Gustav René Hocke (1908-1985) continued, almost until the day he died, to write the memoirs which are here published in their entirety for the first time. The story of an eventful life divided between politics and art, Brussels, Cologne and Rome, they bring to life a substantial part of the 20th century as seen through the eyes of a critical observer. Gustav René Hocke’s memoirs have been edited and extensively annotated by Dr Detlef Haberland of Cologne University.