Skip to main content

Oliver Hilmes

Biography

Oliver Hilmes

Oliver Hilmes, born in 1971, studied history, politics and psychology in Paris, Marburg and Potsdam, and holds a doctorate in 20th-century history. His bestselling work includes MALEVOLENT MUSE: The Life of Alma Mahler (2004) and COSIMA WAGNER: The Lady of Bayreuth (2007). Most recently he has published FRANZ LISZT: Musician, Celebrity, Superstar (2011) and LUDWIG II: Der unzeitgem&aauml;ße König (2013).

Oliver Hilmes

Books by Oliver Hilmes

written by Oliver Hilmes, translated by Jefferson Chase - History, Nonfiction

BERLIN 1936 takes the reader through the 16 days of the Olympiad, describing the events in the German capital through the eyes of a select cast of characters --- Nazi leaders and foreign diplomats, sportsmen and journalists, writers and socialites, nightclub owners and jazz musicians. While the events in the Olympic stadium, such as when an American tourist breaks through the security and manages to kiss Hitler, provide the focus and much of the drama, it also considers the lives of ordinary Berliners --- the woman with a dark secret who steps in front of a train, the transsexual waiting for the Gestapo's knock on the door, and the Jewish boy fearing for his future and hoping that Germany loses on the playing field.