Franz Kafka and Chassidut Gur

B"H

In 1924, several months before he died, the famous author Franz Kafka fell in love with Dora Diamant (Dymant). She was the daughter of a Gerer chassid (Gur) and at that time, she started a rebellion against her father. A little later, she started an affair with Franz Kafka. Their relationship became serious and Kafka asked Dora to marry him. He even wrote a letter to her father asking for permission.

However, Dora's father went with the letter to the Gerer Rebbe and asked for advice. The Rebbe said "NO" to the wedding, and a little later, Kafka died of Tuberculosis. Dora went to Palestine and her further whereabouts are unknown.

There is a rumour that the Gerer Rebbe cursed Kafka but I do think that this opinion is an exaggeration. Franz Kafka had been suffering from Tuberculosis long before he died.