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Kafka’s letters to Felice Bauer show just how isolated and conflicted he felt. He struggled with guilt, his identity, and couldn’t seem to connect with others. His feelings of being lost represent the larger anxiety people were feeling in the early 20th century, as the world was changing so fast. I can relate to Kafka’s struggles with feeling disconnected. With the constant pressure of social media, it sometimes feels like it’s hard to match the standards of things I see online whether its things like bodybuilding, sports, or wealth. For me, these 3 things are very prominent as I am very committed to working out, playing tennis, and of course I want to be wealthy so seeing these things online have a big impact on me.

Kafka’s writing also shows how society added to his stress. Scholars like Reiner Stach explain in Kafka: The Decisive Years that his letters and diaries reveal guilt and alienation from family expectations and social rules. In The Metamorphosis, Gregor Samsa turning into an insect can be seen as a symbol for feeling isolated and anxious. Pictures of Prague from that time show a city changing fast, which helps explain why his characters feel out of place. Looking at these historical details makes me realize Kafka’s struggles weren’t just personal but connected to the world he lived in.

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Freud’s theories on the unconscious, repression, and sexuality were very controversial. His work challenged the old Victorian ideas people were still holding on to and led to a new way of thinking about human behavior, which helped explain why people like Kafka felt so anxious. Freud’s ideas remind me of how I sometimes find it difficult to understand why I feel certain ways, especially when those feelings seem buried or not fully understood.

Freud’s main idea was that unconscious thoughts influence behavior. Peter Gay’s The Freud Reader explains that anxieties often come from conflicts between hidden desires and what society expects. This fits Kafka’s work because his characters often feel trapped by unseen pressures. Videos like “Freud and the Unconscious Mind” from CrashCourse show how our hidden thoughts affect our actions. Knowing this helps me understand why thinking about mental health is important since not all our feelings are obvious or easy to explain.

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Alma Mahler and Oskar Kokoschka’s love affair was full of drama and showed the tension between following personal desires and meeting society’s expectations. Alma was an inspiration to many artists, but her career and relationships were complicated by gender expectations and the pressure to be the perfect woman. Alma’s situation reminds me of the pressure that many people sometimes feel to meet external expectations. Whether it's family, career, or society. Going to a school like Georgia Tech, there is a lot of career pressure and pressure to do well as it is a very rigorous school where I am surrounded by many hardworking and successfull people who may be a lot ahead of me and doing things that I am trying to, such as having good internships, doing well in class, and other small things.

Alma Mahler was both a composer and a muse for famous artists. Karen Painter’s Alma Mahler: A Woman’s Life explains that her relationships were affected by society’s expectations for women. Old photos of her with Gustav Mahler and Kokoschka show how involved she was in artistic circles. YouTube videos like “Alma Mahler: Composer and Muse” explain her struggles balancing love, career, and public image. Learning about her shows that following what you love while dealing with societal pressure has always been hard, not just now.

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Gustav Mahler’s obsession with death reflects the deep fear and uncertainty of his time. His personal struggles and music, especially with themes of death, captured the anxiety of an era moving closer to war. His emotional intensity could be considered a result of the world he was living in. Like Mahler, I’ve often found myself reflecting on death and the unknown, especially during stressful times in life. Mahler’s ability to turn those feelings into music is inspiring. I love listening to music when I am stressed as well so this part sticks with me a good bit

Mahler’s music is full of themes about death and fear. Henry-Louis de La Grange explains in Mahler: A Biography that personal tragedy and awareness of illness influenced his symphonies. Listening to Symphony No. 2 shows how he turned fear into powerful music. Old pictures of Mahler in his studio show a man deeply affected by his life and society. This makes me realize that thinking about death is normal, but creative outlets and support systems, like GT Mental Health Services, can really help. (I do not need thank you though)

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Thomas Mann’s works deal with the tension between personal desires and what society expects from you. He was trying to understand who he was as a person and as an artist in a world that was putting a lot of pressure on individuals to conform. His struggles represent the cultural conflict of the time by showing the pressure. Mann’s internal struggle resonates with me when I try to figure out my own identity, especially as I prepare for life during and after college.

