"Ottla – Franz Kafka's Favorite Sister": History Comes Alive in Schwerin
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Ottla – Franz Kafka's Favorite Sister: A Forgotten Voice Returns to the Stage
In the Schwerin Synagogue, the play "Ottla – Franz Kafka's Favorite Sister" is dedicated to the life and fate of Ottilie Kafka, known as Ottla. The performance portrays an extraordinary woman whose biography has long been overshadowed by her famous brother – and delves into the history of Jewish life in Prague, Nazi persecution, and the Holocaust.
A Life Story Between Prague and Terezin
The production, based on the radio play by Petr Balajka and translated by Werner Imhof, tells of Ottla's family life in Prague and her deportation to Terezin. There, she takes on the care of children in an orphanage. Her letters to her two daughters become immediate testimonies of the time, while the memories of Jewish camp doctor Felix Hershkovitz reflect the dramatic action from a later perspective.
Letters, Memories, and Kafka's Intellectual Presence
The dramaturgy connects historical documents with literary fragments. Franz Kafka remains present in the production through various quotes – as a brother, intellectual reference point, and invisible conversation partner. This creates a stage experience that intertwines personal closeness with historical responsibility.
Acting Against Forgetting
The events intensify when Ottla voluntarily offers to accompany a transport of Jewish Polish children to Auschwitz. Felix Hershkovitz tries to dissuade her from this decision. Directed by Britta Shulamit Jakobi, the production relies on a concentrated theatrical narrative, where acting, documentary material, and the oppressive historical reality intertwine.
On stage are Hanno Dinger, Britta Shulamit Jakobi, Isai Liven, and Sivan Yonna. The production by rimon productions sees theater as a stance: Jewish, political, and close to people. The performance makes Ottla's courage, her care for the children, and her personal tragedy visible, without reducing her fate to a footnote of Kafka's biography.
An Evening of Remembrance and Conversation
Following the performance, a discussion with the acting team is planned, moderated by Dr. Stephan Bunge. This opens the theater evening beyond the stage plot to questions of memory culture, historical responsibility, and the significance of biographies in dealing with Nazi persecution.
Conclusion: A Profound Stage Experience in the Schwerin Synagogue
"Ottla – Franz Kafka's Favorite Sister" promises a concentrated, touching theatrical atmosphere and a production that understands history as human experience. Those who wish to experience Jewish culture, documentary theater, and powerful acting will find an evening of great emotional and historical significance here. The performance invites you to encounter Ottla's voice live on stage and not to leave her fate to oblivion.
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- Website: https://www.rimon-productions.de/projekte
