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Comments (0)Original manuscripts by Franz Kafka reportedly were found in safety boxes opened in Zurich, Switzerland.
More manuscripts reportedly are stored in vaults in Tel Aviv, six of which were opened last week.
The manuscripts were revealed as part of a trial over the estate of the Jewish writer’s close friend and literary executor, Max Brod.
Brod had left his estate to his secretary, Esther Hoffe, who died three years ago. The estate is now under the control of Hoffe’s daughter Eva.
Kafka had requested that his manuscripts be burned upon his death, which apparently was not honored. The existence of the manuscripts came to light when Eva Hoffe and her sister Ruth began selling pieces of the estate.
Brod had requested that the manuscripts and other papers in his estate be kept at the National Library in Jerusalem or some other public archive in Israel or abroad. The library filed suit against Hoffe to obtain the documents.
The Tel Aviv Family Court is due to rule on a petition filed by Hoffe asking that the contents of the safe deposit boxes not be made public.
South African Ambassador Returns to Israel
South Africa has reinstated its ambassador to Israel.
The South African government had recalled Ismail Coovadia seven weeks ago following Israel’s interception of a Turkish aid ship, which led to the death of nine Turkish activists. It did not expel its ambassador from Israel.
Coovadia’s recall was the country’s way of registering its strongest protest of the incident.
The South African government also issued a demarche, the strongest form of diplomatic protest, against Israel’s action.
“Following extensive discussions and consultations with Amb. Coovadia, the decision was taken by the government for Amb. Coovadia to return to Tel Aviv to resume his duties there,” said the Department of International Relations and Cooperation spokesperson, Saul Molobi.
“The South African Government also continues to call on the Israeli government to lift its blockade of Gaza, which is causing untold suffering to thousands of innocent civilians,” Molobi added.
South Africa also continues to call for a “prompt, impartial, credible and transparent” independent international investigation.
Berlin Jewish Museum Plans $13 Million Extension
Architect Daniel Libeskind will design an extension to his Jewish Museum of Berlin building.
The sale of the land for the $13 million project was approved Monday, the German DPA news service reported.
Construction is set to begin in August on an academy housing a library, archives, classrooms and offices, DPA reported.
The original building, which opened in 2001, was designed for 300,000 visitors per year.