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Brod’s Broad’s Brood Broods

Max Brod, you recall, ignored Kafka’s request (in writing) that he destroy all of his manuscripts… Which, you know, I guess was okay since Kafka’s manuscripts were really good.

But then Brod gave all the originals plus lots of other not-yet-released stuff to his girlfriend, who was nuts and hid it away, and then she left it all to her children (now old ladies), also nuts. Nuts and mercenary.

They’ve been selling it off bit by bit (it resides in Israel and Switzerland in bank vaults) for millions. To Germany.

Israel, finding this grody to the Max, and quite certain Brod intended all of it for the state of Israel, has been suing for decades, etc.

Here’s the latest chapter of The Trial:

… Four safety-deposit boxes were opened in Zurich Monday by order of the Israeli court, revealing a wealth of Kafka-related manuscripts that now are being catalogued. In the next few days, five other safe deposit boxes are to be opened in Tel Aviv.

When the very first of the total of 10 boxes was opened last week in Israel, one of the sisters, Eva Hoffe, is reported to have burst into the bank in an effort to prevent the vault from being opened, shouting “It’s mine, it’s mine!”

Though present this week in Switzerland, Ms. Hoffe was barred from the bank vault and from the conference room where the papers were examined.

… The library has produced evidence that Max Brod intended the manuscripts for it and, in three decades of frustrations worthy of Kafka himself, found its deal to receive the papers repeatedly blocked by Ms. Hoffe.

Sure, there’s a limerick or two here. I’ll give it a whirl. Later.

****************************

Okay. So here’s what they find in the vault.


Codicil


Dear Max, here’s my scariest thought:
That this writing, so painfully wrought,
Will fall to some bitches
Who’ll sell it for riches
And, oddly, will never be caught.

Margaret Soltan, July 21, 2010 7:30AM
Posted in: kind of a little weird, limericks

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4 Responses to “Brod’s Broad’s Brood Broods”

  1. Bill Gleason Says:

    …and so at last into the human harmony.

  2. Brett Says:

    Selling Franz’s works to the goyim
    Is not the best way to employ ’em.
    Donate to the library
    These papers extraordinary
    So everyone else can enjoy ’em.

  3. Margaret Soltan Says:

    Good one, Brett.

  4. University Diaries » Brod’s Broad’s Brood Broods Revisited Says:

    […] glad to be able to reuse this, one of UD‘s greatest post titles. The original post, from 2010, described Israel’s […]

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