The Kafkaesque Story of Franz Kafka
When Franz Kafka died of tuberculosis at the age of 40, he was relatively unknown. None of his novels had yet been published — only a few short stories. He lived most of his life in a Jewish section of Prague in a too-small apartment with his parents and sisters, holding down a demanding job as a lawyer. Today, 100 years after his death, his popularity and influence continue to grow throughout the world. Works such as Metamorphosis and The Trial personify the frustration and powerlessness of living in a bureaucratic world. Even people who haven’t read his work find it natural to refer to their bewildering experiences with the complexities of modern life as “Kafkaesque.” This talk will introduce Kafka’s life and work, and explore why his closest friend ignored his request to burn all his works after his death, and the unusual 9 year lawsuit that pitted Germany against Israel – with both claiming ownership of Kafka’s work.
Deborah Freeman is a long-time member of The City Congregation, and served on the Board for ten years. Her daughter celebrated her Bat Mitzvah with Rabbi Peter in 1999. Deborah has worked as a docent at the Morgan Museum for 12 years, leading tours on subjects as varied as David Hockney portraits, how Charles Dickens made more money acting out A Christmas Carol than writing it, and the influence of Russian folk tales on French ballet. The current show at the Morgan called Kafka: the Making of an Icon – will run through April 13th.
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