Zarah Leander (15 March 1907 â€" 23 June 1981) was a Swedish singer
and actress whose greatest success was in Nazi Germany during the
1930s and 1940s.Leander began her career in the late 1920s, and by the
mid-1930s her success in Europe, particularly in Germany and the
Scandinavian countries, led to invitations to work in the United
States. She was reluctant to relocate her children, and opted to
remain in Europe. From 1936, she was contracted to work for the German
Universum Film AG (UFA) while continuing to record songs. Leander
later noted that while her films were successful, her work as a
recording artist was more profitable. Involvement with the Nazi
propaganda machine did not prevent her from recording in 1938 the
Yiddish song "Bei Mir Bistu Shein".As a result of her controversial
choice to work for the state-owned UFA when it was subordinate to the
Third Reich, her films and lyrics were viewed by some as propaganda
for the Nazi cause, even though she took no public political position.
She was strongly criticized, particularly in Sweden, where she
returned to after her Berlin home was bombed during an air raid.
Initially shunned by much of the artistic community and public, she
found herself unable to resume her career after the Second World War.
It was several years before she could make a comeback in Sweden, and
she would remain a figure of public controversy for the rest of her
life. Eventually, she returned to performing throughout Europe, but
was unable to match the level of her prewar success. She spent her
later years in retirement in Stockholm, and died there at the age of
74.
and actress whose greatest success was in Nazi Germany during the
1930s and 1940s.Leander began her career in the late 1920s, and by the
mid-1930s her success in Europe, particularly in Germany and the
Scandinavian countries, led to invitations to work in the United
States. She was reluctant to relocate her children, and opted to
remain in Europe. From 1936, she was contracted to work for the German
Universum Film AG (UFA) while continuing to record songs. Leander
later noted that while her films were successful, her work as a
recording artist was more profitable. Involvement with the Nazi
propaganda machine did not prevent her from recording in 1938 the
Yiddish song "Bei Mir Bistu Shein".As a result of her controversial
choice to work for the state-owned UFA when it was subordinate to the
Third Reich, her films and lyrics were viewed by some as propaganda
for the Nazi cause, even though she took no public political position.
She was strongly criticized, particularly in Sweden, where she
returned to after her Berlin home was bombed during an air raid.
Initially shunned by much of the artistic community and public, she
found herself unable to resume her career after the Second World War.
It was several years before she could make a comeback in Sweden, and
she would remain a figure of public controversy for the rest of her
life. Eventually, she returned to performing throughout Europe, but
was unable to match the level of her prewar success. She spent her
later years in retirement in Stockholm, and died there at the age of
74.
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