Posted by Naomi Firestone-Teeter
In Lili Marlene, authors Liel Leibovitz (Aliyah) and Matthew Miller reveal the dramatic story of an iconic love song, its three creators, and their lives under the Nazis. “Lili Marlene,” the unlikely anthem of World War II, cut across front lines and ideological divides. This love song began as a poem written by a German soldier during World War I. The soldier poet’s words found their way to Berlin’s decadent cabaret scene in the 1930′s, where they were set to music by one of Hitler’s favored composers. The song’s singer, however, soon found herself torn between her desire for fame and her personal hatred of the Nazi regime. In Leibovitz and Miller’s narrative, the three artists’ remarkable stories of arrests and close calls intertwine with the recollections of soldiers on all sides who found solace and hope in “Lili Marlene.”
To read more about Lili Marlene, check out the wiki entry here.
Originally from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Naomi is the CEO of Jewish Book Council. She graduated from Emory University with degrees in English and Art History and, in addition, studied at University College London. Prior to her role as executive director and now CEO, Naomi served as the founding editor of the JBC website and blog and managing editor of Jewish Book World. In addition, she has overseen JBC’s digital initiatives, and also developed the JBC’s Visiting Scribe series and Unpacking the Book: Jewish Writers in Conversation.