In the Giant Mountains
From 27th January to 17th February 1922, Kafka took a recuperative holiday in the beautiful winter sports and health resort of Špindlerův Mlýn in the Giant Mountains. Walks, excursions to Tannenstein, watching ski competitions, tobogganing, skiing, “the history of the glacier” – Kafka made the most of his time in the glorious snowy landscape but was still unable to sleep at night.
Then the first chapters of a new novel came into being in the clear mountain air – The Castle: “It was late evening when K. arrived. The village lay deep in snow…”.
The first impression was very good [...] it couldn’t be better; if it remains like this I will recover. Have already tobogganed, might even try skiing.
Franz Kafka to Max Brod
Pity you can’t come for a few days, if fortune would allow it we could spend all day mountain climbing, tobogganing, (skiing too? I’ve managed five steps so far) and writing.
Franz Kafka to Max Brod
