Translator’s Note

Translator’s commentary on two texts by Reiner Stech, both published in Polish for the first time. Kafka Day by Day is the fullest Kafka log so far, documenting almost “day by day” the events in the life of the Prague writer among his closest family members and friends, as well as, sometimes, in his broader social milieu. Besides, the log includes detailed information about the dating of Kafka’s particular texts, short summaries of letters written by him and addressed to him, reviews of his published works, and correspondence about him. Is This Kafka? consists of excerpts from memories, letters, and other documents, as well as unknown photos on which Kafka was recognized in the crowd. Apparently trivial anecdotes illustrate the rise of legends about Great Artists, which usually idealize them according to predetermined criteria and list, like lives of saints in the past, stories about “inexplicable” phenomena and “supernatural” events