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          <ccc>XXXXXXXX</ccc>
        </issuerCredentials>
      </filer>


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        <classId>C000017204</classId>
        <classId>C000017205</classId>
      </seriesClassInfo>


    </filerInfo>
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      <regFileNumber>811-05002</regFileNumber>
      <regCik>0000810573</regCik>
      <regLei>7WRERVUOG2HKG87QIP75</regLei>
      <regStreet1>875 Third Avenue</regStreet1>
      <regCity>NEW YORK</regCity>
      <regStateConditional regCountry="US" regState="US-NY"/>
      <regZipOrPostalCode>10022-6225</regZipOrPostalCode>
      <regPhone>212-454-4500</regPhone>
      <seriesName>DWS CROCI(R) U.S. VIP</seriesName>
      <seriesId>S000006255</seriesId>
      <seriesLei>ESXHT0DJX0R3G9LR0N72</seriesLei>
      <repPdEnd>2019-12-31</repPdEnd>
      <repPdDate>2019-12-31</repPdDate>
      <isFinalFiling>N</isFinalFiling>
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      <totLiabs>3312130.52</totLiabs>
      <netAssets>156758729.95</netAssets>
      <assetsAttrMiscSec>0</assetsAttrMiscSec>
      <assetsInvested>0</assetsInvested>
      <amtPayOneYrBanksBorr>0</amtPayOneYrBanksBorr>
      <amtPayOneYrCtrldComp>0</amtPayOneYrCtrldComp>
      <amtPayOneYrOthAffil>0</amtPayOneYrOthAffil>
      <amtPayOneYrOther>0</amtPayOneYrOther>
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      <liquidPref>0</liquidPref>
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      </invstOrSec>
      <invstOrSec>
        <name>Cummins Inc</name>
        <lei>ZUNI8PYC725B6H8JU438</lei>
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        <fairValLevel>1</fairValLevel>
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          <isCashCollateral>N</isCashCollateral>
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      <invstOrSec>
        <name>DWS</name>
        <lei>N/A</lei>
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          <other otherDesc="Internal Identifier" value="981DNHII5"/>
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        <assetCat>STIV</assetCat>
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        <invCountry>US</invCountry>
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        <fairValLevel>1</fairValLevel>
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          <isCashCollateral>N</isCashCollateral>
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      <invstOrSec>
        <name>PPL Corp</name>
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        <assetCat>EC</assetCat>
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        <invCountry>US</invCountry>
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        <fairValLevel>1</fairValLevel>
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          <isCashCollateral>N</isCashCollateral>
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      <invstOrSec>
        <name>Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co</name>
        <lei>549300BX44RGX6ANDV88</lei>
        <title>Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co</title>
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          <isin value="US42824C1099"/>
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        <assetCat>EC</assetCat>
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        <invCountry>US</invCountry>
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        <fairValLevel>1</fairValLevel>
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          <isCashCollateral>N</isCashCollateral>
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      <invstOrSec>
        <name>DR Horton Inc</name>
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        <assetCat>EC</assetCat>
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        <invCountry>US</invCountry>
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        <fairValLevel>1</fairValLevel>
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          <isCashCollateral>N</isCashCollateral>
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      <invstOrSec>
        <name>DWS</name>
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        <fairValLevel>1</fairValLevel>
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          <cashCollateralCondition cashCollateralVal="3120056" isCashCollateral="Y"/>
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      <invstOrSec>
        <name>Pfizer Inc</name>
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        <assetCat>EC</assetCat>
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        <invCountry>US</invCountry>
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        <fairValLevel>1</fairValLevel>
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          <isCashCollateral>N</isCashCollateral>
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      <invstOrSec>
        <name>Bank of New York Mellon Corp/The</name>
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        <fairValLevel>1</fairValLevel>
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          <isCashCollateral>N</isCashCollateral>
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      <invstOrSec>
        <name>Duke Energy Corp</name>
        <lei>I1BZKREC126H0VB1BL91</lei>
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      <invstOrSec>
        <name>Bristol-Myers Squibb Co</name>
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        <fairValLevel>1</fairValLevel>
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        <name>United Airlines Holdings Inc</name>
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        <fairValLevel>1</fairValLevel>
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        <name>Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc</name>
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        <fairValLevel>1</fairValLevel>
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        <name>Merck &amp; Co Inc</name>
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        <fairValLevel>1</fairValLevel>
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        <fairValLevel>1</fairValLevel>
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        <name>Synchrony Financial</name>
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        <fairValLevel>1</fairValLevel>
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        <name>Eli Lilly &amp; Co</name>
        <lei>FRDRIPF3EKNDJ2CQJL29</lei>
        <title>Eli Lilly &amp; Co</title>
        <cusip>532457108</cusip>
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        <assetCat>EC</assetCat>
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        <invCountry>US</invCountry>
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        <name>Gilead Sciences Inc</name>
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        <title>Gilead Sciences Inc</title>
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      <invstOrSec>
        <name>Consolidated Edison Inc</name>
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        <title>Consolidated Edison Inc</title>
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      </invstOrSec>
      <invstOrSec>
        <name>DTE Energy Co</name>
        <lei>549300IX8SD6XXD71I78</lei>
        <title>DTE Energy Co</title>
        <cusip>233331107</cusip>
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          <isin value="US2333311072"/>
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        <balance>30512.00000000</balance>
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        <curCd>USD</curCd>
        <valUSD>3962593.44000000</valUSD>
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        <invCountry>US</invCountry>
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        <fairValLevel>1</fairValLevel>
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          <isCashCollateral>N</isCashCollateral>
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      </invstOrSec>
      <invstOrSec>
        <name>Comcast Corp</name>
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        <fairValLevel>1</fairValLevel>
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          <isCashCollateral>N</isCashCollateral>
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      </invstOrSec>
      <invstOrSec>
        <name>LyondellBasell Industries NV</name>
        <lei>BN6WCCZ8OVP3ITUUVN49</lei>
        <title>LyondellBasell Industries NV</title>
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        <curCd>USD</curCd>
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        <assetCat>EC</assetCat>
        <issuerCat>CORP</issuerCat>
        <invCountry>NL</invCountry>

        <isRestrictedSec>N</isRestrictedSec>

        <fairValLevel>1</fairValLevel>
        <securityLending>
          <isCashCollateral>N</isCashCollateral>
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        </securityLending>
      </invstOrSec>
    </invstOrSecs>
    <signature>
      <ncom:dateSigned>2020-01-16</ncom:dateSigned>
      <ncom:nameOfApplicant>DEUTSCHE DWS VARIABLE SERIES II</ncom:nameOfApplicant>
      <ncom:signature>Diane Kenneally</ncom:signature>
      <ncom:signerName>Diane Kenneally</ncom:signerName>
      <ncom:title>Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer</ncom:title>
    </signature>
  </formData>
</edgarSubmission>
