Kaputt in its literal meaning is the swan song of a Europe, broken, smashed, finished.
Europe was KAPUTT-from the highest military and diplomatic circles living in extravagant splendour, decadence and cruel debauchery, to the dregs of humanity living in filth and rags. A remarkable panorama of the moral and physical decline of European civilisation, KAPUTT is one of the great novels of the century.
Curzio Malaparte was born in Prato, Italy, of Austrian, Italian and Russian descent. He served with the French and Italian armies during World War I and gleaned his knowledge of Europe and its leaders from his experience in the Italian diplomatic service and as a correspondent.
