Some people believe that Superman is partly based on philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche’s bermensch, which literally translates to “overman” but could also mean “superman”. It is also believed that Superman may in fact have been partly inspired by the Jewish legends of the Golem, a mythical being created to protect and serve the persecuted Jews of ancient Warsaw and later revived in popular culture in reference to their suffering at the hands of Nazis during WWII.