Robbing the rich and giving to the poor - pirate and privateer stories continue to fascinate to this day. Klaus Störtebeker (probably 1360-1401) is one of the most famous pirates in German history. Since the 19th century, he has been romantically idealized as the "Robin Hood" of the seas. Matthias Puhle tells the legendary story of Klaus Störtebeker and the Vitalienbrüder, who waged a ruthless privateering war in the Baltic and North Seas at the end of the 14th century. He addresses the historically verified facts against all legends and questions the reasons that contributed to Störtebeker's posthumous career.