Franz Kafka Statue, Prague

Next to the Spanish Synagogue in Prague is located the Statue of Franz Kafka and his stories, who was a native of Prague. He was a German language writer of novels and short stories, regarded by critics as one of the most influential authors of the 20^th century. Kafka lives in a number of places in the Old Town of the Czech capital, and his face can be seen in many spots throughout the former Jewish section. However, the largest monument to him, ‘Memorial to Franz Kafka’ (2003), is a bit more introspective than the others. This statue depicts a large, headless and handless man, carrying a small man on his shoulder, as if it were depicting a father carrying his son. Nonetheless, the small man is a representation of Kafka. This image of a man carrying another man on his shoulders, walking through the streets of Prague, appears in Kafka’s story ‘Description of a Struggle.’