Top 10 Unbelievable Fun Facts About Kafka: Uncover the Enigma of His Life and Works

1. Kafka's Comic Strips

Who needs a knight in shining armor when you can have a Kafka in a fit of giggles? Believe it or not, the eternally brooding author spent his free time doodling away at his own brand of hilarity: Behind the somber façade, Franz Kafka was quite the comedian, with a penchant for doodling his own comic strips titled "The Lonely Ones," which showcased stick figures in absurd and humorous situations, only to be discovered and published posthumously into various collections.
Source => theamericanreader.com

2. The Kafka Kondo

Picture Franz Kafka as an unintentional Marie Kondo of literature, sorting his work into categories of "valid" and "burn, baby, burn": Despite ambiguous instructions in his last will, Kafka never explicitly demanded the destruction of his unpublished works. His friend and literary executor Max Brod chose to ignore his wishes, preserving and promoting Kafka's writings, thus securing the author's place as a key figure in the German-language literary tradition.
Source => afr.com

Did you know the infamous Zodiac Killer may have been inspired by a 1932 movie adaptation of a short story? Discover the chilling connection and how it played a role in one of his tragic attacks.

=> Fun Facts about Literature

3. Kafka's Infomercial Writing Marathons

If late-night infomercials had been a thing in the early 20th century, Franz Kafka would have been their number one fan, using the glow of the television screen to fuel his supernatural writing marathons: Kafka, known for penning literary classics such as "The Metamorphosis," was dedicated to his craft, often writing through the night until the wee hours of the morning, and scribbling away during any free moment available, including lunch breaks and between daily duties.
Source => dailyroutines.typepad.com

4. Kafka's Unexpected Love Story

Though he might have been better at penning romantic cockroach tragedies, our man Kafka finally found his leading lady in an unexpected love story: In 1923, he met Dora Dymant, and their relationship flourished, providing stability and happiness until his untimely death a year later.
Source => theguardian.com

5. Kafka's Worker Safety Innovations

Before coffee fueled office workers, there was Kafka "fighting the good fi...safety" one legal document at a time: As a senior legal secretary at The Workmen's Accident Insurance Institute for the Kingdom of Bohemia in Prague, Kafka was a champion for workers' safety, even implementing innovations like cylindrical shafts to replace hazard-prone square ones in wood-planing machines.
Source => tabletmag.com

6. Katchup with Kafka's Burn Requests

Here's some food for thought you might want to "katchup" on: Franz Kafka, the OG of existential literature, wasn't exactly a fan of his own work, going so far as to torch about 90% of his writings and insisting his friend Max Brod get fired up and burn the rest when he passed away. Good thing Max didn't kowtow to Kafka's request, or we'd all be left hungry for those mind-bending stories!
Source => cityam.com

7. Kafka's Superpowered Night Writing

It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's Kafka feverishly penning a literary masterpiece in the dead of night: Despite frequent bouts of illness, Franz Kafka dedicated his nights to crafting unforgettable stories after working at his insurance day job, managing to write the entirety of "The Judgement" in just one September evening back in 1912.
Source => lithub.com

8. Kafka's Speedy Metamorphosis Creation

In the wee hours of the night, as Gregor Samsa slept fitfully and Kafka's pen danced on paper, a new literary insect was born – one that would scuttle its way into the annals of literary greatness: Franz Kafka wrote the entirety of Metamorphosis in a mere three weeks during 1912, despite juggling his daytime job at an insurance company. This once-overlooked novella, published in 1915 and initially garnering little fanfare, has since transformed into a widely-studied and analyzed masterpiece in classrooms across the globe.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

9. Kafka's Buzz-worthy Office Inspiration

If Kafka's coworkers ever asked, "What's the buzz at the office?" he surely took it literally, creating Gregor Samsa's startling transformation into an insect: In reality, Franz Kafka's day job as an insurance lawyer and bureaucrat provided inspiration for his writing, with his daily work experiences influencing characters and situations in his fiction, and even his legal writings carrying "Kafkaesque echoes".
Source => lawexplores.com

10. Kafka's Father: Beach Dad or Dunce?

You might think Franz Kafka's father was the dominating dunce who inspired the author's twisted tales, but the life's a beach, and life's not always what it seems: Hermann Kafka owned a successful fancy goods store and was quite the generous chap when it came to the family's finances, though his complex relationship with Franz played a significant role in shaping the characters of the literary legend's work.
Source => themarginalian.org