Jubilee BookFest – Franz Kafka: The Castle

Jubilee BookFest – Franz Kafka: The Castle

In 2026, numerous iconic works of fiction and entertainment will celebrate milestone anniversaries, and we would like to celebrate these works and the joy of reading with a new series of events.

The second event in our series will focus on a classic of literature, Franz Kafka's The Castle, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year since its posthumous publication in 1926.

The professional speaker for the evening will be Dr. habil. István Ladányi, lecturer at the Department of Literature and Cultural Studies at the University of Pannonia, whose research interests include comparative literary studies, Central European literature, South Slavic literature, and contemporary Hungarian literature.

The lecture starts from the Kafka cult, from how Kafka became one of the symbolic artistic figures of the 20th century. What answers can be found in Kafka's oeuvre that people of the 20th century can relate to?

The lecture will discuss the connections between Kafka's biography and his oeuvre, placing emphasis on his works and their interpretations.

Anyone who has ever felt like a stranger in the world, who has had to justify to themselves or others why they are where they are, can recognize themselves in this work— who has asked themselves what they are doing in the world. Kafka has a wonderful ability to depict details, places, and people, to unfold the elements of the story, making even the most absurd things seem real. Certain elements of the plot are nightmarish, and readers in the 20th and 21st centuries can still see their symbolic meanings even if they only have a superficial knowledge of Freud, psychoanalysis, and the hidden workings of the human soul. The castle is up on the hill, ordinary people are denied access, power operates in an elusive way – who would not recognize the anxieties of modern people...

Join us for an evening of thought-provoking discussion as we explore Kafka's world together!

Location: Agora Chamber Hall

Admission is free!