Mein Leben und Streben

by Karl May

"Mein Leben und Streben" by Karl May is an autobiography published in December 1910. Written amid numerous lawsuits against him, May crafted this work not as a peaceful reflection on his life, but as a strategic defense document to convince lawyers, courts, and readers of his reputation. The book candidly addresses his past, including prison sentences his opponents used against him. Its controversial final chapters naming his adversaries led to immediate legal suppression, followed by posthumous revisions and ongoing legal battles over its publication.