Mephisto. Novel of a Career

Publication in German. The novel by German writer Klaus Mann "Mephisto: The Story of a Career," published in 1936, is not just a story about the relationship between dictatorial power and a creative personality. It is a harsh and powerful... warning that social and personal compromises inevitably lead a creative person to lose themselves. The action of the novel takes place in the gloomy and dangerous environment of Germany in the 1930s, where the talented actor of the metropolitan theater Hendrik Höfgen betrays his loved ones and his ideals, collaborates with the Nazis for the sake of survival, a high position in the theater world, and money. The main character, whose prototype is actor Gustaf Gründgens, becomes a symbol of conformism and moral decline. Mann masterfully depicts Höfgen's inner struggle, his fears and ambitions, showing how easily a person can succumb to darkness, exchanging their soul for success and material goods. A film "Mephisto" was made in 1981 based on Klaus Mann's novel, which was awarded an Oscar.