Kafka und Griechenland

Abstract

This volume brings together selected contributions from the international conference “Kafka and Greece”, held on June 18–19, 2021, at the Department of German Language and Literature of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. The conference aimed to systematically explore a research field that has so far been approached only fragmentarily and to shed light on the multifaceted relationships between Franz Kafka’s work and the cultural, literary, and intellectual context of Greece.

While references to Greece in Kafka scholarship have repeatedly been noted –particularly in relation to mythological figures such as Odysseus, Prometheus, and Poseidon, as well as philosophical traditions and educational influences – they have not yet been integrated into a comprehensive analytical framework. At the same time, the volume addresses the reception of Kafka in Greece, which is marked by a remarkable number of translations and a strong presence across various artistic fields.

The contributions are organized around two main axes: on the one hand, the analysis of Kafka’s texts in relation to ancient mythology, philosophy, and modern aesthetics; on the other, the study of Kafka’s reception in Greek literature and art. The essays demonstrate how Kafka does not merely reproduce classical models but transforms and deconstructs them, placing them in a productive tension with modernity. Particular emphasis is placed on the relationship between Kafka’s work and Platonic philosophy, the critique of myth, and the dialectic between rationality and myth. Furthermore, the studies on Kafka’s reception in Greece highlight the enduring relevance of his work, especially in times of social and political crisis, as well as its function as an interpretative framework for contemporary realities.

Overall, the volume constitutes an interdisciplinary contribution to international Kafka scholarship, underscoring the importance of transcultural and comparative approaches and expanding the scope of research at the intersection of Kafka and Greece.