“People do not understand German, but I will not write for them in journalese…”

Karl Kraus (1874–1936) remains one of the most uncompromising and brilliant satirists of the twentieth century. As founder of Die Fackel (The Torch), he challenged the press, psychoanalysis, and political opportunism with wit, precision, and a fierce sense of justice. His voice, sharpened against the hypocrisies of fin-de-siècle Vienna, continues to resonate for readers today.

In These Great Times gathers some of Kraus’s most striking essays—including “A Crown for Zion,” “Salomé,” and the title piece—alongside aphorisms from Die Fackel and a significant excerpt from his vast anti-war drama The Last Days of Mankind. These works showcase his radical critique of propaganda, empty rhetoric, and the corrosion of public life through distorted language. This edition, presented in Patrick Healy’s vivid translation, also offers a chronology, notes, and suggestions for further reading, bringing Kraus’s fierce brilliance to new audiences in English.