The writer and communist Bruno Apitz (1900-1979), born in Leipzig, gained worldwide recognition with his work 'Naked Among Wolves' (1958) - it was the first and perhaps the most far-reaching bestseller of GDR literature. At the same time, Apitz was regarded and still is today as one of the most loyal literati of the SED state, a writer who truly believed in the emancipatory power of communism until the end. However, until now, there has been no comprehensive political biography of the author. Historian Lars Förster fills this gap and provides both researchers and interested laypeople with a nuanced and source-based biography. He sheds new light on essential aspects of Apitz's political life, some of which are being explored for the first time - including his previously unknown darker sides. To achieve this, Förster has gathered and analyzed sources from eleven archives in six cities and spoken with contemporary witnesses. This also results in a vivid character portrait of a highly sensitive and empathetic author.