At the time of the putsch Ulrich had been studying stage design at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, the same institution to which Hitler had twice unsuccessfully applied.
[6] When the 1936 Festival ended, Ulrich embarked on a promising career at the German Opera in Berlin under the kindly paternalistic eye of Hitler.
[9] To honour and celebrate the 75th birthday of Richard Strauss, the company premiered the composer's one act opera, Friedenstag (Day of Peace).
Hitler arrived for the performance unannounced to cast his eye over his protege's work, and project himself as the Prince of Peace.
[12] Along with Wieland and twenty-three other young men whom Hitler and Winifred had identified, Ulrich was declared one of the "divinely blessed", and subsequently exempted from front line military service.
[14] Confronted by what he saw and experienced there Ulrich had what Hamann calls 'an existential crisis' and begged Winifred to release him from the list of the divinely blessed but he would not say why.
[18]In a later statement, the Roller family contradicted Winifred's opinion stating that Ulrich's death should be interpreted as an act of suicide.