Franz Kafka's Trial and the Antisemitic Trials of His Time

Franz Kafka’s novel The Trial (1915) is open to many interpretations. One aspect which has not been taken sufficiently into account is it’s relation to the antisemitic trials of his times, where Jews were accused of treason or “ritual murder” : the trials of Tisza (Hungary, 1882), Dreyfus (France, 1894-1899), Hilsner (Czechoslovaquia, 1899-1900) and Beiliss (Russia 1912-13). Kafka knew about them and made comments in his correspondence or diaries. This “Jewish moment” is essential for the understanding of the novel. However, Joseph K. has no religious or ethnic identity: Kafka discovers in the Jewish experience the quintessential human experience of Injustice.

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