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Czech Republic

Witness to Kafka's Legacy by the Spanish Synagogue in Prague

From my permanent post near Prague's Spanish Synagogue, I capture the essence of Franz Kafka as he rides on my headless shoulders, a tribute to his 1912 narrative, "Description of a Struggle." Born to a German-speaking Jewish family, Kafka was truly a son of Prague. His tales, set against the backdrop of this historic city, weave intricate stories of individuals grappling with the absurdities of existence. As visitors pass by, I often hear murmurs of Kafka's iconic works like "The Metamorphosis" or "The Trial." Though Kafka was trained in law, his soul belonged to writing. His stories, teeming with characters caught in bureaucratic nightmares or personal anguish, resonate with readers even today. Regrettably, during his lifetime, Kafka’s brilliance remained overshadowed by doubt. On his deathbed, he even asked his friend Max Brod to burn all his unpublished manuscripts. Thankfully, Brod saw their incalculable worth and ensured that Kafka's writings lived on. Every day, as I bear Kafka upon my shoulders, tourists and locals alike pause, capturing the moment in photos or simply absorbing the essence. Through them, and through me, Kafka's legacy, shaped by his internal battles and profound insights, forever remains a part of Prague's rich history.

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Rudolf Vrba