FILM: The Trials

September 17, 2014, 1:00 PM

On September 17, at 1 pm, the Library of Congress will kick off the Docs in Salute series with The Trials from the documentary trilogy Between a Star and a Crescent by director Petr Bok. The Trials reveals that the Jews of Czechoslovakia were victims not only of the tragedy of the Holocaust but also of the subsequent communist tyranny. The initial Soviet strategy following the Second World War was to attract the newly-created state of Israel under its wings which was demonstrated, among other activities, by a steady stream of military equipment provided by Czechoslovakia. However, it soon became apparent that Israel would not join the communist camp and the Bolsheviks responded with a new wave of anti-Semitism. Few could feel assured of their fate in an era of hysteria and power-driven purges that left some of the highest-ranking party members dead. Explore the Docs and Salute series focused on Jewish themes at the Library of Congress.

Event Details:
Location: Library of Congress, Pickford Theatre
101 Independence Avenue
James Madison Building, 3rd Floor
Washington, DC 20950

Admission is free. | No reservations are required.

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September 17, 6 pm
LECTURE: Czech Jews under Communists, 1945-1989

On September 17, at 6 pm, Martin Šmok will present the lecture Czech Jews under Communists, 1945-1989 at the Embassy of the Czech Republic. The mention of Jewish presence in Communist Czechoslovakia often evokes the image of a broken Rudolf Slánský, the former general secretary of the Communist Party, and his fellow defendants sentenced to death during the 1952 show trial. It was only after being tortured that Slánský was willing to accept on record that he was “of Jewish origin” - but the racist label invented by the Soviet architects of the show trial stuck and the Communist Slánský became a symbol of the Communist oppression of the Jews. Using unique documents, photographs and filmed interview excerpts, the lecture will explore some aspects of postwar history of the Jewish Community of Prague, as presented by the groundbreaking permanent exhibition installed in the Jubilee synagogue.

EVENT DETAILS:
Location:Embassy of the Czech Republic
3900 Spring of Freedom Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008

Admission is free.
RSVP:www.eventbrite.com/e/lecture-czech-jews-under-communists-tickets-12737152165

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September 17, 8 pm
THEATRE: Metamorphosis
 

On September 17, at 8 pm, the Alliance for New Music-Theatre will open Kafka’s most influential and popular work – Metamorphosis – to bring to the stage both the darkness and the humor of Kafka as the quintessential Outsider’s Outsider at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre. In Kafka’s seminal story, salesman Gregor Samsa wakes up to discover that he has been transformed into a monstrous insect. Kafka’s works surpassed all literary conventions and social boundaries, tapping into a universal expression of modern man’s alienation and angst. Metamorphosis, directed by Susan Galbraith, who has further adapted Steven Berkoff’s dramatization into a music-theatre vehicle features original music and projected animations to enrich the performance. Share in the opening night of this monumental masterpiece. The show runs until September 21.

Show runs from Sept. 10-21.

Location: Woolly Mammoth Theatre
641 D Street, NW, Washington, DC 20004

Tickets are available through the Alliance for New music-Theatre's website www.newmusictheatre.org.
Use promo code "MetaKafka" for $20 tickets.