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Kraus, Karl (1874-1936)
Copyright: IMAGNO/
Wienbibliothek im Rathaus
Wienbibliothek im Rathaus
Bertold Brecht said of Karl Kraus that he was the "first writer of our times".
Kraus was born into a wealthy Jewish family on 28 April 1874 in Gitschin in Bohemia (today: Jièín, Czech Republic). In 1877 the family moved to Vienna, where Kraus enrolled at the Vienna University to study law, philosophy and German language and literature - without ever graduating.
Already during his studies Kraus contributed to the paper Wiener Literaturzeitung and tried his hand at acting and reciting. After he had left university Kraus joined the avant-garde Jungwien (Young Vienna) group, which included such renowned poets as Hugo von Hofmannsthal and Arthur Schnitzler. He also befriended the writer Peter Altenberg and the architect Adolf Loos.
In 1899, Kraus founded his own newspaper, Die Fackel ("The Torch"), which he continued to direct, publish, and write until his death, and from which he launched his satirical and biting attacks. In its first decade, contributors included many well-known writers and artists, but from 1911 on Kraus was the sole author. Kraus' work was published nearly exclusively in Die Fackel, of which thirty-seven volumes and over 30,000 pages appeared in total.
In Die Fackel Kraus published polemical and satirical essays, attacked other publications, political leaders, artists, and authors, and pilloried sensational journalism, double standards and the unscrupulous war machinery of his time. His most noted play was "Die letzten Tage der Menschheit" (The Last Days of Mankind) which dramatizes "man's inhumanity to man".
The key to his work is his love of language. He was not only a very productive writer of poetry and critical essays, but also aphorisms. Two of his famous quotes include "If the sun of culture stands low even dwarfs cast a shadow" and "One of the most widespread diseases is diagnosis". Shortly before his death Kraus discontinued publishing Die Fackel with the line “I have nothing to say about Hitler”. Karl Kraus died on 12 June 1936 in Vienna.
Karl Kraus: Wiener Stätten
Kraus was born into a wealthy Jewish family on 28 April 1874 in Gitschin in Bohemia (today: Jièín, Czech Republic). In 1877 the family moved to Vienna, where Kraus enrolled at the Vienna University to study law, philosophy and German language and literature - without ever graduating.
Already during his studies Kraus contributed to the paper Wiener Literaturzeitung and tried his hand at acting and reciting. After he had left university Kraus joined the avant-garde Jungwien (Young Vienna) group, which included such renowned poets as Hugo von Hofmannsthal and Arthur Schnitzler. He also befriended the writer Peter Altenberg and the architect Adolf Loos.
In 1899, Kraus founded his own newspaper, Die Fackel ("The Torch"), which he continued to direct, publish, and write until his death, and from which he launched his satirical and biting attacks. In its first decade, contributors included many well-known writers and artists, but from 1911 on Kraus was the sole author. Kraus' work was published nearly exclusively in Die Fackel, of which thirty-seven volumes and over 30,000 pages appeared in total.
In Die Fackel Kraus published polemical and satirical essays, attacked other publications, political leaders, artists, and authors, and pilloried sensational journalism, double standards and the unscrupulous war machinery of his time. His most noted play was "Die letzten Tage der Menschheit" (The Last Days of Mankind) which dramatizes "man's inhumanity to man".
The key to his work is his love of language. He was not only a very productive writer of poetry and critical essays, but also aphorisms. Two of his famous quotes include "If the sun of culture stands low even dwarfs cast a shadow" and "One of the most widespread diseases is diagnosis". Shortly before his death Kraus discontinued publishing Die Fackel with the line “I have nothing to say about Hitler”. Karl Kraus died on 12 June 1936 in Vienna.
Karl Kraus: Wiener Stätten
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