Known by his friends as "da H. C." (pronounced "hah-tseh") or "da Artmann," H. C. Artmann enjoys great popularity and an ever-growing number of admirers. Unlike most of his colleagues, this self-made poet had little formal education. He has led a carefree life which continues to be rich in adventure. Artmann's opposition to the values of the establishment is reflected in his personal life: he has fathered a half-dozen children in and out of wedlock.

Artmann's gypsylike life-style contrasts sharply with his working-class upbringing: the son of a showmaker, Hans Carl Laertes Artmann was born in St. Achatz am Walde, Lower Austria, on 12 June 1921 and raised in Vienna. Artmann holds his mother, who is still alive, in high esteem and has included her in several lecture tours, readings, and literary conferences. He attended only eight years of school. After being wounded on the eastern front during World War...