Franz Kafka – The Second Century Kafka Kaleidoscope: Lectures, Readings, Talks, Film

3 June 2024 marks the centenary of Franz Kafka’s death and is obviously just the start of another century of appreciation of his work. Over two evenings, the Akademie der Künste will once again attempt to get to the bottom of what makes the poet so fascinating.

As internationally renowned Kafka experts, Kafka biographer Reiner Stach and Kafka editor Hans-Gerd Koch will give key lectures. Ulrike Draesner, Aris Fioretos, Katja Lange-Müller, Thomas Lehr, Kathrin Röggla, Kathrin Schmidt and Cécile Wajsbrot will present their views on “their Kafka” in individual contributions.

Texts by Kafka will be performed as part of the supporting programme. KUNSTWELTEN will present the results of workshops during which high school students compete against ChatGPT under the direction of Thomas Lehr or interpret The Metamorphosis in drawings with Felix Baxman. The filmed theatre production by Willi Schmidt with Klaus Kammer Ein Bericht für eine Akademie (1962) can be rediscovered at Blackbox. A showcase exhibition will show how Kafka inspired other artists.

Leading up to the evening programme, a panel discussion on “Kafka, Brecht and the Art of the Parable” will take place on 3 June at 4 pm, at Literaturforum im Brecht-Haus. For more information click here.