German-Jewish author, 1883-1924. Famous for his quasi-existentialist and surreal novels and stories dealing with alienation in modern society. Many of his most famous works were posthumously published after Max Brod, his best friend, failed to respect his dying wish and burn the manuscripts.

Best remembered as skewering bureaucracy in his oeuvre "The Trial" as well as his shorter stories The Metamorphosis, A Hunger Artist, In the Penal Colony and the humourous Amerika.