In this book, the author recounts his first twenty years of life, starting with his childhood in the Hunsrück, his school years along the Rhine, and his service in the Bundeswehr in Bavaria. He describes life in a Hunsrück village during the 1950s and 60s and shares how he gradually emancipated himself from his family, the village, and his homeland. His unpretentious writing style, often self-ironic and always multifaceted, ensures an entertaining read. Those who reflect on the events described will find the reasons that led the author to conflict with the law and multiple prison sentences. From this perspective, these youth memories are more than just the biography of a contemporary.