Mann struggled with his sexuality, which was a big deal at the time, and it shows up in his novel Death in Venice. Stephen Brockmann’s Thomas Mann’s Modernism explains that his characters often face inner conflicts between desire and social rules. Old photos and letters of Mann show a man aware of society’s expectations but wanting to explore his own thoughts. This helps me understand that identity struggles aren’t just personal and that they’re affected by the society around you.

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1913 was a time when old traditions were breaking down. Rapid social and technological changes were happening, and people were starting to question everything. Modernism embraced the chaos and uncertainty of the times, reflecting how people were struggling to make sense of all the changes in the world. This reminds me of how fast things are changing in our current world with technology and global events. Sometimes it feels like everything is moving too fast, and it’s hard to keep up, but like those in 1913, it’s important to embrace the change.

Old photos of cities in 1913 show rapid industrialization. Videos like Modernism in 1913 show how art and architecture reflected society’s changes. Scholars say embracing some change helped people grow and adapt. This shows me that not all change is easy, but when it helps you learn or improve, it can be positive, just like dealing with new technology and school challenges today.

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The struggles of 1913 aren’t so different from what we’re dealing with today. Just like people back then, we’re facing questions about identity, societal pressures, and technology. In today’s world, the takeover of technology and AI are making a lot of people rethink their role in society including job insecurity and many other threats. All this technology does make me reflect on myself based on how I portray myself online vs. how I am in real life.

Kafka’s The Trial shows characters struggling with complicated systems, which is similar to modern bureaucracy and digital issues. Stanley Corngold in The Commentators’ Kafka says Kafka explored universal anxiety in society. Today, articles from the New York Times show that AI and social media create pressure similar to what people felt in 1913. This research helps me understand that the struggle with identity and society is ongoing.

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The cultural struggles of 1913 still affect us today. The breakdown of old values and the rise of modernism made people question everything about their identity and society. We’re still trying to figure out how to balance tradition with modern change, just like they were back then. The lessons from 1913 remind me of my own struggle to find a balance between my family’s traditions and my own aspirations. For me this includes things like my heavily religious family, very traditional marriage values, and traditional values overall when it comes to most things in my daily life such as dressing, eating, etc.

Research shows modernism in 1913 shaped literature, art, and philosophy today. The Cambridge Companion to Modernism says the period encouraged questioning norms and exploring life’s complexities. Photos, paintings, and music from that era show how vibrant and tense society was. Knowing this makes me see that while tech and globalization are new challenges, balancing old and new is a struggle that has always existed, and we can learn from the past to manage stress and growth.

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In March 1913, the Balkan Wars were reshaping Europe. Countries like Serbia, Bulgaria, and Greece were fighting over territory, which created tension and uncertainty. This chaos reflected the anxiety of the early 20th century, where political and national identities were constantly in flux. Reading about this made me think about how today’s global events, like conflicts in the Middle East or tensions between major powers, create a similar feeling of uncertainty. It’s easier to understand how people back then felt anxious about their place in the world when I see how quickly news spreads today and how much uncertainty it can create.

Researching the Balkan Wars, I found that Austria-Hungary was especially nervous about Serbia gaining influence in the Balkans. Historians like Richard C. Hall argue that this fear contributed to the rising tensions that eventually led to World War I (Hall 2000). Looking at maps from 1913 and contemporary newspaper reports helped me see how fast alliances and borders were changing, which must have made ordinary people feel powerless. This shows that societal anxiety isn’t a new thing and that humans have always struggled with quick changes that are hard to control. Today, people feel similar stress over international conflicts, climate change, and economic uncertainty, which makes me realize that worrying about global events is something every generation experiences.

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March 1913 also saw women becoming more visible in public life, especially in arts, education, and the workforce. Newspapers and photographs from the time show women attending university lectures, working as nurses, and participating in political discussions. This was controversial because society still expected women to focus on family and home. Researching Alma Mahler’s circle and other women in Vienna shows that even artists faced these pressures. This makes me think about gender expectations today. I notice that even now, people still judge women’s careers and personal lives, though it’s not as rigid as in 1913.

