the German words "Gegen" and "über" are separated by blue waves
the German words "Gegen" and "über" are separated by blue waves
Why do we still find Kafka so modern and current? Illustration by Roberto Maján
Illustration by Roberto Maján


Being Kafka

Why does Franz Kafka’s spell remain unbroken a hundred years after his death? Why do we still perceive Kafka as so modern and contemporary? Because Kafka wrote such beautiful letters? Because we love drama queens? Because we feel that the world has never been more Kafkaesque than it is today? Join us as we step into Kafka’s world! Be Kafka!

Kafka at the age of 34 in July 1917 © Wagenbach Verlag (Art work: Tobias Schrank)

Reiner Stach
 Franz Kafka in the 21st Century

Why do we continue to find Franz Kafka so compelling 100 years after his death? Why is Kafka still considered to be so modern and contemporary? What awaits us in Kafka’s anniversary year of 2024? Reiner Stach, Kafka’s most important biographer, provides us with some answers.

Reiner Stach

Picture of Kafka's parents © Verlag Klaus Wagenbach

Autobiographies
Letters to the Parents

Clair G.hin

Kafka and TikTok
 Why Is Everyone So Obsessed With Franz Kafka?

Serena Smith

Kafka on the couch Collage by Tobias Schrank (Sunder Muthukumaran / Unsplash)

Interview with Wolfgang Hantel-Quitmann
 Kafka on the Couch

Franziska Strasser

Dr. Wolfgang Hantel-Quitmann

A sensation at the beginning of the 20th century: a visit to the cinema © Noom Peerapong / Unsplash

Early pop culture
 Kafka, the Cinephile

Alice Aronová

Was Kafka a drama queen? © Jared Subia / Unsplash

Exaggerations
 Was Kafka a Drama Queen?

Tomáš Moravec

Franz Kafka about 34 years old. July 1917 © Verlag Klaus Wagenbach

Tomáš Moravec
 Whom Does Franz Kafka Belong To?

Tomáš Moravec

I can also laugh, I am even known as a big laugher.

Franz Kafka

Franz Kafka, generated with the Ideogram AI tool © Víctor Millán/Ideogram.ai

Sexuality In Bed With Kafka

Víctor Millán

Scene from “The Trial” by Franz Kafka Illustration by Roberto Maján

Roberto Maján Kafka as a Picture Book

Roberto Maján

Verena Hütter

Johannes von Stritzky

Drawings of Kafka's novel figures Illustration: © Beatrice Davies

Psychological Test: Kafka
 Which Kafka Character Are You?

Marta Krus

Beatrice Davies

Nicolas Mahler: “Komplett Kafka” (Completely Kafka) © Nicolas Mahler, Suhrkamp Verlag

Nicolas Mahler
 Draw Kafka for Me

Nicolas Mahler

Ulrich Fügener

Staircase in the house at Zeltnergasse 3, Prague © Verlag Klaus Wagenbach

Kafka’s Humour
 The Big Laugher

Hernán D. Caro

Gabriel Garcia Márquez. Barcelona 1969 Colita; © Archivo Colita Fotografía

Hernán D. Caro Kafka and Latin American Literature

Hernán D. Caro

Moritz von Wolzogen: The Aeroplanes at Brescia © Moritz von Wolzogen, published by Nathalia Laue

Comics and Graphic Novels Kafka in the Realm of Comics

Ulrich Fügener

Scene from “Letter to my Father” posed with Playmobil figures © Michael Sommer and Reclam Verlag

Playmobil Kafka on Youtube

Michael Sommer

Johannes von Stritzky

Marie-Pierre Poulin Goethe-Institut Montréal

Marie-Pierre Poulin Booktube with Kafka

Marie-Pierre Poulin

Marius Goldhorn: “Oklahama, 3666” Illustration by Tanita Olbrich

Marius Goldhorn
Oklahama, 3666

Marius Goldhorn

Tanita Olbrich

Kafka at the beach with his friend, the author Ernst Weiß, in Travemünde or Marielyst

Kafka and Sports
 The Great Swimmer

Benedikt Maria Arnold

Kafka word cloud German Kitty Kahane Illustration: Kitty Kahane

Kitty Kahane
 Word Clouds

Kitty Kahane

Geniuses with unusual professions Collage: Tobi Schrank © Goethe-Institut

At Work with Kafka Ten Geniuses with Unusual Professions

Guillermo Martínez

Confusing traffic lights in front of a tower Photo (detail): © mauritius images / STOCK4B / Felbert+Eickenberg

Everything’s well regulated Bureaucracy