Steering column for a motor vehicle with a rotatably supported steering spindle (1), a supporting unit (4) supporting the steering spindle (1) and a mounting unit (5) for securing the steering spindle (1) on the chassis of the motor vehicle, the supporting unit (4) in the event of a crash being displaceable with respect to the mounting unit (5), and an energy absorption device (18) acting between the supporting unit (4) and mounting unit (5) for the energy absorption in the displacement of the supporting unit (4) with respect to the mounting unit (5) in the event of a crash being provided, characterized in that at least one energy absorption part (34) of the energy absorption device (18) deformable in the displacement of the supporting unit (4) with respect to the mounting unit (5) is composed of a magnetorheological elastomer and that the energy absorption device (18) includes a means for the generation of a magnetic field, by means of which the energy absorption part (34) composed of the magnetorheological elastomer can be acted upon at least regionally with a variable magnetic field.