75 years ago today we were celebrating defeating the Nazis...

[melm00se]

27. There is a very interesting back story to Lili Marleen

Originally a poem from 1915, it became a song lyric in 1938.

The poet Hans Leip despised the Nazis and disappeared into rural Germany.
The composer, Norbert Schultze, wrote marches for Hilter's invasions
The singer, Lale Andersen, had a Jewish lover and anti-fascist beliefs and was a target of the Gestapo.

Lili Marleeen, arguably, was flop until it was broadcast by Belgrade Radio when it came under Nazi control. After Goebbels ordered Radio Belgrade to stop playing Lili Marleen, the station was flooded with letters from German soldiers (including Erwin Rommel), asking for the song.

Because Radio Belgrade was powerful enough to reach most of Europe and the Mediterranean, the song rapidly rose in popularity with Allied forces as well. From the conflict rose a real crossover hit.

When Lale Andersen got on the Nazi's shit list (she had a Jewish lover), Lili Marleen disappeared from German airwaves. The British, never one to let a propaganda opportunity pass by), began broadcasting Lili Marleen into Germany with comments along the lines of "Wondering why you don't hear this song anymore? Is she in a concentration camp?"

In 1944, Marlene Dietrich recorded the song (re-titled Lili Marlene) for the OSS to be broadcast into Germany as part of the Allied propaganda.

She was the only performer who was told her that this recording was for the OSS. (Her WWII story is absolutely incredible as well. Among the stories: She was one of the 1st stars to sell war bonds. In 1944 she crossed into Germany with Patton and Gavin's troops and performed within a mile of the front. While in Naples she met a wounded soldier who was upset he couldn't let his family know he was ok, she barged into the CO's office, commandeered the phone called home for him...but i digress).

The authors and artist were forced to file claims for their royalties after the war. During WWII, their US royalties were sent to the US Alien Property Custodian and placed in a fund which the artists could file a claim. Needless to say, they received a mere pittance compared to what they would have received if there hadn't been a war on.

Hans Leip lived to the ripe old age of 90. Died in Switzerland.
Norbert Schultze also lived into his 90s and passed away in Germany.
Lale Andersen lived until she was 67 and passed away in Vienna.


If you can find it, the book Lili Marlene: The Soldier's Song of World War II by Liel Leibovitz and Matthew Miller, tells the story in full.