Karl Kraus, arguably the most relentless and sharp-tongued observer of his time, is one of the most fascinating figures in 20th-century literature. With the founding of the magazine "Die Fackel" in 1899 in Vienna, he began an unparalleled career as a journalist and critic, playwright, and poet. Some revered him, while others passionately hated him – but for him, everything he wrote was about ethical education, which is particularly expressed in language. This edition offers a wide selection from the extensive work of the combative Austrian linguistic genius. The editor: Dieter Lamping is a professor of General and Comparative Literature at the University of Mainz.