Witiko is a historical novel encompassing 1,000 pages that tells the founding story of the Kingdom of Bohemia in the 12th century. Adalbert Stifter spent ten years on this monumental work, which centers around Witiko, who subjects his actions to the questions of what is good and what is right. Witiko proves to be morally steadfast through all the turmoil of failed succession and the resulting wars, even when his actions do not entirely conform to the established norms. Donhauser narrates this enigmatic text, which transforms "human history into natural history" (Ulrich Greiner), and delves into its mystery. By explaining, quoting, and reporting on Stifter's poetic endeavor, a unique text of unknown genre emerges: poetry, epic, and philology merge into a reading experience that not only highlights one of the great works.