Franz Kafka

Franz Kafka (July 3, 1883 – June 3, 1924) was one of the major German-language novelists and short story writers of the 20th century, most of whose works were published posthumously. Born in Prague of Jewish descent, his unique body of writing continues to challenge critics and readers alike, and attempts to classify his works are generally inadequate.

Life

Kafka was born July 3, 1883, into a middle-class, German-speaking Jewish family in Prague, Bohemia—at that time a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. His father was the retailer, Hermann Kafka (1852–1931) and his mother was Julie Kafka, born Löwy (1856–1934). Although his native language was German, he also learned Czech as a child, since his father came to Prague from a southern Bohemian, Czech-speaking Jewish community ("kafka" means "jackdaw" in Czech) and he wanted his son to be fluent in both languages. He also had some knowledge of French language and culture; one of his favorite authors was Flaubert, and he had a sentimental fondness for Napoleon. He had two brothers, Georg and Heinrich, neither of whom lived two full years and died before Kafka was six, and three sisters, Elli, Valli and Ottla. From 1889 to 1893, Kafka attended elementary school (Deutsche Knabenschule) at Masná St. (Fleischmarkt) in Prague and then the high school at Starom?stské nám?stí (located in Kinsky Palace), where he finished his Matura exam in 1901. He went on to study law at the Charles University of Prague, and obtained his law degree in 1906, then worked for a worker's accident insurance agency. He began writing on the side. In 1917 he began to suffer from tuberculosis, which would require frequent convalescence during which he was supported by his family, most notably his sister Ottla, with whom he had much in common.

Related Topics:
July 3 - 1883 - German-speaking - Jewish - Prague - Bohemia - Austro-Hungarian Empire - 1852 - 1931 - Czech - Jackdaw - French language - Flaubert - Napoleon - Matura - 1901 - Charles University of Prague - 1906 - Insurance - 1917 - Tuberculosis

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The asceticism and self-deprecation with which Kafka is associated is well-documented in the letters of his and of his friends and family; however, it does need to be put into context.It is generally agreed that Kafka suffered from clinical depression and social anxiety through out his entire life. Chronic sickness—whether it was psychosomatic is a matter for debate—plagued him; aside from tuberculosis, he suffered from migraines, insomnia, constipation, boils, and other ailments. He attempted to counteract this by a regimen of naturopathic treatments, such as a vegetarian diet and consumption of large quantities of unpasteurized milk (the latter possibly the causal factor of his tuberculosis).

Related Topics:
Ascetic - Clinical depression - Social anxiety - Psychosomatic - Migraine - Constipation - Naturopathic - Vegetarian

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While at school he took an active role in organizing literary and social events, doing much to promote and organize performances for Yiddish theatre, despite the misgivings of even his closest friends such as Max Brod, who usually supported him in everything else, and quite contrary to his fear of being perceived as both physically and mentally repulsive, impressed others with his boyish, neat, and austere good looks, his quiet and cool demeanor, and his intelligence and odd sense of humor.

Related Topics:
Yiddish theatre - Max Brod

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Kafka's relationship with his domineering father is an important theme in his writing. In the early 1920s he had an influential love affair with Czech journalist and writer Milena Jesenská. In 1923 he briefly moved to Berlin in the hope of distancing himself from his family's influence to concentrate on his writing. There he met Dora Dymant, a 19-year old descended from an orthodox Jewish family, who was independent enough to pass away from her past in ghetto. She became his lover, and influenced Kafka's interest in the Talmud.

Related Topics:
Milena Jesenská - 1923 - Berlin - Talmud

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However, Kafka's tuberculosis worsened; he returned to Prague, then went to a sanatorium near Vienna for treatment, where he died on June 3, 1924, apparently from starvation. (Kafka's condition made his throat too painful to eat, and since intravenous therapy had not been developed, there was no way to feed him.) His body was brought back to Prague where he was buried June 11, 1924, in the New Jewish Cemetery in Prague-?i?kov.

Related Topics:
Sanatorium - Vienna - June 3 - 1924 - Intravenous therapy - June 11 - Prague-?i?kov

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Kafka published only a few short stories during his lifetime, a small part of his work, and consequently his writing attracted little attention until after his death. Prior to his death, he instructed his friend and literary executor Max Brod to destroy all of his manuscripts. Dora Dymant faithfully destroyed the manuscripts that she had, but Brod did not follow Kafka's instructions and oversaw the publication of most of his work, which soon began to attract attention and critical regard. All his published works, except several Czech letters to Milena Jesenská, were written in German.

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