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William L. Shirer: Biography, Facts and Career

Who is William L. Shirer? An evergreen, sourced profile: biography, key facts and career.

By the Pop Culture Files editorial team4 min read✓ Fact-checked
William L. Shirer
Unknown via Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

William Lawrence Shirer (; February 23, 1904 – December 28, 1993) was an American journalist, war correspondent, and historian. His history of Nazi Germany The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich has been read and cited in scholarly works for more than 60 years; its 50th anniversary was marked by a new edition of the book. As a young man just out of college, in 1925 Shirer was hired by the Chicago Tribune and later worked for the International News Service; he was the first reporter hired by Edward R. Murrow for what became a CBS radio team of journalists known as "Murrow's Boys". He became well known for his broadcasts from Berlin, from the rise of the Nazi dictatorship through the first year of World War II. Together with Murrow, on Sunday, March 13, 1938, he organized the first broadcast world news roundup, a format still followed by news broadcasts. Shirer published 14 books besides The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, including Berlin Diary (published in 1941), The Collapse of the Third Republic (1969), several novels, and a three-volume autobiography, 20th Century Journey (1976 to 1990).

Quick facts about William L. Shirer

  • Full name: William L. Shirer
  • Born: 1904-02-23
  • Nationality: United States
  • Known as: Actor
  • Wikidata ID: Q327287

Profile compiled from public Wikipedia and Wikidata data. Details can change over time.

Frequently asked questions

Who is William L. Shirer?

William Lawrence Shirer (; February 23, 1904 – December 28, 1993) was an American journalist, war correspondent, and historian.

What nationality is William L. Shirer?

William L. Shirer is United States.

When was William L. Shirer born?

William L. Shirer was born on 1904-02-23.

Sources

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