Photo: Hans H. Pinn, 1916-1978 photographer, Portrait Max Brod, [1964], סימול ARC. 4* 2000 08 076, Max Brod Archive/The National Library of Israel
Max Brod, an important representative of Prague Jewish German literature, was born 140 years ago, on May 27, 1884. He is best known as the saviour of Franz Kafka’s work.
Max Brod was born into the family of a German-speaking clerk. After graduating from law school he worked as a postal, financial and court clerk. From 1929 to 1939 he was theatre and music critic for the newspaper Prager Tagblatt. He was also vice-president of the Jewish National Council in Czechoslovakia.
Brod was a good friend of future literary giant Franz Kafka and is known as the man who saved the writer’s work for the world. He did not burn Kafka‘s short stories and novels, despite his express wishes, but instead sorted and published them. He also wrote several studies on Kafka and edited his works.
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