The presumably best known of Kafka's almost unknown poems is "In der Abendlandlichen Sonne". It owes it scanty fame to the fact that Kafka later used its first stanza as a motto for his narration "Beschreibung eines Kampfes". But the complete poem consists of two stanzas; it can be found in a letter to a friend from his youth, Hedwig Weiler, dating from August 29, 1907. However, this is not the date Kafka wrote "In der Abendlichen Sonne". Since the literary criticism of Kafka's works has neglected his lyrical output up to now, this essay attempts to reconstruct the genesis of this particular poem. Furthermore, my aim is to obtain a perspective of "In der Abendlichen Sonne" which will uncover the poems numerous connections to the author's life, utilizing them for the interpretation.
