Franz Kafka 1912 · Prague
Write into the night
22:30–02:00 · Estimated
Estimated by typical tue. 22:30–02:00 selects one of the reported possibilities; it was not a fixed nightly interval.Source timing: 22:30 or 23:30; until 01:00, 02:00 or 03:00
“dann um ½11 (oft wird aber auch sogar ½12) Niedersetzen zum Schreiben und dabeibleiben je nacht Kraft, Lust und Glück bis 1, 2, 3 Uhr,”
Verbatim excerpt · German original · Franz Kafka
Line breaks and page markers omitted.
Then at half past ten (often even half past eleven), sit down to write and keep at it, depending on strength, inclination and luck, until one, two or three.
Letter to Felice Bauer, 1 November 1912
German transcription hosted by the University of Vienna · Werner Haas
Paragraph beginning “Seit 1 ½ Monaten”
Passage: Schedule paragraph · after family dinner
Timing & context
The source gives several starts and finishes. Its separate mention of once writing until six is a one-off and is not used.
Kafka explicitly describes his established schedule over the preceding six weeks. Several times vary. The one exceptional night ending at six is excluded; his recurring writing session is split visually at midnight.
His letter of 1 November 1912 describes the preceding month and a half, with some recent disruptions.