Philosopher, writer. Nietzsche was a multifaceted genius, a master of German prose, whose life ended in madness, possibly caused by syphilis. He is best known as an apostle of power, of might is right, for turning traditional Christian ethics, with its concern for the weak and downtrodden, on its head and for treating ideals of democracy with complete contempt. This is the Nietzsche who naturally garnered a great deal of publicity and whom Hitler embraced, but there is a great more to Nietzsche besides.