On this day in 1883, author Franz Kafka was born in Prague in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
The eldest of six children, Kafka grew up in a middle-class, German-speaking, Jewish family. His two younger brothers died in infancy, leaving him as the only son in the family. Though Kafka died several years before World War II, his three sisters would go on to perish during the Holocaust.
Kafka showed an interest in writing at an early age, however, his work attracted little attention during his lifetime. Kafka’s writings explored themes of alienation, physical and psychological brutality and mystical transformations. Although Kafka requested his writings be burned after his death, his friend, Max Brod, went against his demands and publish many of his stories. Some of his most famous works include, The Metamorphosis, The Trial and Amerika.
Regarded by many as one of the most influential authors of the 20th century, Kafka’s work has resonated strongly with readers. The term “Kafkaesque” has even become a part of the English lexicon and is used to describe surreal situations like those in his writings.
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Image: Wikimedia Commons
Source: Geni.com
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