"The Metamorphosis" is so brilliant...

What if he wrote something more like that?

Or if they're personal, a Jew living in that environment during a time of such Anti-Semitisim, and Kafka was such a dark writer, how he might shed new light on what his life was like, or what life was like for those people, in those times overall...

Or a play or something, it could be anything, all these texts to add to his legacy!

Hey, I can dream, can't I?

Plus it says unpublished texts, so whatever they are, even if someone knows what they are they're not stories we've seen already if they are stories...and all those pages, there's bound to be something...

The lawyers are after it though. The Israeli Govt has laid claim to the lot. Not much chance of an early settlement.

Seems to me the family Hoffe tries to make more money out of the stolen scripts :-)

Some Kafka, notably Metamorphosis, is very good. Other works, I don't like so much. "The Trial" in particular - I don't like that at all.

However, I object strongly to the fact that any of this material still exists. Kafka gave specific instructions that these items should be destroyed after his death. His wishes should be respected.

"The library does not intend to give up the cultural assets that legally belong to it and thus to the Israeli and Jewish people,"

Why does Kafkas work belong to the israeli and jewish people? I don´t get it....

They are claiming that the works belong 'to the jewish people' because Kafka was Jewish. It's nonsense.

He didn´t believe in god and had nothing in comon wit this nationalty stuff of israel, strange people claiming his works for Israel. In my opinion he is a german author, writing in german and influenced by german culture and the typical topic of leck of identity.

He was Czech, not German, Miro.

What do you think the czech belong too that time...

By that reckoning Gandhi was one of the greatest Englishmen to ever live, Miro...

Kafka was always a bit too creepy for my taste. I found the trial impenetrable and metamorphosis readable but odd more than interesting.

Ghandi an englishmen? I think you are getting a few things wrong ghost.

German was Kafkas mothertongue and he wasn´t born in a colony.

No, Gandhi was in British controlled India. Similarly, by your reckoning, Kafka was born in German Czech Republic.

I know about ghandi i read 2 biographies about him...

"No, Gandhi was in British controlled India." I know so what??? Kafka was not born in a colony like ghandi!!!

Czech republic? It doesn´t even exists in that time, i think you are getting something wrong about that again :-)

@Miro: "What do you think the czech belong too that time..."

No, wrong. At the time of Kafka’s birth Prague was part of Austria-Hungary, not Germany. Modern Germany, as a formal nation-state, did not exist at that time.

Kafka was not a German.

Oh my god, what do you think Austria-Hungary was? Ever read about german culture?

"Kafka was not a German."

You are wrong and mixing up terms and times.

What part of Imperialism and nationality do you not understand, Miro?

Another group of people controlling yours and forcing you to learn their language is exactly like a colony.

Germans from Austria ruled over Czech people. They considered themselves Czech even if there was no State.
Similarly, the British ruled India and forced most of it's inhabitants to learn English. They considered themselves largely Indians even though no such State had existed for centuries (Not counting the mughals).

He is not then, strictly a German writer influenced by German culture writing about German things.

Clearly other *cultures* have a claim to him as well, even if the State was Austrian.

"Czech republic? It doesn´t even exists in that time"

God, its like being with Sherlock Holmes himself!

I am fully aware of that, but the nation of the Czech peoples is the Czech Republic. The name is irrelevant to the idea that Kafka was not a German.

I slept in Kafka's office once. The building is now a hotel in central Prague. I did not sleep well but I think that was my companion's fault not Kafka's.

For your information, Miro, 'Czech' was recognised as a distinct national idendity within the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the Czech language was one of the Empire's official languages. According to a census carried out in 1910, the majority of the people living in the Prague area at that time were ethnic Czechs, not ethnic Germans. (Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Austria_Hungary_ethnic.svg)

@Friendly Sword

"Another group of people controlling yours and forcing you to learn their language is exactly like a colony."

- It was his mothertongue...his parents spoke german...
The Kingdom of Bohemia is a very old kingdom and was a part of Austria since 1526, learn history...

"Similarly, the British ruled India and forced most of it's inhabitants to learn English."

No, not similary! Ghandi was struggling with his english when he went to study in england, i couldn´t even have a good conversation.

"He is not then, strictly a German writer influenced by German culture writing about German things."

Have you ever read Kafka in his mothertongue? I did, all of his works. And he defenitly is a german author.



The was the dumbest post about history i have ever seen

"majority of the people living in the Prague area at that time were ethnic Czechs, not ethnic Germans. "

He was from the german speaking minority (about 7-10%) you just have to look up wikipedia, is that to hard for you?

"i couldn´t even have a good conversation." i ment "he" (ghandi)

Miro, I am not claiming that Kafka didn't speak German. I'm saying he wasn't "a German" in the way you claim. Legally, he was of Austro-Hungarian birth. Culturally, he was Jewish.