100th anniversary of kafka

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Franz Kafka certainly never expected that 100 years after his death, Gen Z would rediscover his love letters to Milena. Fascinated by the depth of his declarations of love, today’s twenty-somethings have made Kafka a new social media icon. Even today, Kafka continues to hold up a mirror to a society that has replaced physical contact with digital contact, leaving an entire generation of young people lonely. Prague - and the whole world - are commemorating Kafka this year in dozens of exhibitions, theatre performances, concerts, festivals, films, and meetups, attempting to reinterpret his work through the eyes of today. The anniversary of Kafka’s death is also an opportunity to observe how the interconnection of Czech, German, and Jewish cultures enriched him as a person. Join us in celebrating this fascinating figure of world literature who loved Prague as much as Prague loves him.

places connected with franz kafka

Franz Kafka Museum

Malá Strana view

World of Franz Kafka

Staré Město view

Franz Kafka’s Bookshop

Staré Město view

Kafka House

Staré Město view

The House at the Minute

Staré Město view

Café Louvre

Nové Město view

Prague Castle — Golden Lane

Hradčany view

Statue of Kafka (David Černý)

Nové Město view

Statue of Franz Kafka (Jaroslav Róna)

Staré Město view

New Jewish Cemetery

Žižkov view

Kafka’s most famous books

Franz Kafka is the most famous representative of Prague German literature and one of the most influential 20th-century authors. In a 1999 poll by the French magazine Le Monde, his novel The Trial was named the third most important book of the 20th century. In a 1998 BBC poll in which writers, journalists, critics, and literary scholars from 35 countries searched for the 100 best books of all time, Kafka appears three times on the list. The man whose life story ended just a century ago appealed to more than just his contemporaries and still has something to say to us.

Kafka’s most famous works (in Czech) can be borrowed or downloaded for free in several formats at the Municipal Library in Prague.

  • The Trial
  • The Castle
  • Metamorphosis
  • Amerika
  • Letter to His Father (in Czech and German)

books to download

  • The Trial
  • Metamorphosis (in English)

kafka’s tram

From 9 April, there will be a “Kafka tram” running on the regular routes through Prague, decorated with illustrations by Czech artist Simona Lore. You can read quotes both on the inside and outside of the tram that will shorten your trip and maybe even get you thinking.

“Start with what is right rather than what is acceptable.”

prague towers podcast — agnieszka holland

A podcast episode about the upcoming feature film Franz, key parts of which were shot in Prague this spring.

Agnieszka Holland, world-renowned director and winner of several international film awards, confesses her fascination with Franz Kafka and Prague, where she studied at FAMU from 1966 to 1971. Listen to her account of the city where Kafka went to the cinemas and the swimming pool, rowed on the river, and visited literary cafés and brothels with his friend Max Brod.

The project was initiated and is coordinated by the Adalbert Stifter Association (Munich) in cooperation with Prague – UNESCO City of Literature, a project of the Prague Municipal Library.

 

 

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