The Barman of the Ritz: A Tale of Survival in Occupied Paris
Summary: Historical fiction often breathes life into forgotten corners of the past, but few settings are as evocative as the iconic Hotel Ritz Paris during the darkest days of the Nazi occupation. In Philippe Collin’s riveting new novel, The Barman of the Ritz, the lens is turned toward the man behind the bar—a figure who navigated the precarious balance between his work and his survival.
The Barman of the Ritz (Simon & Schuster, September 2026) is a compelling historical novel by Philippe Collin set in Paris during the Nazi occupation of the city in World War II.
While many conversations and events, including the protagonist’s diary, are fictional, the book is based on actual events and the true story of Frank Meier, who served as the first head bartender at the iconic Hotel Ritz Paris, where he tended bar for 26 years from 1921 to 1947.
The real-life legendary barman was also an author. His authoritative book on mixology, The Artistry of Mixing Drinks, was published in 1936. It included some 500 recipes, many of which he created himself.
In the introduction to the book, Meier described his philosophy:
“Few people realize that the mood of the man when having his drink is of the greatest importance… The successful barman must be a chemist, a physiologist and a psychologist of the first order, in other words the true mixologist is a man of science.“
Throughout the novel, the conversations among the barman, his co-workers, and the hotel guests reflect this complex orientation.
Born in Austria, Meier was Jewish but was forced to hide his identity during the war when Jews were being rounded up and sent to concentration camps.
The Ritz Bar
In the 1920s and 1930s, the Hotel Ritz Paris was inarguably the most fashionable hotel in Paris, and probably the world. It was the center of the Cafe Society, a mecca for society and aristocrats. It was the place to be and be seen.
Thus, the intimate “Ritz Bar” was a popular meeting place for famous artists, playwrights, literary figures and diplomats like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso, Cole Porter, Coco Chanel and Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton. It was the first bar to permit women to enter unaccompanied by a man.
Meier was known for making the best cocktails in the city and knew every guest’s favorites. But when the Germans invaded, the ambiance of the hotel and its bar suddenly changed, and it became the watering hole for the Nazi elite and their supporters.
Four Years of Hell
Meier walked a tightrope, suppressing his Jewish heritage and that of his apprentice Luciano while serving drinks to the Gestapo. He also worked to obtain forged identity papers for his paramour, Blanche, and others close to him and was involved in an unsuccessful plot to assassinate Hitler.
Soldiers were on the streets seizing possessions of Jews, French citizens were ratting on each other, and the staff of the Ritz had become mercenary to be able to eat and survive.
The Hotel Ritz Paris might be considered the second protagonist in this story because while the world around it was changing, the Ritz remained open. Electricity and gas were rationed, food and liquor were in short supply, and their clientele had changed.
Living with uncertainty, Meier often found himself questioning his complicated relationship with the Nazis, doing favors for them, while fearing that he would be captured. At one point, he said, “I’m a prisoner of the Ritz and of my own inaction.”
In addition to recounting the historical events of the occupation, the book also tells the story of some of the people involved, including the owners of the Ritz. Even when the Allies finally arrived to liberate Paris four years later on August 25, 1944, Meier remained uncertain of his future.
The Legacy of the Ritz Bar
Renamed Bar Hemingway, the 25-seat bar at the Hotel Ritz Paris is still a mecca for locals and tourists. The walls are covered with Hemingway memorabilia, and the atmosphere feels like that of a gentleman’s club where secrets are kept.
For 29 years (until 2023), celebrated bartender Colin Field helmed Bar Hemingway. Now it is in the able hands of his proteges.
The bar might be the best place to order a Ritz Sidecar, made with Cognac, Cointreau and lemon juice, in a glass with a sugared rim and a twist of orange or lemon, one of the hotel’s inventive cocktail creations.
When made with vintage Cognac, the drink is considered the most expensive in the world, but most guests order the more modestly priced version at about 34 euros.
A Story Well Told From The Perch Behind The Ritz Bar
To create this story, Philippe Collin conducted copious research on the war, the Nazi occupation, Frank Meier and the history of the Hotel Ritz Paris. More than the story of one brave and resilient man, it is also a story of the hotel surviving in the face of four years of atrocities outside its doors.
The Barman of the Ritz, available on Amazon and from major booksellers, will appeal to anyone interested in learning about this tumultuous time in Paris and beyond. The book is engaging and eminently readable.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book for review, but any opinions expressed in this post are my own. I am an Amazon affiliate. If you click an Amazon link, you will help support my travel blog at no additional cost to you.
Save to Pinterest!!
