The Trial

The novel The Trial, which the author himself regarded as unfinished, was created in only six months, between August 1914 and January 1915. It is the story of Josef K., who, on the morning of his thirtieth birthday, is arrested and subsequently charged before an anonymous but extremely powerful court, and ultimately sentenced to death. The work was first published by Max Brod in 1925 from Kafka’s estate. The first translations of the novel appeared in 1933 in France, Italy, and Norway; in 1936 a Polish translation followed, as did translations for British and American readers in 1937. It was successful around the world. An opera of The Trial, composed by Gottfried von Einem was first performed in Salzburg in 1953. The first film version of the book was directed in 1962 by Orson Welles. 

“It is only our conception of time that leads us to call the Last Judgement by that name; it is really a kind of martial law.”

Franz Kafka, Aphorisms

Someone must have slandered Josef K., for one morning, without having done anything wrong, he was arrested. 

Franz Kafka, The Trial