Franz Kafka

About Franz Kafka

Franz Kafka, ranked #123 by MIT's Pantheon project for his profound cultural influence, was an influential German-speaking Bohemian novelist and short-story writer who died in 1924. He is widely regarded as one of the major figures of 20th-century literature, known for his absurd and nightmarish narratives that often explore themes of alienation, guilt, and bureaucracy, as seen in masterpieces like *The Metamorphosis* and *The Trial*.

Kafka’s historical importance does not perfectly translate to his contemporary digital footprint. With 2.0 million annualized Wikipedia views in 2025, his attention appears relatively high given his literary specialization, resulting in a +3x overattention score relative to his historical rank. To contextualize, this level of modern attention is similar to that garnered by much less historically crucial figures from the modern era, such as George Washington (#325 importance, 4.8M views).

Despite this favorable standing, the recent data indicates a slight cooling of interest. His 2025 annualized views are down by a significant -28.0% year-over-year, and his Q1 vs Q3 momentum shows a further -6% decline, suggesting a gradual dimming of his digital spotlight over the past year.