Josefine Mutzenbacher oder Die Geschichte einer Wienerischen Dirne von ihr selbst erzählt

by Felix Salten

"Josefine Mutzenbacher" by Felix Salten is an erotic novel first published anonymously in 1906. The work presents itself as the memoir of an aging Viennese courtesan recounting her youth in Vienna between ages five and thirteen. Written in Viennese dialect, the novel depicts explicit sexual content while also documenting the social conditions of Vienna's lower class. This controversial bestseller has sold over three million copies, sparked legal battles, inspired numerous adaptations, and continues to generate scholarly debate about its literary merit and cultural significance.