Black Honey in Erfurt: Avraham Sutzkever's Life and Poetry in Film
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Yiddish Language Art and Memory in Film: Avraham Sutzkever in Erfurt
On October 22, 2026, the Little Synagogue Erfurt is dedicated to the life and work of Avraham Sutzkever. The documentary Black Honey: The Life & Poetry of Avraham Sutzkever traces the extraordinary life of a central voice of modern Yiddish culture. The event combines film, literary history, and memory culture as part of the accompanying program of the exhibition Yiddish/ייִדיש – From the Beginnings to the Print.
A Poet Between Language, Persecution, and Survival
Avraham Sutzkever is considered one of the most significant Yiddish poets of the 20th century. The film follows the crucial stages of his life: his resistance against the National Socialists as a member of the so-called Paper Brigade, his rescue from the Holocaust, his testimony at the Nuremberg Trials, and his later work in Israel.
Sutzkever's biography makes visible how closely literary quality, linguistic identity, and historical experience are intertwined. Yiddish emerges not only as a language of communication but also as a poetic resonance space for memory, loss, and cultural self-assertion.
Film and Conversation in the Little Synagogue
Black Honey will be shown in the original version with German subtitles. The cinematic approach combines biographical research, historical testimonies, and Sutzkever's language art into a poignant portrait. Afterwards, the audience will receive a special perspective on his work: Hadas Kalderon, Sutzkever's granddaughter, will join the conversation via video call from Israel.
Kalderon works as an actress, playwright, and director and has been intensively engaged with her grandfather's literary legacy for years. Her artistic work also includes pieces about Sutzkever's life and work. This creates an immediate author-encounter across generations, countries, and media.
Yiddish Literature as Cultural Memory
The event is part of the accompanying program of the exhibition on the history of the Yiddish language. Between historical language testimonies, book printing, and modern literature, the film opens a gateway to a culture whose narrative power is shaped by persecution, migration, and new beginnings.
The reading atmosphere of the Little Synagogue, the concentrated imagery of the documentary film, and the subsequent conversation promise a literary experience with historical depth. The evening is aimed at literature enthusiasts, visitors of the Yiddish exhibition, and anyone interested in Jewish history, film, and cultural memory.
Conclusion: An Evening for Literature, Film, and Memory
Black Honey makes Avraham Sutzkever perceptible as a poet, survivor, and formative mediator of Yiddish culture. Film and conversation connect personal history with literary analysis and provide an intense look at the importance of language after the catastrophe. Admission is free, donations are welcome. Those who want to not only observe Yiddish literature and memory culture but experience it in a shared space will find a special evening in the Little Synagogue.
Official Channels of Avraham Sutzkever:
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