a steering column for a motor vehicle includes a casing unit , which rotatably supports a steering shaft about the longitudinal axis thereof , and a retaining part . the casing unit is held in a fixed manner relative to said retaining part up to a threshold value of a force acting on the casing unit in a parallel manner to the longitudinal axis of the steering shaft in the direction of the front of the vehicle . when the threshold value is exceeded , the casing unit is movably held in a parallel manner to the longitudinal axis in the direction of the front of the vehicle . the casing unit is connected to the retaining part via an energy - absorbing connection , which a bending wire or strip that is deformed when the casing unit is moved relative to the retaining part parallel to the longitudinal axis in the direction of the front of the vehicle , and via a breakaway connection closed up to a threshold value of the force and blocks a movement of the casing unit relative to the retaining part and which opens when the threshold value of the force is exceeded .