The Travels Of Benjamin Zuskin (judaic Traditions In Literature, Music, And Art) [Hardcover]

Zuskin Perelman's work is a biography of her father, Benjamin Zuskin, a well-known figure in the world of Soviet Yiddish theater. Although some of Zuskin's contemporaries, like Solomon Mikhoels, eclipse him in terms of contemporary critical engagement, Zuskin was a well-known actor during his lifetime, and made important contributions to the State Jewish Theater. Talented as he was, however, Zuskin's relevance extends beyond the realms of acting and directing. He was also a prominent member of the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee, and was executed under Stalin's orders in 1952 in the event known as The Night of the Murdered Poets. Zuskin-Perelman takes a chronological approach by dividing her father's life into five interludes which help the reader gain a thorough understanding of Zuskin's contexts and influences. The book includes translations of some of his letters, essays, and interviews. In what are some of the most vivid and moving moments in the manuscript, the author includes primary source material such as the records of her father's interrogation by Soviet authorities and letters of condolence to her family after news of her father's execution. What an awful and tragic fate! one friend writes, Can it be that all of this will be forgotten?