“Eine periphere literarische Erscheinung”: Franz Kafka nella DDR

Abstract

This article explores the reception and publication history of Franz Kafka’s work in the German Democratic Republic, tracing the ideological, political, and editorial dynamics that shaped his marginal position in the East German literary canon. From early censorship and hesitant publication efforts to a late rediscovery driven by shifting cultural policies, Kafka’s presence in the GDR remained fraught and ambivalent. Through archival sources and case studies, the analysis highlights how Kafka’s work functioned both as a contested ideological object and a subcultural symbol for dissent and inner reflection in a tightly controlled literary system.