Ernst Hanfstaengl was court jester, pianist, and foreign press chief for Hitler, he even claimed to have devised the chant of Sieg Heil, but when the two men fell out he fled to Britain, where he was interned and transferred to America. There he worked as the star of Roosevelt's 'S-Project,' informing on 400 leading Nazis and creating a detailed psychological portrait of Hitler.

Through newly declassified documents, interviews with surviving family members and original writing by Hanfstaengl himself, Peter Conradi recounts a remarkable life.

About the Author

Peter Conradi is the author of The Red Ripper: Inside the Mind of Russia's Most Brutal Serial Killer, and Mad Vlad: Vladimir Zhirinovsky and the New Russian Nationalism. He is Deputy Foreign Editor for the Sunday Times. He lives in Stockwell, in South London.

Reviews

'All the elements of a gripping thriller... this well-written, non-judgmental biography perfectly captures Putzi's predicament' Guardian

'An exemplary piece of biographical writing, Hitler's Piano Player is packed with colour and character' Independent

'Fills in some fascinating detail about this bizarre figure... gives us a wealth of enjoyable anecdotes' Financial Times

'Wholly entertaining' Observer

Book Information
ISBN 9780715654019
Author Peter Conradi
Format Paperback
Page Count 368
Imprint Duckworth
Publisher Duckworth Books