To mark 100 years since the passing of Franz Kafka, the National Library of Israel is displaying, for the first time, original items from the archive of one of the most influential authors of the 20th century and to this day - a writer who was able to brilliantly describe the "Kafkaesque" and often pointless reality of modern life. The exhibition offers an experience that honors Kafka's legacy and invites visitors to make their own way through a literary labyrinth.

 

Among the items on display are Kafka's famous will, in which he asked to burn all his writings after his death, the accusatory 100 page - long "Letter to his Father", original manuscripts of his well known books The Trial, Amerika, and The Castle, as well as his stories and novellas. including The Metamorphosis, first and rare editions, personal letters, as well as his own drawings, photographs and Hebrew writing exercises. The exhibition also includes materials that serve to show the massive influence Kafka's work had in Israel and around the world, including adaptations in theatre, film, dance and the visual arts. For the purpose of this exhibition works were commissioned from eight of the leading illustrators in Israel - Isakov, Leoa, Biniashvili, Warshavsky, Yekutieli, Salomon, Fahima and Kichka - who were asked to correspond with the works of Kafka and the figure of the author himself.

 

The National Library of Israel is one of three institutions worldwide that hold items from Kafka's personal and literary archive. The exhibition 'Kafka: Metamorphosis of an Author" covers his life story, his works, his relationships with his family, friends and loved ones, and offers a deep examination and understanding of his attitudes towards Judaism, Yiddish and Zionism. The exhibition also traces the fascinating story of his estate and how his literary works were eventually published by his closest friend, Max Brod. The story begins before Kafka's death and comes to a conclusion in 2019, when Israel's Supreme Court decided that Kafka's archive was a cultural asset that was to be deposited at the National Library.

 

The curators of the exhibition are Dr. Stefan Litt, The National Library of Israel's Curator of the Humanities Collection and Mr. Hadas Ophrat, a recipient of the Israel Prize for his contribution to theatre production and design in Israel.

 

The National Library of Israel was founded in 1892 and is one of the core institutions of the State of Israel. The library presently holds over 5 million books, periodicals, rare manuscripts, personal and institutional archives, newspapers, maps, and photographs. The library also houses the National Music Archives.

 

The National Library building is built in the form of a stone block with a concave upper surface resting on a glass platform.The building was designed by the Swiss architecture firm, Herzog and de Mouron and local architectural firm, Mann - Shinar. In 2023 CNN voted the building as having the most fascinating architecture. 

 

The library main repository which has 14% oxygen with the purpose that no fire can happen , this means that no person can enter due to the inability to breathe.  It contains over 4 million printed items. 

 

The reading halls surround the well of light shining down from the skylight in concentric circles like a ripping pool. About 200 000 books and periodicals fill the open shelves. 

 

In the permanent exhibition one will encounter the rarest and most fascinating items in the National Library's collection. 

 

The library is certainly worth visiting. Tours are available as well as an excellent restaurant as well as prayer facilities for followers of all the monotheistic religions.