Try not to freak out, but we might have some previously unreleased Kafka on our hands very soon. If you’re not excited, I’m guessing that you’ve never read any Kafka. I forgive you, but just take my word for it: this is a big deal.

Photo Credit: AP Photo

After his death in 1924, Franz Kafka’s personal papers and documents were left to his friend and fellow writer, Max Brod. When Brod died in 1968, ten safety deposit boxes full of papers (some his, some Kafka’s) were left to his secretary and friend, Esther Hoffe. The disputed ownership of these documents is what’s kept them hidden from the public for so long. Hoffe’s daughters seem to have legal ownership, but if the papers are deemed to be “literary treasures” by the judge who is currently examining them, then they could be released into the public domain.

Even if the judge rules in favor of the Hoffe family, chances are good that the papers will soon be published in some form. Some speculate that the boxes contain unpublished manuscripts by Kafka, considered one of the greatest writers of the 20^th century, while others hope that personal documents will shed light on his mysterious life.

You can read more in Haaretz, the Israeli newspaper that filed the lawsuit to make these documents public. The New York Times also has an article on the subject, where they suggest that an unpublished short story was found in the first box.