Sternheim's first piece "Der Heiland" is a satire on the bourgeoisie of the Wilhelmine era. The often unsympathetic and frequently egoistic citizens, who are concerned with pretentiousness, reveal themselves in his play as the true heroes. According to Sternheim's credo, every person is given a unique, unmistakable nature that distinguishes them from others. The individual's destiny is to live out this uniqueness. And the Heiland is one of them.