Karl Kraus

Karl Kraus (1874–1936) was an Austrian writer, satirist, poet, playwright, and critic of language, culture, and the media. He initially studied law in Vienna before turning to philosophy and German studies, without completing a degree. In 1899, he founded the journal Die Fackel, which remained his principal platform for literary and cultural criticism until 1936. He became known in particular for the satire Die demolierte Literatur and the drama The Last Days of Mankind, about the First World War.