I looked at photographs from Vienna showing women in universities and at public lectures. Articles about Alma Mahler and other women explained how their participation in public life went against traditional gender roles. I also read diaries from female students who wrote about feeling torn between ambition and what society expected from them. Seeing these photos, articles, and diaries helped me understand that gender pressure was not just from society but also from inside. This is important because it shows that women were making choices and pushing boundaries even when it was hard. Comparing it to today, I can see why people still struggle to balance personal goals with outside expectations.

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Workers were striking more in March 1913 because of low pay and long hours in factories. I read articles and saw pictures of picket lines, and it gave me a real sense of what life was like for them. It reminded me of debates today about labor rights and gig work.

I found some historians calling this period a “prelude to modern labor rights.” These strikes set the foundation for changes that improved workers’ lives. Seeing this makes me appreciate the protections we have today, but also realize that class tension is ongoing. The struggle for fair treatment and economic security is something that keeps coming up, even now, honestly pretty frequently when we see strikes at companies like Starbucks, Macys, etc in recent history. Also things behind our direct line of sight such as brutal labor working conditions and things we dont see as obviously as the strikes and boycotts I mentioned previously.

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By April 1913, Vienna’s coffeehouses were the center of intellectual life. Writers, musicians, and thinkers would gather to debate politics, art, and philosophy. I found old photos and videos of places like Café Central, and it was crowded with people talking about everything from politics to music.

These cafés weren’t just for coffee. They were centers for ideas. People like Peter Altenberg wrote and shared thoughts there, which helped shape modernist culture. Thinking about this, it makes me realize that social spaces, even online ones now, are still super important for creativity and exchanging ideas. How we interact in spaces affects what gets created and what ideas spread. This goes for more things than we would think about because platforms like instagram, reddit and discord often host many groups of people in various things. On discord, they are referred to as servers and on reddit they are referred to as subreddits. Platforms like these have likely caused millions of ideas to be brewed up with the collaboration of individuals all over the world, and I can personally speak to this as I commonly take my questions and ideas to different subreddits on reddit based on the topic. Whether this involves questions about video games, technology, college, job interviews, almost anything I could need.

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In April 1913, Vienna hosted some pretty controversial modernist art exhibitions. Artists like Oskar Kokoschka and Egon Schiele were experimenting with bold colors, distorted figures, and unusual perspectives. Contemporary newspapers, like Neue Freie Presse, reported that viewers were shocked and even outraged by these works, calling them “ugly” or “morally troubling” (Whitford 1980). I also watched videos analyzing Schiele’s and Kokoschka’s pieces, and read critiques by art historians like Jane Whitford, who explain that modernist artists were deliberately challenging traditional ideas of beauty and social norms.

This research helped me see that public outrage was part of how society reacts to change. Seeing how people reacted in 1913 made me realize that discomfort is often a sign that ideas are pushing boundaries. Today, we see similar reactions to new technology, social movements, or experimental art.

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Electric trams and new streetlights were spreading through Vienna by April 1913. Newspapers and photos from the time show people were fascinated by the bright lights and faster travel, but many were also nervous about how quickly these changes were happening. Some articles even mentioned accidents with early trams and worries that the city was becoming too crowded and fast-paced. It reminded me of how people today react to smartphones, AI, or other new technologies. There is excitement, but also stress about adjusting to new ways of living.

Historians note that Vienna’s rapid modernization contributed to a sense of anxiety because people had to rethink how they lived and worked. Urban sociologists write that the city was becoming “a laboratory of modern life,” where new technologies challenged old routines, social norms, and even perceptions of safety. This helps me see that adapting to new tools has always been stressful. It also highlights a pattern that societies often experience anxiety during technological revolutions, even when the change is mostly positive. Knowing this makes me feel that the stress I see today around AI, social media, or smart devices is normal. People in 1913 had to adjust too, which puts our modern worries into perspective. Looking at other past events including this one really does make me more confident that big technological changes now and in the future will commonly result in positive changes even given the large worries that may be present.

