  After briefly explaining the special role played by violations of CP and T
invariance and their connection with the baryon number of the Universe, I
sketch the history of CP violation studies since its totally unexpected
discovery in 1964. For about 30 years CP violation could be described by a
single number; this has changed dramatically in the years around the turn of
the millenium: (i) The existence of {\em direct} CP violation was unequivocally
established in the decays of long lived kaons. (ii) For the first time CP
violation was observed in a system other than that of neutral kaons, namely in
$B\to \psi K_S$. The findings are in impressive agreement with the prediction
of the CKM ansatz, which thus has been promoted to the status of a tested
theory. These new insights were made possible by close feedback between theory
and experiment as well as advances in detector design and a novel machine
concept, namely that of an asymmetric collider. We also have direct {\em
experimental} evidence that the observed CP violation in $K_L$ and B decays is
matched by a violation of microscopic time reversal violation, as required by
CPT symmetry. More recently CP violation has been observed also in $B\to
\pi^+\pi^-$ and $B\to K^{\mp}\pi^{\pm}$. A few comments are added on subtle
aspects of direct CP violation. While we know that the CKM dynamics are
irrelevant for generating the baryon number of the Universe -- i.e. hitherto
unknown forces have to be driving it -- we have also learnt that such `New
Physics' is likely to contain CP violation of sufficient strength.
