David Schwimmer's portrayal of Captain Herbert Sobel in the series Band of Brothers has faced criticism for its negative depiction of the character. The popular World War II mini-series, produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, aimed for historical accuracy by using real accounts from Easy Company members.
However, Schwimmer's character was not depicted like the other Jewish soldiers in Easy Company, which has sparked accusations of antisemitism. Ambrose's book, on which the series is based, describes Sobel with harsh descriptions and implies that he was disliked by the other soldiers because of his Jewish background.
While it is understandable that soldiers in that era may have held such prejudiced views, it is disappointing that Ambrose does not challenge or address these prejudices in his book. Schwimmer's portrayal missed an opportunity to set the record straight and dispel stereotypes about Jewish individuals being weak or unathletic.
