ELKOST International literary agency - Ulitskaya's Daniel Stein, Interpreter in Freiburg theater, Germany

Ludmila Ulitskaya's award-winning Daniel Stein, Interpreter novel was staged in Germany by Freiburg Theater as DANIEL STEIN (director Thomas Krupa, script Heike Müller-Merten).

Schauspiel nach dem Roman von Ljudmila Ulitzkaja in einer Fassung von Heike Müller-Merten

In den 50ern bricht ein zutiefst verstörter junger Mann von Polen auf, um in Israel eine Kirche nach urchristlichem Vorbild zu errichten und darin die weltanschaulichen, religiösen und politischen Gräben des blutigen Jahrhunderts zu überbrücken. Daniel Stein nennt die russische Autorin Ulitzkaja den Helden ihres Romans, in dem sie wesentliche Stationen des Lebensweges des Juden Oswald Rufeisen abbildet. Er floh als Halbwüchsiger vor den deutschen Besatzern, seine Deutschkenntnisse ermöglichten Tarnung und neue Identität. Gezwungenermaßen arbeitete er für die Gestapo. Er rettete das Leben hunderter Juden und Kommunisten und überlebte selbst drei Todesurteile. Er haderte mit Gott und gab sich doch wieder in seine Hände, konvertierte zum christlichen Glauben. Nach Partisanenkrieg gegen die Deutschen, Bekanntschaft mit dem stalinistischen NKWD und dem Antisemitismus im Nachkriegspolen gilt seine Hoffnung dem Staat Israel. »Bruder Daniel« wird in den Beschreibungen jener lebendig, die seinen Lebensweg zwischen Russland, Boston und Haifa kreuzten. Der Romanheld Daniel Stein kommt bei einem mysteriösen Unfall ums Leben.

Sofichka, a novel by Fazil Iskander (1997)

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The novella is a third-person, realistic narrative describing the life story of the Abkhazian woman named Sofichka. Sofichka falls in love with the young Rouf, who is half Abkhazian and half Turkish. Sofichka's relatives scorn Rouf, but Sofichka marries him despite the family's opposition. She is a good wife and loves her husband dearly, but Rouf is hated by her kin, and her brother Nuri kills him. Sofichka refuses all advances and does not remarry, remaining true to her husband into old age. Moreover, she repudiates her brother Nuri who, time and again, begs her for forgiveness. In the end, she forgives Nuri but cannot forgive herself. She becomes depressed, believing that she has betrayed her husband, and then becomes ill, and dies. Like most of Iskander's early narratives 'Sofichka' is set in the environs of Chegem. The customs and the lore of the people there have changed little, but the humour and banter of Iskander's early prose have disappeared. Instead, sadness, adversity, and unhappiness prevail. The character of Sofichka, who embodies devotion and goodness, goes down in defeat, and it is juxtaposed with other characters who are jealous, greedy, and rapacious.

Not Russian, a novel by Mikhail Shevelev

German rights are handled by Christina Links: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Rights sold: Czech Republic - PROSTOR, France – GALLIMARD, Italy - E/O, Russia – ZAKHAROV, World English rights - EUROPA EDITIONS

One always pays over and above for his cowardice, treachery, or indifference, and the bill always comes at wrong time, and in most unexpected form. And you always pay yourself, no group discounts applied.

Protagonist of this psychological thriller finds himself being responsible for lives and safety of dozens of others. To save them, he should understand was he has done wrong in the past.

Dynamic, concentrated narrative of Mikhail Shevelev’s NOT RUSSIAN is written in the genre of retrospective journalist investigation, where real facts of recent Russian history are masterfully merged with fiction.

Pavel, the main hero and narrator of Shevelev’s novel, a reporter by profession, in early 1990ies has delivered Vadim, a young soldier, back to Russia from Chechen captivity. But things did not come around for Vadim as they both expected, and fifteen years later he unwillingly became a terrorist, taking hostage a congregation of the church outside Moscow. Pavel is called upon to serve as negotiator. To right the ship, Pavel should convince Russian president publicly recognize his political mistakes, and apologize for triggering wars in Chechnya and Ukraine.

I wrote this novel, Shevelev says, after I suddenly realized that journalism is no more an effective tool for changing social realm. I believe that in Russia today literature can do more than journalism.

Ulitskaya's Daniel Stein, Interpreter in Freiburg theater, Germany

Featured titles

Sofichka, a novel by Fazil Iskander (1997)

Not Russian, a novel by Mikhail Shevelev