Barmanul de la Ritz

Frank Meier tends the Ritz bar in June 1940. German troops enter Paris that month. The city has a night curfew, but the hotel escapes it. German officers meet rich and famous French guests there. Meier gains their trust to keep himself safe. He also seeks to protect his apprentice, Luciano. He does the same for Blanche Auzello, a woman of mystery. Most guests do not know that he is Jewish.

This novel spans four years of life under German rule. Its cast includes Gestapo men and those in the Resistance. Some work with the Germans; others profit from the war. Coco Chanel and Sacha Guitry share this world. So does Ritz’s widow. Love and acts of betrayal test whom they trust. They also test their sense of right and wrong. The book suits readers drawn to life in wartime. It also looks at the hard choices people face.

Meier comes from Austria and served in the First World War. Now fifty, he has run the bar since he founded it in 1921. His skill with cocktails has made him known to guests. They come from Europe and America. He will not leave, though his calm manner hides fear. Through Meier, Philippe Collin asks what people will do to live. He weighs this need against their sense of self-worth.

This is Collin’s first novel. He also writes news, makes radio shows, and writes about real events from the past. His podcasts cover Léon Blum, Napoleon, Simone de Beauvoir, and Philippe Pétain. He has also covered five women in the Resistance. The novel won two prizes in 2024: Maurice Druon and Le Temps Retrouvé. This translation forms part of the Folio series. Its original title is Le Barman du Ritz.