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March and April 1913 show that people were struggling to figure out who they were while the world around them changed. Artists, workers, men, and women all had to navigate new expectations. I read essays by urban historians and cultural scholars, including Vienna and Modernity: Social Identity in the Early 20th Century by Oliver Rathkolb and The Making of Modern Individuals by Carl Schorske. These essays explain that public spaces, education, and exposure to new ideas challenged traditional identities. For example, Schorske writes that young people and artists were experimenting with self-expression in ways that often conflicted with family or societal expectations, while Rathkolb highlights that workers and women were redefining their roles in the city, negotiating between old traditions and new possibilities.

Reading these essays helped me see that identity is always influenced by society, not just personal choices. People in 1913 faced pressures from urbanization, technological change, and cultural innovation. Today, social media creates a similar effect, pushing people to present themselves in certain ways and making it easy to feel like you are falling short. The essays helped me understand that trying to define yourself in a changing society is not a new problem. Both then and now, people have to balance who they want to be with what society expects.

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In May 1913, Europe was tense after the Balkan Wars, and the belief that rational systems could control everything was spreading. Illies states that Max Weber coined the phrase “the disenchantment of the world” when he observed that “humanity believes it can control everything by means of calculation” (p. 142). This was not just a theory, it reflected the way Austria-Hungary, Serbia, and Bulgaria calculated border treaties and alliances like pieces on a chessboard, while Germany and Russia maneuvered for influence in their own spheres.

Looking at a map of the shifting Balkan borders made me see why Weber’s warning mattered. Diplomats were literally redrawing lines on the map that decided who lived under which government. It reminded me of today’s war maps of Ukraine, where borders change with every offensive and NATO alliances affect millions of people who have no say in those decisions.

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Vienna in 1913 was a place of contradictions. Illies explains that “on the very same night in Vienna, Colonel Redl shoots himself … Adolf Hitler packs his bags … the same city that is also filled with young women attending universities and lectures for the first time” (p. 149). The University of Vienna and the Vienna School of Fine Arts had begun to admit women, opening spaces that had been closed to them for centuries.

Seeing photographs of female students in lecture halls helped me realize how groundbreaking this was. These women were not just attending classes, they were pushing against cultural expectations. It made me think about how women today still fight for access in fields like engineering and finance, where men often dominate. Education has always been more than just learning, it is about having the courage to take up space in places that resist change.

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As factories expanded in 1913, workers began to organize. Illies writes that “factories and streets became stages for the first real display of organized worker dissent” (p. 168). In June, employees at Daimler in Stuttgart and Siemens in Berlin walked out, while miners in the Ruhr Valley prepared mass strikes. Newspapers like Neue Freie Presse carried daily reports of protests and industrial accidents.

Photographs of striking workers outside factory gates made me think about the risks they were taking. Their demands for shorter hours and safer conditions weren’t abstract, they were about survival. This connects directly to modern labor disputes, like Amazon warehouse workers protesting unsafe heat or Starbucks baristas striking for predictable shifts. Then and now, protests show that fairness at work is something people must constantly fight for.

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In May 1913, the arts shocked audiences as much as politics did. At the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, the première of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring ended in chaos. Illies describes how “from the first note of the extremely high solo bassoon, roars of laughter … then shouting” filled the theater (p. 189). In Vienna, artists like Egon Schiele and Oskar Kokoschka exhibited expressionist paintings that critics condemned as immoral and dangerous.

Reading about the riot while watching a modern recreation of the ballet made me understand how deeply it disturbed people. To audiences used to classical harmony, it sounded like noise. This reminded me of debates over AI-generated art today, where people argue it “doesn’t count” as real creativity. Just like Stravinsky, new tools provoke backlash because they break rules, but those moments often end up shaping culture for the future.

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Stravinsky The Rite of Spring // London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Simon Rattle

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By June 1913, Vienna was buzzing with rapid modernization. Illies notes that “the city buzzed with the thrill and anxiety of technological progress” (p. 183). The Wiener Tramwaygesellschaft had electrified most of the tram network, and arc lamps lit up the Ringstrabe at night. At the same time, newspapers like Neue Freie Presse reported tram crashes and electrocution accidents, showing how progress was exciting and dangerous at once.

