Dr. Bernhard Horstmann, was born as the grandson of writer Ludwig Ganghofer, in Munich: School leaving certificate, and shortly thereafter drafted into the Luftwaffe. From January to April 1945, prisoner of the Gestapo; then from November 1947 in a Soviet prisoner of war camp. Law studies and years of service as a legal advisor. Since 1960 as a sideline job, since the mid 80s freelance and successful writing career. His novels have been published under the pseudonym >Stefan Murr<. Bernhard Horstmann died in Tutzing (at the Lake of Starnberg) on January 22nd 2008.