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Birth
Franz Kafka born in Prague to Hermann (1852-1931) and Julie née Löwy (1856-1934). -
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Life of Franz Kafka
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Citizen of the Austro-Hungarian Empire
During this period, Prague is a city in the region of Bohemia, subject to the reign of the Habsburg royal family. -
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Franz Kafka lives with his parents
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Kafka studies at the German university (Gymnasium)
Becomes friends with Oskar Pollak. Family resides on the Zeltnergasse in Prague. -
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Kafka studies at the university
Kafka studies German literature, then law at German University (Gymnasium) in Prague and partly in Munich. Influenced by teachers Alfred Weber (economist, brother of sociologist Max Weber) and Hans Gross (criminologist, father of Otto Gross). -
Kafka meets Max Brod
Meets Max Brod, who is giving a lecture on Schopenhauer and Nietzsche. Brod argues that Schopenhauer is better than Nietzsche. Kafka disagrees vociferously. They argue, then become lifelong friends. -
Kafka graduates
Gets degree of doctor juris from the Gymnasium in Prague -
Kafka gets a job
Takes a position at the semi-governmental Workers' Accident Insurance Institute for the Kingdom of Bohemia.
Kafka to Brod: "How modest these men [injured workers] are. They come ot us and beg. Instead of storming the Institute and smashing it to little pieces, they come and beg." -
Kafka delivers "An Introductory Talk on the Yiddish Language"
His presentation is to a group of assimilated (German-speaking, "Western") Jews, who are quite distant from and often prejudiced against their Yiddish-speaking ("Eastern") cousins. -
Engaged to Felice for the first time
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First engagement to Felice Bauer
April 12-13: Kafka goes to Berlin to become engaged to Felice Bauer.
July 11-13: Kafka goes to Berlin to break off his engagement to Felice Bauer. -
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World War I
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Engaged to Felice again
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Citizen of the Republic of Czechoslovakia
Prague is now a city in Czechoslovakia. -
Death
Death from tuberculosis in the sanatorium at Kierling, Austria