Karl Kraus (April 28, 1874 - June 12, 1936) was an eminent Austrian writer and journalist, known as a satirist, essayist, aphorist, playwright and poet. He is generally considered one of the foremost German-language satirists of the 20th century, especially known for his witty criticism of the press, German culture, and German and Austrian politics.

Written between 1915 and 1922, The Last Days of Mankind chronicles the development of the war through the daily and faithful quotation of “voices and rumors,” of street conversations, newspaper headlines, official speeches, and military reports.

It is constructed as an assemblage of vignettes from the front, the city, the political headquarters, private homes, clinics, playgrounds, stores, and cafés. The repeated appearances of commentator, “the grumbler”, and that of a newsboy shouting the latest and worsening news about the war, set the rhythm to the entire piece.