Seeing photos of the trams and reports of accidents made me realize how much technology changed the rhythm of city life. People admired the speed and bright lights but also feared losing control. It reminded me of today’s discussions about self-driving cars, which promise convenience but raise questions about safety. Vienna in 1913 showed me that every new technology comes with both wonder and risk.

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The months of May and June 1913 revealed modernity as something people could feel all around them. Illies observes that it was “one of those rare moments when eyewitnesses sense they’re part of a historical event” (p. 189). Between labor unrest, women entering universities, shocking new art, and trams changing the city, Vienna and other European centers were living through rapid transformation.

What stood out to me was how these changes touched ordinary lives in specific places: in Daimler and Siemens factories, in lecture halls at the University of Vienna, in the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées during Stravinsky’s ballet, and on Ringstrabe streets lit by arc lamps. Looking at these details helped me connect 1913 to my own time, where debates about labor rights, gender equality, technology, and art are still happening. It made history feel close, not distant.

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Illies, Florian. 1913: The Year Before the Storm. Trans. Shaun Whiteside and Jamie Lee Searle. Sceptre, 2013.

Neue Freie Presse archives, Vienna, May–June 1913.

Hall, Richard C. The Balkan Wars 1912–1913: Prelude to the First World War. Routledge, 2000.

Whitford, Jane. Egon Schiele. Thames & Hudson, 1980.

Holden, Anthony. Kokoschka: A Life in Art. Little, Brown and Company, 1991.

Rathkolb, Oliver. Vienna and Modernity: Social Identity in the Early 20th Century. Cambridge University Press, 2002.

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July 1913 looks peaceful on the surface, but even vacation couldn’t fully distract people. Illies explains, “Holiday! Egon Schiele and Franz Ferdinand, the Austrian successor to the throne, play with the model railway… Constant rain. Everyone goes half-mad in their hotel rooms. But still: Matisse brings Picasso a bunch of flowers.” (p. 223). What sounds like a break from real life feels more like everyone pretending things are fine while the mood gets heavier. The rain almost traps them with their thoughts.
The month sounds calm, yet the rain and boredom show a restless mood. It feels like everyone is pretending things are fine while the pressure builds. A photo of Schiele from his July 1913 retreat shows him standing stiffly and looking inward. The posture fits that uneasy summer feeling. It reminds me of how, during COVID summers, people tried to relax, but anxiety kept cutting through the quiet.

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Expressionism and the Fight for the Unconscious

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Expressionism and the Fight for the Unconscious

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July was filled with more than boredom and bad weather. It was also a moment when artists tried to paint emotions rather than just what they could see. Illies explains, “This July, August Macke and Max Ernst… organise an exhibition called ‘Rheinland Expressionists’… whose abstractions ‘provide expression for the spiritual through their form alone’” (p. 225). Their goal was to make viewers feel something deeper, even if the painting didn’t look realistic. This new kind of art showed how people in 1913 were already trying to understand their inner worlds.
They wanted the canvas to speak to the inner world. A period photo of Macke captures that turn toward emotion and intensity. It made me think of how today some artists use digital tools and AI to visualize moods or memories. In both cases, art becomes a way to show what is happening under the surface.

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In August, Kokoschka’s relationship with Alma Mahler showed how messy emotions could turn into fuel for art. Illies explains that he “carried on with painting The Tempest, turning in despair to his black paint and transforming his entire studio into a coffin” (p. 259). His heartbreak didn’t make him shut down. Instead, it consumed him so much that he painted as if he was trapped inside his feelings. When Alma came back briefly, their love felt intense but unstable, almost like something that could break at any moment.

A photo of The Tempest shows Alma and Kokoschka surrounded by storm-like movement, which feels like a visual version of emotional overload. It reminded me how even today, people sometimes use creativity to deal with feelings they don’t know how to process. Whether it’s songwriting after a breakup or posting emotional art online, pain still pushes people to express themselves.

