Otfried Preußler was born in Reichenberg in Bohemia in 1923. He was drafted into military service in 1942 and was captured in 1944 and held in a Russian POW camp until his release in 1949. He then moved with his family to eastern Bavaria and began studying to become a teacher. In 1953 he began teaching in Rosenheim and later became a school principal. He has been working exclusively as a writer since 1970.
Preußler has translated Czech and English children's books, written radio plays for children and published his first children's book, "Der kleine Wassermann", in 1956. His books for young readers have been translated 275 times into more than 50 languages. Works such as "Die kleine Hexe", "Der Räuber Hotzenplotz" and "Das kleine Gespenst" are considered classics of children's literature. His novel "Krabat" for adolescents and adults, published in 1971, also met with international acclaim.
He has received numerous awards in recognition of his complete works, including the Grand Prize of the German Academy for Literature for Children and Young Adults in 1978.
Otfried Preußler lives near Rosenheim.