Will Berthold

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Will Berthold (born October 12, 1924 in Bamberg ; † June 16, 2000 there ) was one of the most commercially successful German writers and non-fiction authors of the post-war period.

Life

Berthold grew up as the son of a councilor in Bamberg and became a soldier at the age of 18. In 1945 he was taken prisoner of war and after his release initially worked as a laborer. From 1945 to 1951 he was a volunteer and editor of the Süddeutsche Zeitung ; among other things he reported on the Nuremberg Trials . At the same time he completed a degree in newspaper studies and literary history. In 1948 he married.

After he had published some serial novels in magazines (including in the Revue ), he became a freelance writer and wrote over 50 novels, so-called " factual novels ", and popular science non-fiction. His favorite subjects were the Nazi era and World War II, as well as subjects from the field of crime and espionage . He also wrote scripts for feature films and television documentaries. Some of his works appeared under the pseudonyms Stefan Amberg and Peter Martin Deusel .

His most famous work, which was later published in book form, is probably the series of articles "Night when the devil came", which Berthold wrote for the "Münchner Illustrierte" in the 1950s and with which he achieved his breakthrough. This series of articles traces the case of the alleged serial killer Bruno Lüdke , which was covered up in the Third Reich . It is mainly controversial because Berthold did not adequately disclose his sources and, in places, cited undifferentiated from NS files. For a large number of the case details presented to him, there is still no criminal evidence, especially not in written form. On the other hand, Berthold did not quote from the interrogation protocols of the Lüdke case, which would have put the guilt of the mentally severely disabled Lüdke in massive doubt. Especially by Robert Siodmak successful, with ten German film awards excellent film The Devil Strikes at Night 1958 Lüdkes name was as anchors of the most notorious German serial killer in the minds of the German public.

Berthold's books have been translated into 14 languages ​​and have a total circulation of over 20 million.

Works

  • Adam's Last , 1987
  • The others don't sleep. Europe changes its face , 1963
  • On the back of the tiger , 1969
  • On the roads of victory , 1988
  • Dirlewanger Brigade , 1960
  • Brandenburg division. Admiral Canaris ' house troops , 1959
  • The Honorable Thieves , 1981 (novel about industrial espionage )
  • Double or off , 1983
  • Marriage sanatorium , 1981
  • Paris stage , 1958
  • Field post number unknown , 1977
  • The women called him Charly in 1986
  • Five to twelve and no mercy , 1978
  • The yellow mafia , 1989
  • Money like hay , 1982
  • Faithful to death. Factual report. Victory and sinking of the Bismarck , 1956
  • The big trek. The expulsion from the German eastern territories , 1975
  • Hanussen . Clairvoyant and charlatan. Novel Based on Facts , 1987
  • The skin on the market , 1961
  • Hot money , 1980
  • Hero's Sabbath. Roman from Bamberg , 1985
  • Hell in Heaven , 1972
  • The impotent , 1969
  • Inferno (3 volumes), 1982–1984
    • Volume 1: The first lightning victories
    • Volume 2: victories and defeats
    • Volume 3: Finale
  • Ivan's Doctor , 1978
  • A guy like velvet and silk , 1984
  • The war that never ended , 1981
  • Court martial. Novel Based on Facts , 1959
  • Crisis Command , 1980
  • Lebensborn e. V. Novel of Facts , 1958
  • The last stand , 1987
  • Madeleine Tel. 13 62 11 , 1959
  • Malmedy . The right of the winner. Novel Based on Facts , 1957
  • Caught up, hung up. Malmedy , 1957
  • The mobile manager. The splendor and greatness of the German auto industry , 1966
  • After me I come in 1990
  • The night of the jackals , 1981
  • At night when the devil came. Factual report , 1959 (on the Bruno Lüdke case )
  • The Naked and the Beautiful , 1988
  • Operation Führer Headquarters , 1979
  • Parole home. German prisoners of war in East and West , 1978
  • Prinz-Albrecht-Strasse . Novel Based on Facts , 1963
  • Pine trees are silent witnesses , 1987
  • Revolution in a white coat. Hopes and victories of modern medicine , 1978
  • The victory that went to the dogs. The air war 1939–1945 , 1980
    • New edition with the title: The commanded downfall. The fate of the German Air Force from 1939 to 1945 . Kaiser Verlag, Klagenfurt 1981, ISBN 3-7043-3117-1 .
  • As long as we live. Doctor novel , 1985
  • Spy for Germany. Novel Based on Facts , 1955
  • Leap to Hell , 1987
  • The City of Angels , 1985
  • Top agents. A Load of Reading Pleasure (Editing), 1990
  • Survival is everything. The last 60 days of the 3rd Reich. Factual novel , 1985
  • Forbidden Games , 1980
  • The Failures , 1973
  • Enforced. Johann Reichhart , the last German executioner . Wilhelm Goldmann Verlag, Munich 1984, ISBN 3-442-06765-0 .
  • From heaven to hell, novel based on facts , 1957
  • The wild years , 1964
  • Tenderness in small installments , 1981
  • The 42 attacks on Adolf Hitler , 1981

Filmography

TV series :

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Berthold, Will
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Amberg, Stefan (pseudonym); Amberg, Will (pseudonym); Deusel, PM (pseudonym); Deusel, Peter Martin (pseudonym); Franken, Bert (pseudonym); Moira, Martin (pseudonym)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German writer and non-fiction author
DATE OF BIRTH October 12, 1924
PLACE OF BIRTH Bamberg
DATE OF DEATH June 16, 2000
Place of death Bamberg