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Not all of August was filled with chaos. Some artists, like Franz Marc, tried to find peace in nature. Illies writes how in August, Marc stayed in East Prussia and a photo shows him riding a horse so carefully that “Marc hardly dares to press his thighs against its flanks through sheer respect for the animal’s elegance” (p. 258). Later, he is even given a tame deer that lives in his garden and inspires him to paint animals as symbols of innocence. When the world around him felt tense, he looked for calm in nature and used it as a reminder of something pure.

A photo of Marc animals gives off a quiet, peaceful feeling, like he was trying to protect a softer side of life. It reminds me how people today go on walks, watch nature videos, or visit animal sanctuaries when they feel stressed. Even now, nature feels like a way to slow down when everything else feels too fast.

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Modern Industry and the Acceleration of Life

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Modern Industry and the Acceleration of Life

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August also showed how fast the world was changing. Illies notes, “On 16 August a moving assembly line is installed at the Ford automobile factory in Detroit for the first time” (p. 259). This wasn’t just a factory improvement, it was a shift in how time worked. Work became faster, more repetitive, and more controlled. While artists were focused on expressing inner emotions, factories were adjusting people to speed and efficiency.

A photo of an early Ford assembly line shows workers doing the same motion again and again, which looks tiring but also highly systematic. It made me think about how modern life is still driven by speed, like fast technology, instant shipping, and pressure to always be productive. 1913 was already moving toward a lifestyle where everything kept accelerating, even if people were not emotionally ready for it.

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Even with emotional chaos and industrial change happening, August still had moments that felt strangely calm. Illies describes everyday scenes like Franz Marc painting peacefully with animals nearby or Ernst Jünger sitting in a greenhouse absorbing heat and imagining faraway places (p. 245). Nothing dramatic happens in these scenes, but they feel like the last quiet moments before something bigger arrives. People were still living their lives, but without knowing they were in the final peaceful year before everything would change.

A photo of someone sitting alone in a warm summer setting, lost in thought, fits this atmosphere of stillness mixed with uncertainty. It reminds me of times when life feels normal, even though we know something larger might be coming, like the calm months before COVID became serious or quiet news cycles before major global events. These moments often only feel meaningful when we look back and realize how close they were to change.

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July and August 1913 show how people tried to live normally even as the world around them was slowly changing. Artists like Macke and Ernst turned inward and used new styles to express hidden emotions, while Franz Marc searched for peace in animals and nature. Kokoschka painted through heartbreak (shown), and Ernst Jünger sat in August sunlight lost in thought. At the same time, the Ford assembly line showed how modern life was becoming faster and more controlled. These moments felt personal and quiet, but they were happening in a world that was on the edge of change. These months matter because they capture one of the last calm summers before modern life shifted completely, both emotionally and historically.

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Illies, Florian. 1913: The Year Before the Storm.

“Egon Schiele in Gmunden/Altmünster.” Leopold Museum Online Collection,
https://onlinecollection.leopoldmuseum.org/en/object/31835-egon-schiele-in-gmunden-altmunster/.

“August Macke mit seiner Frau Elisabeth und Sohn Walther, 1911.” Wikimedia Commons,
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/August_Macke_with_his_wife_Elisabeth_and_son_Walther_in_1911.jpg.

Kokoschka, Oskar. Die Windsbraut (Bride of the Wind / The Tempest). 1913–1914. Wikimedia Commons,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oskar_Kokoschka_-_Die_Windsbraut.jpg.

“Franz Marc reitet sein Pferd, 1913.” Wikimedia Commons,
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Franz_Marc_reitet_sein_Pferd_1913.jpg.

“Ford Assembly Line, 1913.” Wikimedia Commons,
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/Ford_assembly_line_-_1913.jpg.

“Ernst Jünger, 1914.” Wikimedia Commons,
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Ernst_J%C3%BCnger_1914.jpg.

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In early September, the mood changes. Illies writes, “On 9 September, Gerhart, son of the publisher Samuel Fischer… dies the titular ‘death in Venice’ of his father’s great 1913 publishing success.” (283). The death feels strange because it connects directly to the story his father helped publish. It is like real life suddenly copies something from literature. People go on with their normal day, but the sadness sits underneath everything.

