Franz Kafka (1883-1924)

Kafka was a Prague-born, German-language Jewish novelist, whose work had a tremendous influence on Western literature. His many books include The Castle , The Trial , and The Great Wall of China . His novels have been translated into many languages and have been adapted for movies, plays, and operas. The plot in his books generally center around the hero`s search for identity.

Kafka was attracted to vegetarianism for health and ethical reasons. While viewing a fish in an aquarium, he said, "Now I can look at you in peace; I don`t eat you any more." He had little faith in conventional doctors; he was interested in the benefits of raw-food diets. He was also involved in anti-vivisection activities.
- Richard Schwartz

for a much more detailed account see Franz Kafka – Vegetarian Activist (word/.doc file) - from a talk by Jan Stastny at the 2008 IVU World Vegetarian Congress in Dresden.