Mephisto. Novel of a Career

The edition is in German. The novel by the 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 the 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 dark and dangerous environment of Germany in the 1930s, where a talented actor of the metropolitan theater, Hendrik Höfgen, betrays his loved ones and his ideals, collaborating with the Nazis for survival, high status in the theater world, and money. The main character, who is based on the actor Gustav Gründgens, becomes a symbol of conformism and moral decline. Mann masterfully depicts Höfgen's internal struggle, his fears and ambitions, showing how easily a person can succumb to darkness, trading their soul for success and material goods. A film "Mephisto" was made in 1981 based on Klaus Mann's novel, which won the Oscar award.