“Prague never lets you go” Kafka once declared. But Berlin held a different allure for him. Here at the Franz Kafka Plaque we remember his brief but significant time in this city.
Kafka viewed Berlin as an escape from Prague. He felt Prague was a place of memories and shame. Berlin became a screen for his longings and dreams. Let’s delve into Kafka’s relationship with Berlin.
Kafka first visited Berlin in 1910. He was captivated by the city’s theater scene. He enjoyed comedies by Molière and Shakespeare. Kafka identified with Hamlet so much that he had to look away from the stage to regain his composure. He was often absorbed in his thoughts barely noticing the city. He felt at home in a vegetarian restaurant enjoying semolina pudding and gooseberry wine.
From 1912 to 1917 Kafka corresponded with Felice Bauer. He imagined her life in Berlin in great detail. His preoccupation with Berlin continued even after their relationship waned. Kafka declared he wasn’t finished with Berlin after the dissolution of their first engagement. He wanted to leave Prague and live on his savings. World War I prevented him from fulfilling this plan.
Kafka grew even keener on leaving Prague after his second engagement to Felice ended. He noticed increasing xenophobia and anti-Semitism. Kafka hoped Berlin would be an antidote to Prague. He finally moved to Berlin in September 1923 comparing it to Napoleon’s march to Russia.
Kafka arrived in a Berlin facing turmoil. Unemployment was high and violence erupted. He found an apartment in Steglitz with Dora Diamant. He avoided newspapers and focused on the peaceful world of Steglitz. “My Potsdamer Platz is the square outside the Steglitz Town Hall” he wrote.
Kafka found peace in Berlin initially. He and Dora read to each other in Hebrew. Family and friends visited from Prague. Kafka attended courses at the Berlin Academy for the Science of Judaism. He described it as an oasis of peace. He also dedicated time to his writing.
Kafka wrote “The Burrow” and “A Little Woman” in Berlin. “A Little Woman” was inspired by his landlady. She became hostile due to Kafka’s electricity consumption. Kafka and Diamant were given notice to leave.
Kafka’s luck changed in November 1923. He and Diamant moved but faced issues with their landlady again. Kafka’s health deteriorated in early 1924. He was bedridden with a fever. His uncle advised him to seek treatment in a sanatorium. Berlin was no longer an option.
Kafka returned to Prague heartbroken in March. He considered his return a defeat. He viewed his escape from Prague as his greatest achievement.
Kafka’s letters reveal his activities and condition in Berlin. He expressed regret and misery. He admitted his move to Berlin was a foolhardiness. Despite hardships Kafka remained stoic. He knew Berlin offered him a future unlike Prague. “Berlin is the antidote to Prague” he wrote.
Kafka’s dream of Berlin didn’t last. He left Berlin and died shortly after. The Franz Kafka Plaque serves as a reminder of his hopes for a new beginning in Berlin a city that briefly offered him peace and a vision of a different life.