhinoceroses begin to collect taxes. The political situation gets worse and worse, and the land is covered with thistles.

Meanwhile, Reynard the fox and the king’s young son, Lionel, have escaped to Achterhoek (in Holland). They are living in the old way, “according to their nature.” The animals of Flanders, hearing about the better life enjoyed by Reynard and his family, become discontent with their situation. They appeal to Reynard to save them.



Reynard invites the rhinos to meet him at Baldwin’s palace. He promises them a huge hoard of tax revenue. When the rhinos are all inside the palace, Lionel arrives, leading an army of animals. They massacre the rhinos, including Jodocus. The narrator notes, "in spite of the preparations, some of them managed to escape and fled to other countries." The old order is restored in Flanders, with Lionel as the king. Reynard is celebrated as a hero.

Van Genechten’s book was made into an animated film, under the direction of Dutch fascist propagandists. Vast sums were spent on it, but in the end, the film was not released. German Nazi propagandists were worried that Reynard, traditionally a cunning trickster, represents the fascist leader in the story. However, Van Genechten’s book remained popular, running into a second edition. Though it is, understandably, out of print in most countries, Of Reynard the Fox is still regarded as an important example of anti-Semitic propaganda from the Nazi era.