Marta Hillers studied at the Sorbonne and later traveled all over Europe. She spoke French and Russian. M. Hillers' memoirs were first published in 1954 in English, anonymously. The diary was originally written during the fall of Berlin, and it is unknown to what extent it was subsequently revised. Her acquaintance, the German Kurt Marek, published a book in the United States. Hillers married in the 1950s in Switzerland and left journalism. It was in French-speaking Geneva where Hillers settled. The memoir was met with controversy and did not sell well, perhaps because it was felt that Hillers' work brought shame to German women because criticism of Russian soldiers was felt to be exaggerated. Martha Hillers was never a public figure and did not agree to a new edition due to accusations of polluting the honor of German women and active anti-communist propaganda. The diaries were re-published after Hillers' death in June 2001 at the age of 90, in Berlin. In 2003, journalist Jens Bisky from the Süddeutsche Zeitung proved that both Hillers and Marek had connections with the Nazi Party, and wrote for minor magazines. Marek notes in his afterword that the book is based on a typewritten text, with handwritten notes. A Woman in Berlin was Martha Hillers's sole and main work.