 In Berlin, Knauf began directing the "Büchergilde Gutenberg" (Gutenberg Book Guild) in 1928.In 1930, Knauf published a semi-autobiographical novel, "Ça ira" ("It will" in French) about his experiences during the Kapp Putsch of the Weimar republic.After the Nazi Party seized power in 1933, the guild became "nazified" and Knauf quit in disgust, taking his secretary, Erna Donath with him.