Timeline: Kafka timeline

Jul 3, 1883

Birth

Franz Kafka born in Prague to Hermann (1852-1931) and Julie née Löwy (1856-1934).

Period: Jul 3, 1883 to Jun 3, 1924

Life of Franz Kafka

Period: Jul 3, 1883 to Oct 28, 1918

Citizen of the Austro-Hungarian Empire

During this period, Prague is a city in the region of Bohemia, subject to the reign of the Habsburg royal family.

Period: Jul 3, 1883 to Feb 1, 1915

Franz Kafka lives with his parents

Period: Jan 12, 1893 to Jan 12, 1901

Kafka studies at the German university (Gymnasium)

Becomes friends with Oskar Pollak. Family resides on the Zeltnergasse in Prague.

Period: Jan 12, 1901 to Jun 18, 1906

Kafka studies at the university

Kafka studies German literature, then law at German University (Gymnasium) in Prague and partly in Munich. Influenced by teachers Alfred Weber (economist, brother of sociologist Max Weber) and Hans Gross (criminologist, father of Otto Gross).

Oct 23, 1902

Kafka meets Max Brod

Meets Max Brod, who is giving a lecture on Schopenhauer and Nietzsche. Brod argues that Schopenhauer is better than Nietzsche. Kafka disagrees vociferously. They argue, then become lifelong friends.

Jun 18, 1906

Kafka graduates

Gets degree of doctor juris from the Gymnasium in Prague

Jul 30, 1908

Kafka gets a job

Takes a position at the semi-governmental Workers' Accident Insurance Institute for the Kingdom of Bohemia.
Kafka to Brod: "How modest these men [injured workers] are. They come ot us and beg. Instead of storming the Institute and smashing it to little pieces, they come and beg."

Feb 18, 1912

Kafka delivers "An Introductory Talk on the Yiddish Language"

His presentation is to a group of assimilated (German-speaking, "Western") Jews, who are quite distant from and often prejudiced against their Yiddish-speaking ("Eastern") cousins.