Performed by: Lale Andersen mit kleinem Ensemble

Full Song Title: Lied Eines Jungen Wachtpostens (Lili Marlen)

Recorded in: August 2,1939

B-side: [ Ссылка ]

Lale Andersen (born 23 March 1905 – died 29 August 1972) was a German chanson singer-songwriter and actress born in Lehe (now part of Bremerhaven). She is best known for her interpretation of the song Lili Marleen in 1939, which by 1941 transcended the conflict to become World War II's biggest international hit. Popular with both the Axis and the Allies, Andersen's original recording spawned versions, by the end of the War, in most of the major languages of Europe, and by some of the most popular artists in their respective countries.

Andersen was born in Lehe and baptized Elisabeth Carlotta Helena Berta Bunnenberg, but known informally as ‘Liese-Lotte’—a diminutive of her first two names—to friends and family; this continued after her first marriage when she was known as ‘Liselotte Wilke’.

In 1922, aged 17, she married German Impressionist painter Paul Ernst Wilke (1894–1971). They had three children: Björn, Carmen-Litta, and Michael Wilke (1929–2017) the youngest of whom also enjoyed a career in the German music industry. Shortly after the birth of their last child, the marriage broke up. Leaving the children in the care of her siblings Thekla and Helmut, Andersen went to Berlin in October 1929, where she reportedly studied acting at the Schauspielschule at the Deutsches Theater. In 1931, her marriage ended in divorce. Around this time, she began appearing on stage in various cabarets in Berlin. From 1933 to 1937, she performed at the Schauspielhaus in Zürich, where she also met Rolf Liebermann,who would remain a close friend for the rest of her life. In 1938, she was in Munich at the cabaret Simpl, and soon afterwards joined the prestigious Kabarett der Komiker (Comedians' Cabaret) in Berlin.

While at the Kabarett der Komiker, she met Norbert Schultze, who had composed the music for "Lili Marleen". Andersen recorded the song in 1939, but it would only become a hit when the Soldatensender Belgrad (Belgrade Soldier's Radio), the radio station of the German armed forces in occupied Yugoslavia, began broadcasting it in 1941. "Lili Marleen" quickly became immensely popular with German soldiers at the front. The transmitter of the radio station at Belgrade, was powerful enough to be received all over Europe and the Mediterranean, and the song soon became popular with the Allied troops as well.

Andersen was awarded a gold disc for over one million sales of "Lili Marleen" [His Masters Voice – EG 6993]. It is thought that she was awarded her copy after the end of World War II. A copy of this particular gold disc owned by the "His Masters Voice" record company was discarded during the renovation of their flagship store on Oxford Street, London, during the 1960s where, hitherto, it had been on display. However, the disc was recovered and is now in a private collection. Nazi officials did not approve of the song and Joseph Goebbels prohibited it from being played on the radio. Andersen was not allowed to perform in public for nine months, not just because of the song but because of her friendship with Rolf Liebermann and other Jewish artists she had met in Zurich. In desperation, she reportedly attempted suicide.

Andersen was so popular, however, that the Nazi government allowed her to perform again, albeit subject to several conditions, one of which was she would not sing "Lili Marleen". Goebbels did order her to make a new "military" version of the song (with a significant drum) which was recorded in June 1942. In the remaining war years, Andersen had one minor appearance in a propaganda movie and was made to sing several propaganda songs in English. Shortly before the end of the war, Andersen retired to Langeoog, a small island off the North Sea coast of Germany.

Andersen died of liver cancer in Vienna on 29 August 1972, aged 67, and was cremated at Feuerhalle Simmering. Her ashes are buried in Dünenfriedhof (i.e. Sand Dunes Cemetery), on Langeoog Island.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I have.

Best wishes,
Stu
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