They were referred to as 'born thieves and liars', 'companions of Satan', 'untamable savages'. At the same time, people admired the 'beautiful gypsy woman' and secretly admired the 'natural people' - the perception of the Sinti and Roma has been shaped by fascination and contempt for 600 years. Klaus-Michael Bogdal's brilliantly researched work examines the portrayal of 'gypsies' in European literature and art from the late Middle Ages to the present day, from Norway to Spain, from England to Russia. Based on countless new sources, early chronicles, artifacts, and Holocaust memories, Bogdal tells a cross-era and cross-genre history of the Sinti and Roma.