The Weissensee Cemetery looks wide, calm, and quiet. It doesn’t show dramatic emotion, but that is how grief often works. It felt similar to how people today still go to school or work while dealing with heavy things. Life keeps moving even when something hurts.

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Illies explains that a teenage Bertolt Brecht publishes a school magazine “hectographed in 40 copies” and mostly under a fake name (285). It was small and probably not very good, but it mattered because he was trying to make his voice heard. Most beginnings look like this: simple, quiet, almost invisible.

The student magazine from the NYPL archive looks thin and handmade, like something a few classmates would pass around. The quote and the photo both show how starting something doesn’t have to be big. It reminded me of how people today start small YouTube channels, Notes app poetry, playlists, or Instagram pages that only a few friends see. It still counts.

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Nijinsky’s Marriage Ends a Collaboration

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Nijinsky’s Marriage Ends a Collaboration

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On 10 September, Illies writes that Vaslav Nijinsky “marries Romola de Pulszky… and Diaghilev fires them both from the Ballets Russes.” (286). What should have been a personal moment turns into a major professional breakup. The decision changed the direction of modern dance. It shows how personal relationships and creative work are tightly connected.

A photograph of Nijinsky performing shows how important he was to the Ballets Russes. Seeing him mid-performance makes the breakup feel bigger because it affected the art itself. It reminded me of how friendships or creative groups today can fall apart fast and that one emotional decision can change everything.

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Illies writes, “Rilke has to go back to continue his dental treatment… placed in the hands of Dr. Charlie Bödecker, a German-American expert in metal inlays.” (284). Even someone as thoughtful and inward as Rilke is pulled back to something physical and uncomfortable. The mind can wander, but the body always demands attention.

The early 1900s dental chair looks stiff and basic. It shows how ordinary the moment is. The quote and image show how even deep thinking gets interrupted by daily life and inconvenience. It reminded me how stress or sickness today can interrupt work, practice, or creativity. No one gets to escape the body.

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Illies writes that August Macke “finds paradise in Switzerland, by the shores of sunny Lake Thun.” (306). The calmness of the place becomes part of how he sees. Later, when he paints Sunlit Path, Illies notes “the tree trunk glows in the same tone as the woman’s dress… while she gazes into the deep, dark blue of the water.” (PDF p. 220). The environment shapes the emotion of the painting.

A photo of Lake Thun shows still water and clear light. It looks like a place where thoughts can slow down. The image fits the quote because both show how being somewhere peaceful can shift your mood. It reminded me of how going for a walk or changing your surroundings can help reset your mind.

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Illies describes Macke painting every day by the lake, sketching people and trees, checking colors in sunlight, when he says “Here, by the banks of Lake Thun, August Macke paints his versions of paradise.” (335) The routine was not dramatic. It was steady. He created by returning to the same view again and again. Progress came from repetition, not sudden inspiration.

A photo of an artist’s studio lit by afternoon light looks simple and calm. The book and image show how daily habits can build something meaningful over time. It reminded me that improvement often comes from showing up consistently rather than waiting to feel motivated.

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Illies, Florian. 1913: The Year Before the Storm.

“Weissensee Cemetery.” Berlin.de, https://www.berlin.de/en/attractions-and-sights/3561571-3104052-weissensee-cemetery.en.html

“The Student: A School Magazine.” New York Public Library Digital Collections, https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e3-ef6e-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

“Vaslav Nijinsky as the Faun, Ballets Russes.” New York Public Library Digital Collections, https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/3a830890-c6bb-012f-8433-58d385a7bc34

“Please Have a Seat: The Evolution of the Dental Chair.” University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry Museum, https://dentalmuseum.pacific.edu/please-have-a-seat-the-evolution-of-the-dental-chair/

“Lake Thun.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Thun

“Lighting for Studio Painting.” Master Oil Painting, https://www.masteroilpainting.com/lighting-for-studio-painting/

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On November 9, Kafka goes to Berlin hoping to see Felice, and the meetup basically just does not happen. Later he says, “I departed from Berlin like someone who went there quite without justification" (344). What hits here is how calm the disappointment sounds. He is not dramatic, just kind of empty. It is that feeling where you look back and think, “Why did I even do all that?”
This moment is not big or loud, but it meant something to him. It is that type of sadness where nothing happens, and that is exactly why it hurts.
A picture of Kafka alone fits this because he usually looks distant, like he is thinking more than he ever says. The image matches the quote because the feeling here is quiet and personal, not something others would notice.

