Hitler's Piano Player: The Rise and Fall of Ernst Hanfstaengl, Confidant of Hitler, Ally of FDR

by Peter Conradi

Book Overview

Through newly declassified documents, interviews with surviving members of the Hanfstaengl family, and original writings by Putzi, historian and author Peter Conradi weaves Putzi's captivating tale. It was at a Munich Beer Hall in 1922 that this German man first saw Hitler speak, introduced himself and made his way in 20th-century history. Acting as haughty court jester, soothing pianist, and savvy foreign press chief for Hitler, Putzi became a close...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0786716916
• ISBN13: 9780786716913
• Release Date: January 2006
• Publisher: Carroll & Graf Publishers
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.06 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.5" x 8.7"

Customer Reviews

A peak inside a Nazi mind

Insightful. Shows the paranoia and insecurity that the inner circle Nazis had for one another. Also confirms that once a Nazi, always a Nazi and what a man of weak character could do to get inside the inner circle.

Ouch

Readers of Djuna Barnes should pick up this important biography right away, for those of us who admire the brilliant, bisexual US modernist will discover, in Putzi Hanfstaengl, one of the central figures in Barnes' life and an original of NIGHTWOOD. When the two of them met, shortly before World War I in a very different New York City, aristocratic, thrill-seeking Harvard grad Ernst Hanfstaengl was like no one else Barnes had ever met, and even though she was already identifying herself pretty much as a lover of women, she managed still to bring him under her erotic spell. Author Conradi relays Andrew Field's story (from his authoritative Barnes biography) that he was so attracted to her that, while slow dancing with her, he suffered an embarrassing and infinitely painful little "sex accident." To put it in layman's terms, his erection exploded. Now, that's erotic enslavement! Conradi's best guess is that Putzi and Djuna dissolved their engagement because she would not become German enough for him, but he outlines the various possibilities. She is said to have contemplated killing herself by leaping from her window when he left her to return to Germamy at the outbreak of World War I. There he married the unsatisfactory, hapless Helene, whom he led a merry chase till she finally divorced him to find happiness with another. The main story of the book, Hitler's friendship with Putzi and his eventual downfall at the hands of the Allies, is competently told. How much of it shall we believe? Whatever, it is a story more thrilling than any fiction, except perhaps the EYE OF THE NEEDLE and SHINING THROUGH. The Thomas Mann of BUDDENBROOKS might have written the early part of Putzi's life, but the last half of it could only have been dreamed up by a combination of Ian Fleming and John Cheever.

important story

Besides giving us some interesting details of the relationship between "Putzi" Hanfstaengel and Hitler, Conradi describes how FDR's personal secret service, run by the mysterious John Franklin Carter, was able to smuggle the Nazi Hanfstaengel into the US and hide him near Washington without even the FBI's knowledge. As one who knew Carter well, I am pleased that this small but important piece of US and WW II history is finally being told.

Inside Adolf

At first, you think the title is a Woody Allen joke (see his famous "Schmeed Memoirs", a faux reminiscence by Hitler's barber in "Getting Even".) But "Hitler's Piano Player" is the real thing--the story of an upper class German who became the ultimate 6th degree of separation, the common link among Adolf Hitler, Teddy Roosevelt, FDR, Robert Benchley, and others. Born into a wealthy family, "Putzi" went to Harvard, ran a tony art dealership in NYC, returned to Germany in the early 20s, where he met Hitler, and became his confidant, friend, source of loans, piano player, and ultimately, his foreign press secretary. After threatened with assassination, Putzi fled to Switzerland and then, ultimately, to the U.S., where he aided the OSS and wrote lengthy and gossipy dossiers on all the major players in the 3rd Reich. (FDR, who apparently read these reports with relish, called them his "Hitler Bedtime Story".) This is a bird's eye view of Germany and Hitler in the 20s and 30s--a bizarre home movie that almost humanizes Hitler and at the same time, gives hint to the sources of madness that soon savagely expressed itself. An unexpected personal view of Hitler before he was the Fuhrer. Well written, compelling, a one-of-a-kind story.