Matthias Politycki was born in 1955 in Karlsruhe. He became a freelance writer in 1990, following an academic career. His first novel, Aus Fälle/Zerlegung des Regenbogens, published in 1987, was followed by, among others, Weiberroman (1997), Ein Mann von vierzig Jahren (2000) and Herr der Hörner (2005).
