Literature

Karl Kraus 1874-1936

Chronology 1874 Karl Kraus is born on April 28, the son of the wealthy Jewish papermaker Jakob Kraus in Gitschin, Bohemia 1877 Family moves to Vienna 1892 Begins to study Law at the University of Vienna, contributes to the paper Wiener Literaturzeitung 1894-96 Changes his field of studies to Philosophy and German Literature but without earning a degree. 1897 Publishes the satire Die demolierte Literatur in which he criticizes the decadent lifestyle of Jung Wien, a group of writers he befriended in 1896 such as Arthur Schnitzler and Hermann Bahr. 1899 Founds the journal Die Fackel which will become a leading cultural and socio-critical journal and will be published for 37 years (until his death), renounces his Jewish faith 1911 Heine und die Folgen; converts to Catholicism 1914-18 Die Fackel is confiscated repeatedly for supporting a peaceful solution and for criticizing the Austrian politics of war 1918-19 Publishes his anti-war drama Die letzten Tage der Menschheit in Die Fackel 1923 Leaves the Catholic Church 1932 Warns against the National Socialists 1933 Begins working on Die dritte Walpurgisnacht which will be published posthumously 1936 Dies on June 12 in Vienna