THE KAFKA PROBLEM

New Zealand Listener, Volume 22, Issue 556, 17 February 1950, Page 5

THE KAFKA PROBLEM

Sir,-Your~. correspondent "Critic" disputes my description in a recent ZB Book Review of Frariz Kafka as "the Czech writer." I did not use this phrase without, careful consideration of the various elements-Jewish, Czech and German-in Kafka’s background and work, and I selected it because I believe it to be the most exact and because it corrects a tendency to regard Kafka as in the German literary tradition, Kafka’s father was a Czech Jew from. Wosseck, and most of the Kafka family were Czech patriots opposed to the Habsburg rule. Although Kafka was educated in German schools and wrote in German, he belonged, as Kate Flores writes in The Katka Problem, "like Joyce, to a strongly nationalistic minority group while writing in the major tongue of the oppressing nation. He sympathised with the Czech resistance movement which before the First World War sought to establish an autonomous Bohemian state. He studied the Czech language and literature and attended mass meetings and discussions." As for Kafka’s knowledge of Czech, we have not only the testimony of Max Brod and other friends, but Kafka’s many references in his diary to his fluency in speaking the language and his delight in doing so (e.g., entry for November 28, 1911). For a full discussion of Kafka jas a Czech writer, I refer "Critic? to Review 43 (Ailen and Unwin, 1943), in which Janko Lavrin, discussing "the Czech Contribution to . European Culture," selects Kafka as his main topic. Rudolf Vasata, a Czech critic, begins his essay . in The Kafka Problem with these words: "Of all contémporary Czechoslovak writers, Franz Kafka enjoys more fame in this country than any other, the only exception being Karel Capek." The importance to an understanding of Kafka’s work of recognising him as a Czech writer is brought out by, another Czech, John Urzidil, who writes: "His style, from the beginning, was amalgamated with Slavonic élements. . . He owes much to Czech forms of expression." Charles Neider in his important book, Katka-His Mind and Art (1949) begins his discussion of the "Czechness" of the novelist’s work thus: "Kafka’s ‘work has its roots deep in Czech tradition." I agree with "Critic" that a literary review should give reliable information. "Would he agree with me that letters criticising literary criticisms should be based~ upon full possession of the

facts?

J. C.

REID

(Auckland).