Lily Marlene

Lily Marlene was the most popular song of the Second World War.  It was based upon a poem written by a German soldier in World War 1.  By the end of the Second World War, soldiers of nearly every army in the world had heard it’s haunting tune. 

It was first heard coming from the German lines in Africa, by the Desert Rats, who would also sing the song in German.  Eventually, it was translated into English.

The Nazis tried to ban the song when they heard it, but even they knew that banning such a popular song would have adversely affected the morale of the German troops.  The most famous person to sing the song was the famous anti-Nazi campaigner Marlene Dietrich.