BIOGRAPHY

3. 7. 1883 PRAGUE – 3. 6. 1924 KIERLING, AUSTRIA

The most famous, world-renowned representative of Prague German literature, one of the most important prose writers of world literature of the 20th century. After studying law at the c. k. Karl-Ferdinand German University in Prague, he worked as a clerk in two insurance companies from 1907 to 1922. He considered writing to be his main calling in life, which was difficult to reconcile with office work, but which he nevertheless performed conscientiously. After the outbreak of pulmonary disease in 1917, he struggled with it in vain for seven years. He was extremely critical of his literary work. He released only a small part for book publication, mostly under duress. The majority of Kafka's work, which later made him much more famous worldwide, was only published thanks to his closest friend Max Brod, who did not respect Kafka's wish to mercilessly burn the manuscripts.