MARLENE TAKES A BOW: THE DEATH OF A DIVA

Today in Berlin: May 6, 1992

On this day in 1992 Berlin and the world lost one of the last great cinema divas, the unforgettable, unsurpassed, unabashed Marlene Dietrich. The actress and chanteuse died in Paris where she spent the last years of her life.

The grave of Marlene Dietrich in Stubenrauchstraße, Berlin-Friedenau (photo own).

Marlene Dietrich (actually Marie Magdalena Dietrich) was born in December 1901 in Berlin-Schöneberg’s neighbourhood of Rote Insel. Even though she lost her father at a very your age, her mother made sure that their girls received proper education and put a lot of effort into her and her older sister’s upbringing (the fact that the family was comfortable financially certainly made that task easier).

Marie displayed quite a musical talent and even planned a career as a violinist. A hand injury crossed those plans and sent the girl in a different direction: theatre. And it being the 1920s, soon a new medium - film - beckoned.

Marie Magdalene - now “Marlene” - as always, followed her instinct.

Even though her early years were not exactly successful (she was often considered too chubby, too gangly, too “not the type”), she performed regularly in vaudeville shows, cabarets and lighter theatre pieces. Until in 1929 Josef Von Sternberg started his quest to find the perfect actress for the role of the flippant and fearless Lola Lola for his new film, “Der Blue Engel” (The Blue Angel).

Someone recommended Dietrich and the rest is history.

Although it must be said, convincing the highly sceptical producer, Erich Pommer, and overriding the only badly veiled hatred that the main male star, Emil Jannings, felt for the young actress, probably had von Sternberg’s hair turn white even faster. He wanted Marlene Dietrich to play the role and was determined to make sure she gets the part. He won.

Dietrich as Lola Lola in the 1929 “Blue Angel”

The song written for the film by a Berlin composer and song-writer, Friedrich Hollaender, "Ich bin vom Kopf bis Fuß auf Liebe angestellt" (I’m from head to toe ready for love”), became a classic and despite having been performed by thousands of artists, unfolds its real potential and beauty only when sung by Marlene.

In fact, in January 1931 for the opening show at his new Berlin cabaret, the “Tingel-Tangel”, Hollaender invited a surprise guest: Marlene Dietrich stepped out onto stage to sing it accompanied by Hollaender. Fun fact: it was the very first public performance of the song ever. The audience was, quite understandably, thrilled.

Marlene Dietrich went on to become a legend. She hypnotised and beguiled crowds on both sides of the Atlantic. Shortly before and during the war she refused to return to Germany or have anything to do with the Nazi regime in her homeland. In fact, she accompanied US troops in Europe, performing for soldiers in sometimes the most challenging conditions. She was a diva who didn’t mind dirt, cold or not exactly fresh food - as long as there was still some powder and lipstick. She was said to have spent more time on Europe’s WW2 fronts with the US troops than General Patton.

Later, in 1945 and even decades later many people in Germany would hold her work for the USA army and her openly speaking against the Nazis against her. In fact, her first concert in her homeland and in Berlin after the war, at the Titania-Palast in West Berlin, on May 3, 1960, she faced crowds of angry pundits chanting and screaming ‘“Marlene, go home!” If it hurt her (and it did), she let no-one see it. Marlene Dietrich was home.

After a life full of drama, comedy, tragedy and incredible fame, this born and bred Berlinerin, was laid to rest in Berlin at the Schöneberg III cemetery in Stubenrauchstraße in Berlin-Friedenau. She wanted to be close to her mother whose grave is nearby.

To round off this sombre occasion, my favourite singing film-performance of Dietrich: from Billy Wilder’s Foreign Affairs, the song “Black Market” written, of course, by Friedrich Hollaender. Enjoy!

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