Although firmly rooted in European traditions, Stefan Zweig considered himself a citizen of the world. During the 1920s and 1930s he ranked among the most famous writers in Europe. His works, combining literary excellence with immense popularity, were widely read, admired and translated into many languages. After Zweig’s suicide in 1942, his work was branded as bland and superficial by some and it began to slip into oblivion. However nowadays his talent and his most outstanding works have regained their rightful place in world literature.

Born in Vienna on 28 November 1881, he was the youngest son of a wealthy Jewish family who owned a textile factory. His elder brother took charge of the family business, and Stefan was left fre

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First published 19 July 2004

Citation: Fern ndez, Juan-Fadrique. "Stefan Zweig". The Literary Encyclopedia. 19 July 2004.
[http://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=5470, accessed 9 February 2010.]