Musil, Robert (1880-1942)

Musil was born in Carinthia and died in Geneva. He studied psychology and philosophy before publishing his first novel, The Confusions of Young Törless (1906). In this violent story about twisted adolescents, the Austrian writer depicted the military schools in which he had spent several difficult years. He then published two collections of novellas, Associations and Three Women, and a play, Les Exaltés. He laboured over his masterpiece, The Man Without Qualities, an ironic and bitter critique of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, but was unable to finish it. After the Anschluss, he fled to Switzerland, where he died alone and unknown.