You Have Come and Stay. On the 100th Anniversary of Franz Kafka's Death

Born and raised in the German-Jewish-Czech worlds of Prague, died in Kierling near Vienna: For many, the most important German-language writer of the 20th century had an international impact with his socio-critical, surreal works.

In our themed evening, we will first look at the Kafka memorial year from an Austrian, Czech and German perspective. We then turn to the time before Kafka's death and finally show him from a lesser-known side: as a humorous person and author.

Franz Kafka's texts, filled with obscure relationships and threats, have much to say to us, especially in today's times of authoritarianism approaching from all sides. Young people also feel addressed by the worlds he created, in which the individual is at the mercy of unknown forces - which is reflected in the millions of times the hashtag #kafka has been used on social media. Franz Kafka died in a sanatorium in Kierling near Vienna on June 3, 1924. Today there is an atmospheric and informative memorial room there.

„Du bist gekommen und bleibst“ („You have come and stay“): this sentence comes from a fragment of Kafka's prose in which he describes, with subtle irony, the conjuring of a ghost. Little could he have known that he was anticipating his place in today's world. How is this exceptional writer being commemorated in Austria this year? Which projects are taking place in Germany and which in his Czech homeland? After a discussion on the impact of his work and life in the three countries, Reiner Stach, internationally renowned Kafka researcher, and Manfred Müller, Chairman of the Austrian Franz Kafka Society, will shed light on the last weeks of the author's life. As a final counterpoint, a lecture with an actor's reading will present the witty and grotesque aspect of his writing.

Program

The Kafka memorial year in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic

Panel discussion with

• Reiner Stach, Kafka researcher

• Manfred Müller, Chairman of the Österreichische Franz Kafka Gesellschaft

• Věra Koubová, Kafka translator into Czech

• Zuzana Jürgens, Managing Director of the Adalbert Stifter Verein

Moderation: Vera Schneider, Deutsches Kulturforum östliches Europa

Kafka's last weeks of life

Picture lecture and discussion with Reiner Stach and Manfred Müller

Kafka and humor

Lecture by Reiner Stach with actor reading

Registration here.

Organized by: Adalbert Stifter Verein, Deutsches Kulturforum östliches Europa, Österreichische Franz Kafka Gesellschaft, Österreichisches Kulturforum Berlin, Tschechische Botschaft Berlin