Volker Ullrich is a historian and journalist whose previous books include biographies of Bismarck and Napoleon, as well as a major study of Imperial Germany, The Nervous Superpower 1871-1918. From 1990 to 2009, Ullrich was the editor of the 'Political Book' review section of the influential weekly newspaper, Die Zeit. On publication in Germany in 2013, Hitler: Ascent 1889-1939 became a top ten bestseller.

Probably the most disturbing portrait of Hitler I have ever read' Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday TimesBy the summer of 1939 Hitler was at the zenith of his power.