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May 26, 2006

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Jaylefus

I first became acquainted with Zarah Leander through Nina Hagen's song "Zarah." Many years later I purchased Zarah Leander's Berlin birthday bash album because it had her version of the song Nina hagenifies. At one point in a different song, "Frau mit Vergangenheit" (Woman with a Past), she sings, "ich hab viel erlebt, und hab nichts bereut" (I've experienced much but regret nothing), and the audience erupts in applause, causing the diva to pause for several seconds in the middle of the song. Supposedly, she had a big gay following, and perhaps she struck a chord with an oppressed minority, or maybe it was the oppressors waxing nostalgic.

Pete Southcombe

And who can forget Zarah's wonderful interpretation of "Wunderbar". Once heard, never forgotten. Must be worth a post I would have thought.

Heinz

The facts seem to be more complicated and interesting than the above.
Z.L did anti nazi numbers before the war.

I do not know if it is true but when Zarah L. and Joseph G met:
JG: Zarah, that is a jewish name?
ZL: True, isn't Joseph also...

Another bio.

When the UFA head told her that it is unsuitable for her to have homosexual friends she replied that she will not let others decide her friends. To the threat that there will then be "grave conseqeunces", she said that she would take that as a bonus.

The Evolution of the Queer German Film

Martian

Here is another "tribute" record for Zarah L. Done by industrial musician Maria Zerfall:
http://www.discogs.com/release/151301

John Slate

Last year in Chicago I traipsed through an AWESOME huge book sale at the Newberry Library and found what looked liked ZL's entire recorded output. I only made off with two or three discs (70s German reissues), but boy is she great. I'm surprised no one's mentioned the RW Fassbinder film "Veronika Voss," very loosely based on ZL's life but with a much more twisted plot. Shot of course in glorious black and white!

jim e james

I take it everyone has looked at the Paul Seiler Zarah website? Her favourite perfume was Piguet's "Bandit". Her two children (certainly the son) are still very much alive,living in Sweden.As to the marvellous VERONIKA VOSS, I think it is more modelled on the life of Z's contemporary at UFA,Sybille Schmitz but the opening scenes of VV are`a cleverly reworked version of the beginning of Zarah's biggest movie hit Die Grosse Liebe 1942.Was fascinated to learn that Garbo and Arletty were great fans of Zarah,Garbo loving her records and saying she made her laugh. I used to work in an antiques business where her Biedermeier sleigh bed and coffee table both ended up after the rather gruesome auction of her effects after her death in 1981.She was quite a girl and if it is true that she was after all a KGB agent,extremely brave.Someone also said she had a "very physical approach to money" - always insisted on being paid in cash and smelled it,fondled it.

jeff

Gary Brines would have loved this

heinz

Zarah on Swedish TV in the sixties.

Bill Coleman

I am trying to obtain Zarah Leander on DVD or video. Is it possible to get a copy of Hitlers Women where she is featured. Can you help here ?

Bill Coleman

I am trying to obtain Zarah Leander on DVD or video. Is it possible to get a copy of Hitlers Women where she is featured. Can you help here ?

Fritz S

I have downloaded a number of ZL movies from www.emule-project.net - it's free but it does take time. Still looking for Gabriela, Cuba Cabana and Lied der Wuste, though.
I also found the series Hitlers Frauen there as well as some music videos and TV clips she did. In German, no subtitles.
There are also some video documentaries: Ich bin die Leander, for instance. I can copy off some of these.
There is a wonderful Bear Family 8 cd box set - nicely done with a book and discography, you might find it on ebay once in a while - I ordered from Sweden but it was expensive.

Fritz S

I have downloaded a number of ZL movies from www.emule-project.net - it's free but it does take time. Still looking for Gabriela, Cuba Cabana and Lied der Wuste, though.
I also found the series Hitlers Frauen there as well as some music videos and TV clips she did. In German, no subtitles.
There are also some video documentaries: Ich bin die Leander, for instance. I can copy off some of these.
There is a wonderful Bear Family 8 cd box set - nicely done with a book and discography, you might find it on ebay once in a while - I ordered from Sweden but it was expensive.

mrluvgermanfilmclassics

I have some of her films on dvd.Now as far as propaganda films are conscern , only Die Grosse Liebe was direct. But we had our own propganda pictures at that time. Some of them in technicolor. The rest of her films were the hollywood types. The only propaganda was that Goebbels hope that the escapist picture would influence people not to question and take a stand against the Nazis. But you see the movie going audience already knew what was going on. Those who took a stand it was passive cause of fear. Remember Hans Brauswetter was the only U.F.A. actor to speak out against the Nazi's and ended up in a inturnment camp until his actress friend Cathy Haak got him out of it.

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