Franz Kafka is one of the most enigmatic writers of modern history. Just a few of his works were published during his life and he wanted all of his writings to be destroyed following his death. However, thanks to his friend Max Brod, Kafka’s writings ended up being published posthumously, which made him one of the most important authors of the 20th century. You probably read some of his most important works, now check out some interesting facts about Franz Kafka below.
Kafka Cheated on His High-School Exam
While in high school, Kafka decided to join his classmates in a daring quest; they would cheat on the Greek Language exam. He and his classmates bribed their professor’s housekeeper, stole the answers, and aced the test.
Kafka Prioritized His Writings Over Everything Else
Being doubtful about the quality of his works didn’t stop Kafka from being fully dedicated to writing. He famously decided to quit a well-paying job at an insurance company after one year because it didn’t leave him enough time to write. He ended up taking a job as an insurance clerk with Workers’the Accident Insurance Institute for the Kingdom of Bohemia, which didn’t earn him much but allowed him to get off work around 2 p.m. and spend the rest of his day writing.
Kafka Wanted to Get Rich By Writing Travel Guides
Considering his clerk job wasn’t paying much, and his literary works didn’t bring him money, Kafka devised a plan to write guides for cheap travels across Europe. He believed this would make him rich, but his plan never progressed further than a proposal that was shut down by multiple publishers.
Kafka Was Afraid of Mice
Kafka’s works were filled with realism and unsettling imagery. This is why it is interesting that he had a fear of mice. According to one letter Kafka sent to a friend, his fear stemmed from the “unexpected, unbidden, unavoidable, virtually silent, persistent, ulteriorly motivated appearance of these animals,” and he was afraid they would take over his apartment.