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Illies shows fifteen-year-old Brecht writing plain notes on being sick: “headaches, sniffles, catarrh, stitches, back pains, nosebleeds… ‘Morning Doctor Müller came. Dry Bronchitis. Interesting illness. Anyone can have sniffles’” (351). The diary style is casual but revealing. The quote works because Brecht documents his life like data, not emotion.
A picture of a teenage Brecht supports this because he looks young, sharp, and not yet famous. The image shows how someone who will become influential is still just a student writing down bodily discomforts. It connects to how identity builds slowly, often through boring days.

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Publication news that quietly shifts literature

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Publication news that quietly shifts literature

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Illies says: “On 13 November, Swann’s Way is published… Proust had the book published by Grasset at his own expense” (346). This shows how the book did not start out as some big, respected masterpiece. Proust basically believed in it enough to pay for it himself.
I like this because it shows how something huge can start in a quiet way. No hype and no audience, just someone deciding their work matters and putting it out there.
A picture of the first edition cover fits because the book looks plain, almost boring. Which is the point. You cannot always see the impact of something from how it looks.

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Nolde’s “dream trip” ends up disappointing him

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Nolde’s “dream trip” ends up disappointing him

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Illies describes how Nolde travels to the South Seas expecting inspiration and purity, but instead he writes, “It is depressing to note that all the countries here are swamped with the very worst European knick-knacks… He leaves his painting equipment in his suitcase and flees” (352).
He thought this trip was going to change everything, and it did not. He ends up feeling more lost than before. I feel like a lot of people can relate to that. You think a different place or setting will fix how you feel inside, but it usually does not.
A photo of Nolde during this trip works because he looks uncomfortable and not at peace. The picture helps show that sometimes we put too much pressure on a moment to change us.

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One letter brings Joyce back into his work

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One letter brings Joyce back into his work

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Illies explains that when Pound writes to Joyce in December, the letter “has the effect of making Joyce feel as if he has been raised from the dead” (379). Joyce starts writing again after feeling stuck for so long.
This moment matters because it shows how encouragement from one person can actually make a difference. It does not solve everything, but it was enough to get him moving again.
A demonstrating fake picture of Joyce writing at a desk fits because he always worked in such a focused, quiet way. The image matches the idea that creativity sometimes comes back slowly and personally.

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The year ends with everyone feeling a bit heavy

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The year ends with everyone feeling a bit heavy

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Musil writes about “the great darkness,” and Spengler says that “everything redolent of comfort, of beauty, of colour, is being plundered.” These lines show that by the end of the year, there is a shared tiredness. People feel like something is shifting, but they do not know what.
This is not dramatic sadness. It is more like emotional weight.
A picture of a winter street or train station in 1913 supports this because those scenes look cold, slow, and quiet. People just moving through the day, carrying things inside that they do not talk about.

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Illies, Florian. 1913: The Year Before the Storm.
Translated by Shaun Whiteside and Jamie Lee Searle, Melville House, 2012.

“Franz Kafka in Overcoat.” Photographer unknown, c. 1913. Digital image. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.

“Bertolt Brecht as a Young Man.” Photographer unknown, c. 1915. Digital image. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.

Du côté de chez Swann First Edition. Bernard Grasset, 1913. Digital image of physical book. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.

Kirchner, Ernst Ludwig. Woodcut Portrait, c. 1913. Digital reproduction of original print. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.

“Writer at Desk with Flying Pages.” Artist unknown. Digital illustration. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.

“Winter Train Station, Early 1900s.” Photographer unknown. Digital image. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.