In 1917, Maximilian Koenigsbeck in his thesis first described a localized type of pustular psoriasis confined to the hands and feet. That was the starting point for the development of the eponym "Koenigsbeck-Barber" disease for psoriasis pustulosa palmaris et plantaris. The present paper is the first report dealing with the life and work of Koenigsbeck. It includes a short biography, a discussion of Koenigsbeck's thesis in its historical context and the history of the eponym with emphasis on its current significance.